Nehemiah 9:16

16 But they and our fathers behaved proudly, and hardened their neck, and did not hearken to thy commandments,

Nehemiah 9:16 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 9:16

But they and our fathers dealt proudly
Behaved in a haughty manner towards God, their kind benefactor:

and hardened their necks;
refused to take the yoke of his law, as refractory oxen, that withdraw their necks from the yoke:

and hearkened not to thy commandments;
to do them, though they promised they would, ( Exodus 24:7 ) .

Nehemiah 9:16 In-Context

14 And thou didst make known to them thy holy sabbath; thou didst enjoin upon them commandments, and ordinances, and a law, by the hand of thy servant Moses.

15 And thou gavest them bread from heaven for their food, and thou broughtest them forth water from a rock for their thirst; and thou badest them go in to inherit the land over which thou stretchedst out thy hand to give them.

16 But they and our fathers behaved proudly, and hardened their neck, and did not hearken to thy commandments,

17 and refused to listen, and remembered not thy wonders which thou wroughtest with them; and they hardened their neck, and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt: but thou, O God, merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, and thou didst not forsake them.

18 And still farther they even made to themselves a molten calf, and said, These the gods that brought us up out of Egypt: and they wrought great provocations.