The Meaning of Deuteronomy 7:3 Explained

Deuteronomy 7:3

KJV: Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

YLT: 'And thou dost not join in marriage with them; thy daughter thou dost not give to his son, and his daughter thou dost not take to thy son,

Darby: And thou shalt make no marriages with them: thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor take his daughter for thy son;

ASV: neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Neither shalt thou make marriages  with them; thy daughter  thou shalt not give  unto his son,  nor his daughter  shalt thou take  unto thy son. 

What does Deuteronomy 7:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 7:1-11 - No Compromise With Idolatry
The great Lawgiver had His eye constantly on the coming generation. It is good when the children are so arrested by our religious life, that they come to ask us to tell them the reasons that account for it. Seek to live so purely and devoutly, and yet so attractively, that the young people around will be compelled to inquire after your secret, Luke 11:1.
We are not only to teach the children, but to guard them against forming friendships and making marriage alliances with those who might divert them from God. In the New Testament, Christians are forbidden to marry except "in the Lord," and equally stringent are prohibitions against worldly intercourse, 1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14.
God can break the seven-fold power of sin in the heart of those who are absolutely given over to Him and are willing to surrender their evil ways. This is pledged to us by His fidelity and love, Deuteronomy 7:8-9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 7

1  All communion with the nations is forbidden
5  for fear of idolatry,
6  for the holiness of the people,
9  for the nature of God in his mercy and justice,
17  and for the assuredness of victory which God will give over them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 7:3 mean?

Nor shall you make marriages with them your daughter not You shall give to their son and their daughter nor take for your son
וְלֹ֥א תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן בָּ֑ם בִּתְּךָ֙ לֹא־ תִתֵּ֣ן לִבְנ֔וֹ וּבִתּ֖וֹ לֹא־ תִקַּ֥ח לִבְנֶֽךָ

וְלֹ֥א  Nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִתְחַתֵּ֖ן  shall  you  make  marriages 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: חָתַן 
Sense: to become a son-in-law, make oneself a daughter’s husband.
בָּ֑ם  with  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
בִּתְּךָ֙  your  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
תִתֵּ֣ן  You  shall  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לִבְנ֔וֹ  to  their  son 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּבִתּ֖וֹ  and  their  daughter 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
לֹא־  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִקַּ֥ח  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
לִבְנֶֽךָ  for  your  son 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.