Nechemyah 9:2

2 And the Zera Yisroel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their chattot, and the avonot of their avot.

Nechemyah 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 ) .

Nechemyah 9:2 In-Context

1 Now in the 24th day of this month the Bnei Yisroel were assembled with a tzom, with sack-cloth, and adamah upon them.

2 And the Zera Yisroel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their chattot, and the avonot of their avot.

3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the Sefer Torat Hashem Eloheihem one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshiped Hashem Eloheihem.

4 Then stood up upon the platform, of the Levi’im, Yeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shevanyah, Bunni, Sherevyah, Bani, and Kenani, and cried with a kol gadol unto Hashem Eloheihem.

5 Then the Levi’im, Yeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Chashavneyah, Sherevyah, Hodiyah, Shevanyah, and Petachyah, said, Stand up and bless Hashem Eloheichem for ever and ever; and blessed be Shem Kevodecha, which is exalted above all brocha and tehillah.