Nehemiah 9:18

18 Yes, even when they cast a sculpted calf and said, "This is your god Who brought you out of Egypt," and continued from bad to worse,

Nehemiah 9:18 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:18

Yea, when they had made them a molten calf
In imitation of the Apis, or ox of the Egyptians:

and said, this is thy god that brought thee out of Egypt;
or the image of thy god, as the Arabic version, see ( Exodus 32:4 ) ,

and had wrought great provocations;
of all which nothing was greater than idolatry.

Nehemiah 9:18 In-Context

16 But they, our ancestors, were arrogant; bullheaded, they wouldn't obey your commands.

17 They turned a deaf ear, they refused to remember the miracles you had done for them; They turned stubborn, got it into their heads to return to their Egyptian slavery. And you, a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, Incredibly patient, with tons of love - you didn't dump them.

18 Yes, even when they cast a sculpted calf and said, "This is your god Who brought you out of Egypt," and continued from bad to worse,

19 You in your amazing compassion didn't walk off and leave them in the desert. The Pillar of Cloud didn't leave them; daily it continued to show them their route; The Pillar of Fire did the same by night, showed them the right way to go.

20 You gave them your good Spirit to teach them to live wisely. You never stinted with your manna, gave them plenty of water to drink.