Nehemiah 13:25

I contended Cf. Nehemiah 13:11; Nehemiah 13:17.

cursed R.V. marg. -Or, reviled". For the word -to curse" (qalal) cf. Nehemiah 13:2; Malachi 3:9; Malachi 4:6.

smote … pluckt off their hair Nehemiah's frantic excitement against these countrymen was accompanied with gestures and blows such as may be witnessed in Syria but are almost incredible to our western ideas.

pluckt off their hair LXX. ἐμαδάρωσα αὐτούς. Vulg. -decalvavi eos." Commentators suggest that this was done at Nehemiah's command, and not by his own hand; further that it was a judicial sentence of -depilatio." But the context quite supports the idea that he personally ill-treated them; so frantic was his indignation. He did not intend, as some suggest, by pulling out their hair to compel them to assume the appearance of penitents. For the action of pulling out the hair cf. Ezra 9:3.

made them swear by God, saying] i.e. he made them swear an oath in God's name, the words of the oath being given in the clause following.

This is better than the alternative rendering, -I adjured them by God" (cf. 1 Kings 18:10; Song of Solomon 2:7).

Ye shall not The oath which Nehemiah administered in the 2nd plur. was repeated by the Jews in the first pers.

unto your sons R.V. for your sons.