Nehemiah 9:17

17 they refused to listen and paid no attention to the wonders you had done among them. No, they stiffened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a leader to return them to their slavery. But because you are a God of forgiveness, merciful, full of compassion, slow to grow angry and full of grace, you did not abandon them.

Nehemiah 9:17 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:17

And refused to obey
Though exhorted, admonished, and threatened, such was their obstinacy:

neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them;
in delivering them at the Red sea, in raining manna about them, and giving them water out of the rock:

but hardened their necks;
see the preceding verse:

and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage;
they not only proposed it, but determined upon it, which is reckoned the same as if they had done it, see ( Numbers 14:4 ) ,

but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to
anger, and of great kindness;
as he had proclaimed his name before Moses, and as the whole of his conduct towards the people of Israel abundantly shewed, see ( Exodus 34:6 Exodus 34:7 )

and forsookest them not;
when in the wilderness, where otherwise they must have perished, but still fed and protected them, notwithstanding their provocations.

Nehemiah 9:17 In-Context

15 "'For their hunger you gave them bread from heaven; for their thirst you brought forth for them water from the rock. You ordered them to enter and possess the land you had sworn with your hand to give them.

16 "'But they and our ancestors were arrogant; they stiffened their necks and ignored your mitzvot;

17 they refused to listen and paid no attention to the wonders you had done among them. No, they stiffened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a leader to return them to their slavery. But because you are a God of forgiveness, merciful, full of compassion, slow to grow angry and full of grace, you did not abandon them.

18 Even when they cast themselves a metal calf, saying of it, "This is your god that brought you up from Egypt,"and committing other gross provocations;

19 still, you, in your great compassion, did not abandon them in the desert. The column of cloud did not leave them by day; it kept leading them along the way. By night the column of fire kept showing them light and the path to take.