Deuteronomy 7:3

Deuteronomy 7:3 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

King James Version KJV

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

American Standard Version ASV

neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

Bible in Basic English BBE

Do not take wives or husbands from among them; do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons.

Free Bible Version FBV

Don't intermarry with them. Don't let your daughters marry their sons or have their daughters marry your sons,

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them, neither giue thy daughter vnto his sonne, nor take his daughter vnto thy sonne.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

'And thou dost not join in marriage with them; thy daughter thou dost not give to his son, and his daughter thou dost not take to thy son,

World English Bible WEB

You shall not make marriages with them. You shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give to his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take to thy son.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them. Thou shalt not give thy daughter to his son, nor take his daughter for thy son:

Translation for Translators T4T

You must not marry any of them. You must not allow your daughters to marry any of their sons or allow your sons to marry any of their daughters.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Deuteronomy 7:3

BAB

Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Deuteronomy 7:3 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB

HEB וְ/לֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑/ם בִּתְּ/ךָ֙ לֹא תִתֵּ֣ן לִ/בְנ֔/וֹ וּ/בִתּ֖/וֹ לֹא תִקַּ֥ח לִ/בְנֶֽ/ךָ

וְ/לֹ֥א lôʼ H3808 not Conj | Part

תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן châthan H2859 relative V-Hithpael-Imperf-2ms

בָּ֑/ם Prep | Suff

בִּתְּ/ךָ֙ bath H1323 Bath (Shua) N-fs | Suff

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

תִתֵּ֣ן nâthan H5414 to give V-Qal-Imperf-2ms

לִ/בְנ֔/וֹ bên H1121 son Prep | N-ms | Suff

וּ/בִתּ֖/וֹ bath H1323 Bath (Shua) Conj | N-fs | Suff

לֹא lôʼ H3808 not Part

תִקַּ֥ח lâqach H3947 to take V-Qal-Imperf-2ms

לִ/בְנֶֽ/ךָ bên H1121 son Prep | N-ms | Suff

Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

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Hebrew Word Reference — Deuteronomy 7:3

וְ/לֹ֥א lôʼ H3808 "not" Conj | Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)

Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.

תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן châthan H2859 "relative" V-Hithpael-Imperf-2ms

To be related by marriage means to become connected through wedding vows. In the Bible, this word describes the relationship between a husband and his wife's family, including his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Definition: a son-in-law, a daughter's husband, wife's father, wife's mother, father-in-law, mother-in- law

Usage: Occurs in 32 OT verses. KJV: join in affinity, father in law, make marriages, mother in law, son in law. See also: Genesis 34:9; Deuteronomy 7:3; Ezra 9:14.

בָּ֑/ם "" Prep | Suff

בִּתְּ/ךָ֙ bath H1323 "Bath (Shua)" N-fs | Suff

The Hebrew word for daughter is used to describe a female child or a woman, and can also be used figuratively. In the Bible, it is used to describe women like Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later of King David.

Definition: A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.38.2; daughter of: Shua (H7770); married to Judah (H3063); mother of: Er (H6147), Onan (H0209) and Shelah (H7956) the wife of Uriah whom David had murdered, having had adulterous relations with her; subsequently wife of David and mother of Solomon, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan (alternate spelling to 'Bathsheba')

Usage: Occurs in 498 OT verses. KJV: apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village. See also: Genesis 5:4; Exodus 2:21; Ruth 1:13.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

תִתֵּ֣ן nâthan H5414 "to give" V-Qal-Imperf-2ms

This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.

Definition: : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up 1c2) to be put upon

Usage: Occurs in 1816 OT verses. KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. See also: Genesis 1:17; Genesis 40:21; Exodus 30:12.

לִ/בְנ֔/וֹ bên H1121 "son" Prep | N-ms | Suff

In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.

Definition: : child/son

Usage: Occurs in 3653 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. See also: Genesis 3:16; Genesis 23:3; Genesis 34:18.

וּ/בִתּ֖/וֹ bath H1323 "Bath (Shua)" Conj | N-fs | Suff

Usage: Occurs in 498 OT verses. KJV: apple (of the eye), branch, company, daughter, [idiom] first, [idiom] old, [phrase] owl, town, village. See also: Genesis 5:4; Exodus 2:21; Ruth 1:13.

