Nehemiah 9:2
What does Nehemiah 9:2 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 9:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 9:2 means
“The seed of Israel” separates themselves from foreigners, signaling renewed commitment to covenant identity. This is not a statement of ethnic superiority but of spiritual distinctness, since intermarriage and syncretism had previously led them into sin. They then stand and confess both their own sins and those of their fathers. Confession includes acknowledging solidarity with previous generations; they suffer consequences that arose from persistent disobedience. This admission aims not to shift blame but to own it fully. It shows a people determined to stop repeating the past. Separation and confession together picture repentance as both turning from improper alliances and turning to God with honest, specific acknowledgment of guilt.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations, publicly requesting forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and the seed of Israel are separated from all sons of a stranger, and stand and confess concerning their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the seed of the children of Israel separated themselves from every stranger: and they stood, and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
Context
Having assembled in mourning, the people take concrete steps that match their contrition. Separation removes distractions and compromises that would hinder covenant faithfulness. Confession follows, leading into extended engagement with Scripture and worship in verse 3. The flow from separation to confession lays essential groundwork for the long historical prayer that begins in verse 5, where the Levites will help the people interpret their story under God’s truth and mercy.
v.1Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.
v.2This passage
v.3And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day; andanotherfourth part they confessed, and worshipped Jehovah their God.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezra 9:2
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the peoples of the lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass.
- Nehemiah 1:6
let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee at this time, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, while I confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee. Yea, I and my father’s house have sinned:
- Daniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
- Ezra 9:15
O Jehovah, the God of Israel, thou art righteous; for we are left a remnant that is escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our guiltiness; for none can stand before thee because of this.
- Ezra 9:6
and I said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God; for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our guiltiness is grown up unto the heavens.
- Hosea 5:7
They have dealt treacherously against Jehovah; for they have borne strange children: now shall the new moon devour them with their fields.
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