### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼAshdôwdîyth**, represented by `{{H797}}`, is a highly specific term used to mean **in the speech of Ashdod**. It appears only **1 time** in the entire Bible, making its single usage particularly noteworthy. The word is used adverbially to describe the language spoken by the children of Jewish men who had married foreign women from Ashdod.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H797}}` is in the book of Nehemiah, during a period of religious and social reform after the return from exile. Nehemiah discovers that the children of these mixed marriages "spake half **in the speech of Ashdod**, and could not speak in the Jews' language" [[Nehemiah 13:24]]. This linguistic corruption was seen as a grave threat to the cultural and religious identity of the Israelite community, as the language of their heritage was being lost to foreign influences.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the context of [[Nehemiah 13:24]] illuminate the crisis of identity:
* `{{H1121}}` **bên** (son): This term identifies the **children** who were at the center of this linguistic and cultural mixing. As "a son (as a builder of the family name)," their inability to speak the proper language represented a break in the generational transfer of heritage [[Nehemiah 13:24]].
* `{{H1696}}` **dâbar** (to speak): This word is used twice in the verse, first to state that the children **spake** in the Ashdodite tongue and second to note they could not **speak** the language of the Jews, emphasizing the practical manifestation of the cultural dilution [[Nehemiah 13:24]].
* `{{H3066}}` **Yᵉhûwdîyth** (in the Jews' language): This term stands in direct opposition to `{{H797}}`. It represents the sacred language of the covenant people, which was being forgotten and replaced by a foreign tongue [[Nehemiah 13:24]].
* `{{H3956}}` **lâshôwn** (language): The verse concludes by stating the children spoke "according to the **language** of each people," highlighting the fragmented and assimilated identities resulting from these unions [[Nehemiah 13:24]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H797}}` is concentrated in its singular, powerful context. It serves as a symbol for spiritual and cultural compromise.
* **Purity of the Covenant Community:** The intrusion of the "speech of Ashdod" is a direct result of intermarriage with foreign peoples, illustrating the tangible consequences of disobeying God's commands meant to keep His **people** `{{H5971}}` distinct [[Nehemiah 13:24]].
* **Generational Faithfulness:** The core of the issue is the failure to pass on the covenant heritage. That the **children** `{{H1121}}` could not speak the holy language shows a direct violation of the principle of teaching the faith to succeeding generations [[Deuteronomy 4:9]].
* **The Sanctity of God's Word:** Language was the vehicle for God's law and promises. Losing the "Jews' language" `{{H3066}}` meant losing direct access to the scriptures and the specific words God had **spoken** `{{H1696}}` to His people [[Isaiah 25:8]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H797}}` is far more than a simple linguistic descriptor. Its single use in scripture marks a critical moment of cultural and spiritual crisis for post-exilic Israel. It functions as a potent warning against assimilation, emphasizing that the language of God's people is intrinsically tied to their covenant identity, their relationship with Him, and their ability to transmit their faith to their children.
TRV