Nehemiah 9:17

17 "They refused to listen, And 1did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became * stubborn * and 2appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God 3of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not forsake 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 "You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You told them to enter in order to possess The land which You swore to give them.
16 "But they, our fathers, acted arrogantly; They became stubborn and would not listen to Your commandments.
17 "They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You had performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness; And You did not forsake them.
18 "Even when they made for themselves A calf of molten metal And said, 'This is your God Who brought you up from Egypt,' And committed great blasphemies,
19 You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.

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Cross References 3

  • 1. Ps 78:11, 42-55
  • 2. Numbers 14:4
  • 3. Exodus 34:6, 7; Numbers 14:18

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. So Gr and some Heb mss; Heb reads "in their rebellion"
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