Nehemiah 9:29

29 ou warned them to return to your Revelation, they responded with haughty arrogance: They flouted your commands, spurned your rules - the very words by which men and women live! They set their jaws in defiance, they turned their backs on you and didn't listen.

Nehemiah 9:29 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:29

And testifiedst against them
By sending prophets to them, to admonish them of their sins, and remind them of their duty:

that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law;
to regard it, and walk according it:

yet they dealt proudly;
with an haughty air rejected the counsel of God:

and hearkened not unto thy commandments;
yielded not obedience to them:

but sinned against thy judgments;
transgressed his laws, which were so just, righteous, reasonable, and equitable:

which if a man do, he shall live in them;
or by them, in the land of Canaan, see ( Leviticus 18:5 ) ,

and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear;
like oxen, that wriggle and struggle, and draw back, and will not admit the yoke upon them.

Nehemiah 9:29 In-Context

27 You turned them over to their enemies, who made life rough for them. But when they called out for help in their troubles you listened from heaven; And in keeping with your bottomless compassion you gave them saviors: Saviors who saved them from the cruel abuse of their enemies.
28 But as soon as they had it easy again they were right back at it - more evil. So you turned away and left them again to their fate, to the enemies who came right back. They cried out to you again; in your great compassion you heard and helped them again. This went on over and over and over.
29 ou warned them to return to your Revelation, they responded with haughty arrogance: They flouted your commands, spurned your rules - the very words by which men and women live! They set their jaws in defiance, they turned their backs on you and didn't listen.
30 You put up with them year after year and warned them by your spirit through your prophets; But when they refused to listen you abandoned them to foreigners.
31 Still, because of your great compassion, you didn't make a total end to them. You didn't walk out and leave them for good; yes, you are a God of grace and compassion.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.