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
Sanballat was one of Nehemiah's main opponents who had constantly tried to stop the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and undermine the Jewish community. Intermarriage with foreign peoples was forbidden because it often led to compromising Israel's faith and loyalty to God. This incident shows how even the priestly families had begun to compromise by forming political alliances through marriage with Israel's enemies.
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