לֹא lôʼ H3808 "not" Part

The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.

תִקַּ֥ח lâqach H3947 "to take" V-Qal-Imperf-2ms

This Hebrew word means to take or get something, and it is used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to take a wife, to take possession of something, or to receive a gift. For example, in Genesis 2:22, God takes a rib from Adam to create Eve.

Definition: : take 1) to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to take, take in the hand 1a2) to take and carry along 1a3) to take from, take out of, take, carry away, take away 1a4) to take to or for a person, procure, get, take possession of, select, choose, take in marriage, receive, accept 1a5) to take up or upon, put upon 1a6) to fetch 1a7) to take, lead, conduct 1a8) to take, capture, seize 1a9) to take, carry off 1a10) to take (vengeance) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be captured 1b2) to be taken away, be removed 1b3) to be taken, brought unto 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to be taken from or out of 1c2) to be stolen from 1c3) to be taken captive 1c4) to be taken away, be removed 1d) (Hophal) 1d1) to be taken unto, be brought unto 1d2) to be taken out of 1d3) to be taken away 1e) (Hithpael) 1e1) to take hold of oneself 1e2) to flash about (of lightning)

Usage: Occurs in 909 OT verses. KJV: accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. See also: Genesis 2:15; Genesis 34:17; Exodus 30:23.

לִ/בְנֶֽ/ךָ bên H1121 "son" Prep | N-ms | Suff

Definition: : child/son

Study Notes — Deuteronomy 7:3

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Context
Cross References
Deuteronomy 7:3 Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
Reflection Questions
Gill's Exposition on Deuteronomy 7:3
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 7:3
Trapp's Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:3
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:3
Cambridge Bible on Deuteronomy 7:3
Whedon's Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:3
Sermons on Deuteronomy 7:3

Context — Drive Out the Nations

1When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are entering to possess, and He drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you— 2and when the LORD your God has delivered them over to you to defeat them, then you must devote them to complete destruction. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.

3Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons,

4because they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and He will swiftly destroy you. 5Instead, this is what you are to do to them: tear down their altars, smash their sacred pillars, cut down their Asherah poles, and burn their idols in the fire.

Cross References

	Reference	Text (BSB)
1	1 Kings 11:2	These women were from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, for surely they will turn your hearts after their gods.” Yet Solomon clung to these women in love.
2	Joshua 23:12–13	For if you turn away and cling to the rest of these nations that remain among you, and if you intermarry and associate with them, know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.
3	Exodus 34:15–16	Do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you, and you will eat their sacrifices. And when you take some of their daughters as brides for your sons, their daughters will prostitute themselves to their gods and cause your sons to do the same.
4	2 Corinthians 6:14–17	Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
5	Nehemiah 13:23–27	In those days I also saw Jews who had married women from Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. Half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod or of the other peoples, but could not speak the language of Judah. I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves! Did not King Solomon of Israel sin in matters like this? There was not a king like him among many nations, and he was loved by his God, who made him king over all Israel—yet foreign women drew him into sin. Must we now hear that you too are doing all this terrible evil and acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?”
6	Judges 3:6–7	And they took the daughters of these people in marriage, gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods. So the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
7	Genesis 6:2–3	the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took as wives whomever they chose. So the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years.”
8	Ezra 9:1–2	After these things had been accomplished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the surrounding peoples whose abominations are like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

Deuteronomy 7:3 Summary

This verse is saying that the Israelites should not marry people from other nations who worship idols, because it could lead them away from God. This is not about the worth of the other people, but about staying faithful to God and not being influenced by idolatrous practices (as seen in Exodus 34:15-16). It's like a warning sign that says, 'Be careful, this could lead you away from God!' (Deuteronomy 7:4). We can apply this principle to our own lives by being careful about the influences we allow into our lives and making sure we are staying faithful to God, as seen in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does God command the Israelites not to intermarry with the nations they are about to conquer?

God commands this because He knows that intermarriage will lead to idolatry and spiritual compromise, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:4, where it says that the foreigners will turn the Israelites' sons away from following God to serve other gods, which is also warned against in Exodus 34:15-16.

Is this verse saying that all non-Israelites are bad or inferior?

