John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. Neither shalt thou make marriages with them , etc.] 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 war; otherwise it was not lawful, bad consequences have followed upon it, which it is the design of this law to prevent; that is, being snared and drawn aside into idolatry, which was the case of Solomon: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son ; for, according to the Targum of Jonathan, whosoever marries with them, it is as if he married with their idols: and this law, according to the Jewish writers f75 , is binding with respect to other nations besides the seven; and whosoever marries any Heathen, of whatsoever nation, is to be beaten.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Here is a strict caution against all friendship and fellowship with idols and idolaters. Those who are in communion with God, must have n communication with the unfruitful works of darkness. Limiting the orders to destroy, to the nations here mentioned, plainly shows tha after ages were not to draw this into a precedent. A prope understanding of the evil of sin, and of the mystery of a crucifie Saviour, will enable us to perceive the justice of God in all his punishments, temporal and eternal. We must deal decidedly with ou lusts that war against our souls; let us not show them any mercy, but mortify, and crucify, and utterly destroy them. Thousands in the worl that now is, have been undone by ungodly marriages; for there is mor likelihood that the good will be perverted, than that the bad will be converted. Those who, in choosing yoke-fellows, keep not within the bounds of a profession of religion, cannot promise themselves help meet for them.
Original Hebrew ולא3808 תתחתן2859 בם בתך1323 לא3808 תתן5414 לבנו1121 ובתו1323 לא3808 תקח3947 לבנך׃1121
