Verse 2. The seed of Israel separated themselves] A reformation of this kind was begun by Ezra, Ezra x. 3; but it appears that either more were found out who had taken strangewives, or else those who had separated from them had taken them again.
And stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.] They acknowledged that they had been sinners against God throughout all their generations; that their fathers had sinned and were punished; and that they, with this example before their eyes, had copied their fathers' offenses.
Ver. 2. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers , etc.] Such as were genuine Israelites, of the seed of Abraham, who had marriedwives 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 strangewives, which their fathers had also done, and set them a bad example, which they had followed; of standing and confessing, (see Luke 18:13).
