Nathan נָתָן

Nathan is mentioned in Ezr.10.39 as one of the Israelites who had married foreign women during the Babylonian Exile. This event took place after the return of the exiles to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra.

Upon learning that many of the Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring pagan peoples, Ezra was deeply grieved and took steps to address this issue. He called for a national assembly and urged the people to confess their sins and separate themselves from their foreign wives and children.

Nathan is listed among those who had taken foreign wives and pledged to put them away in obedience to God's law. The text does not provide any further details about Nathan's background, family, or specific circumstances surrounding his marriage to a foreign woman.

The inclusion of Nathan in this list highlights the widespread nature of the problem of intermarriage among the Israelites and the importance of taking corrective action to maintain the purity and integrity of the covenant community. By separating themselves from their foreign wives, Nathan and the others demonstrated their commitment to following God's commands and preserving the distinct identity of the Israelites as God's chosen people.