Nehemiah 9:2

2. Seed of Israel The pure descendants of Israel, as distinguished from the offspring of unlawful mixed marriages.

Separated themselves from all strangers Renounced all fellowship with the heathen, and dissolved all their marriages with strange women. Marriages of this character had been one of the great sins of the people which Ezra had corrected some time before, (Ezra 9:10,) but even up to this time they were not all pure, and at a still later day Nehemiah had to contend again with the same evil.

Nehemiah 13:23-30.

Stood and confessed As is more fully shown in the penitential prayer that follows after Nehemiah 9:5.