Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all the foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
Parallel translations
- WEB The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
- KJV And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
- NKJV Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
- NASB The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and they stood and confessed their sins and the wrongdoings of their fathers.
- NLT Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Israelites separated from foreigners and confessed both their own sins and those of their ancestors. It matters because true repentance owns personal and corporate guilt.
Overview
Separation here meant turning from pagan influences and idolatry that had corrupted Israel, not racial pride, and was rooted in covenant faithfulness. Confessing the fathers' iniquities shows an awareness of inherited, communal sin. Such honest confession sets the stage for grace, pointing to the need for a Savior who alone cleanses sin (1 John 1:9).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Neh 13:3As soon as the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all of foreign descent.
- Dan 9:3–10So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
- Ezra 10:11Now, therefore, make a confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers, and do His will. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from your foreign wives.”
- Neh 13:30Thus I purified the priests and Levites from everything foreign, and I assigned specific duties to each of the priests and Levites.
- Dan 9:20While I was speaking, praying, confessing my sin and that of my people Israel, and presenting my petition before the LORD my God concerning His holy mountain—
- Ezra 9:2Indeed, the Israelites have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has been mixed with the people of the land. And the leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”
- Hos 5:7They have been unfaithful to the LORD; for they have borne illegitimate children. Now the New Moon will devour them along with their land.
- Ps 144:11Set me free and rescue me from the grasp of foreigners, whose mouths speak falsehood, whose right hands are deceitful.
- 1 Jn 1:7–9But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Ps 144:7Reach down from on high; set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners,
- Isa 2:6For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east; they are soothsayers like the Philistines; they strike hands with the children of foreigners.
- Lev 26:39–40Those of you who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away in their iniquity and will decay in the sins of their fathers.
- Ezra 9:6–7and said: “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached the heavens.
- Neh 1:6let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins that we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father’s house have sinned.
- Ezra 9:15O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.”
- Ps 106:6–7We have sinned like our fathers; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.
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Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 9:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.