Nehemiah 9:2

2 The seed of Yisra'el separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

Nehemiah 9:2 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:2

And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers,
&c.] Such as were genuine Israelites, of the seed of Abraham, who had married wives of the Gentiles, strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, either before the reformation by Ezra, not being then discovered, or had fallen into this evil since; but now, on the reading of the law, were convinced of it, and so separated themselves from such wives, which was a proof of the truth of their repentance:

and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their
fathers:
particularly their taking of strange wives, which their fathers had also done, and set them a bad example, which they had followed; of standing and confessing, see ( Luke 18:13 ) .

Nehemiah 9:2 In-Context

1 Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Yisra'el were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and eretz on them.

2 The seed of Yisra'el separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

3 They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God a fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshiped the LORD their God.

4 Then stood up on the stairs of the Levites, Yeshua, and Bani, Kadmi'el, Shevanyah, Bunni, Sherevyah, Bani, [and] Kenani, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.

5 Then the Levites, Yeshua, and Kadmi'el, Bani, Hashavneyah, Sherevyah, Hodiyah, Shevanyah, [and] Petachyah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.