And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
One of the sons of Joiada (who was the son of Eliashib the high priest) had married into Sanballat the Horonite's family. So I drove him away from me.
Nehemiah had to remove a priest from his position because he had formed a forbidden marriage alliance with an enemy of God's people.
📚 Historical Context
During the time of Nehemiah, the Jewish people had returned from exile in Babylon and were focused on rebuilding Jerusalem's walls and restoring their community under Nehemiah's leadership as governor. One key concern was intermarriage with foreigners, which was seen as a threat to their religious purity and national identity, as it often led to the adoption of pagan practices. In this verse, Nehemiah takes decisive action against a relative of the high priest who had married into the family of Sanballat, a Samaritan leader who had opposed the Jews' efforts.
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