No, this verse is not about the inherent worth or value of non-Israelites, but rather about the spiritual danger of being influenced by their idolatrous practices, as stated in Deuteronomy 7:4, and the importance of maintaining the Israelites' covenant faithfulness to God, as seen in Genesis 17:1-14.

How does this verse apply to Christians today?

While the specific command is directed at the Israelites in the Old Testament, the principle of being separate from the world and not being yoked with unbelievers is still relevant for Christians today, as seen in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, where Paul warns against being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

What about love and acceptance - doesn't God want us to love everyone?

Yes, God does call us to love everyone, as seen in Matthew 22:37-40, where Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves, but this verse is specifically about the importance of maintaining spiritual purity and not being influenced by idolatrous practices, as warned against in 1 Corinthians 10:21-22.

Reflection Questions

What are some ways that I might be 'intermarrying' with the world, compromising my faith or values?
How can I maintain my spiritual purity and faithfulness to God in a world that often promotes idolatrous values?
What are some potential consequences of being influenced by worldly values or practices, as seen in Deuteronomy 7:4?
How can I balance loving and accepting others with maintaining my own spiritual integrity and faithfulness to God?

Gill's Exposition on Deuteronomy 7:3

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them,.... Unless they became proselytes, as Rahab, who was married by Salmon, and so those of other nations, as Ruth the Moabitess, and so any captive taken in

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 7:3

Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. No JFB commentary on these verses.

Trapp's Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:3

Deuteronomy 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.Ver. 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them.] As neither with any other that were idolatots.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:3

Verse 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages, &c.] The heart being naturally inclined to evil, there is more likelihood that the idolatrous wife should draw aside the believing husband, than that the believing husband should be able to bring over his idolatrous wife to the true faith.

Cambridge Bible on Deuteronomy 7:3

3. neither … make marriages with them] In the narratives in Genesis and Judges marriages are regarded as best when between members of the same family or tribe (Genesis 28:2; Genesis 28:8 f.) and as unfortunate when the wives are foreign (Genesis 26:34 f., Genesis 27:46; Judges 14:3). But no law against marriage with foreigners is either assumed or implied. On the contrary, Moses (Exodus 2:21), David (2 Samuel 3:3), Solomon (1 Kings 11:1), Ahab (1 Kings 16:31), all marry foreigners, and there are other instances (Bath-sheba and Uriah, etc.). The deuteronomic veto, therefore, may be assumed to be the earliest law against such marriages (Exodus 34:16 is editorial) and to have become necessary by the experience of their evil consequences, conducive to idolatry (Judges 3:5 f., deuteronomic). At the same time D allows marriage with a foreign woman taken in war (Deuteronomy 21:10). That the law was not kept is seen from the Book of Ezra.

Whedon's Commentary on Deuteronomy 7:3

3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them — There was always peril to the Israelites in their having close relations with the heathen nations.

Sermons on Deuteronomy 7:3

	Sermon	Description
	Commentary Notes - Joshua by Walter Beuttler	Walter Beuttler preaches on the book of Joshua, highlighting the historical account of Israel's conquest of Canaan, where God led them into victory. The key phrase 'the Lord fought
	Careless Choices by John Gifford Bellett	John Gifford Bellett preaches on the importance of obedience in marriage as a test of the state of the nation, tracing the decline from Abraham's faithful example to Judah's comple
	Apostolic and Prophetic Foundations by Art Katz	Art Katz emphasizes the urgent need for apostolic and prophetic foundations in the church as it faces unprecedented challenges and uncertainties. He reflects on the fading enthusia
	The Best, Not the Good by Vance Havner	In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of making choices in life between the bad, the good, and the best. He highlights the danger of settling for the good when we c
	You Need the Baptism of the Holy Spirit by David Wilkerson	In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a man named Steve who was a rock star and wanted to use his fame to spread the message of Jesus. However, he was confronted by you
	(Deeper Waters) Session 3 - the Habitation of God by David Ravenhill	In this sermon, the speaker begins by describing his arrival at a new home and how he can immediately discern certain characteristics about the people living there. He then moves o
	(Blood Covenant) 3 - Our Covenant With Christ by Milton Green	In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the destructive nature of sin and its opposition to the covenant and love of God. Sin is described as self-centeredness, selfishness, and se