Nehemiah 9:2 Commentary and Bible Study

Now this is covenant conduct. There is separation. Some people think that at this point – it was a problem among them – they were separated from their heathen wives, but it does necessarily say that. It merely indicates that this was an exclusively Jewish festival, because, after all, they were going to be confessing the particular sins of the Jews. These are the sins that are going to be rehearsed by and large in the chapter, and so this festival is for them to pull their socks up and to acknowledge their national wrongs. It isn't for any strangers among them. So this particular verse is not to do with separating from heathen wives, but you can see the principle of separation in it, and we too, if we are in covenant with God, must be separate from the world. ‘And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.’ ‘Yes,’ they said to themselves – or should have done – ‘we are a rebellious people. We always have been.’ The trouble was that the Jews tended to be very proud of themselves, and because of the law that they had been given, and the culture they had been given, feel themselves to be superior and much closer to God than the Gentile nations. But this festival made them reflect, and caused them to think, ‘Oh no, the contrary is true. We have had so many advantages and blessings, but we have provoked him, and look how we’ve behaved.’ It was to humble them and to bring them into a right sense and perspective in their behaviour towards God.