Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, on Neh 13:25

“And I chid them, and laid my curse upon them. And I beat some of them, and shaved off their hair, and made them swear by God that they would not give their daughters to their sons, nor take their daughters for their sons, nor for themselves, saying:”

“cursed them--that is, pronounced on them an anathema which entailed excommunication. smote . . . and plucked off their hair--To cut off the hair of offenders seems to be a punishment rather disgraceful than severe; yet it is supposed that pain was added to disgrace, and that they tore off the hair with violence as if they were plucking a bird alive. Next: Esther Introduction”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.