Exodus 32:9 kjv
And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exodus 32:9 nkjv
And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!
Exodus 32:9 niv
"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.
Exodus 32:9 esv
And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.
Exodus 32:9 nlt
Then the LORD said, "I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are.
Exodus 32 9 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 32:10 | "Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them and that I may consume them..." | God's initial plan to destroy for rebellion |
| Exod 33:3 | "...for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you on the way." | Continued characterization and warning |
| Exod 33:5 | "For the LORD had said to Moses, 'Say to the people of Israel, "You are a stiff-necked people."'" | Reiterated command to acknowledge their nature |
| Exod 34:9 | "If now I have found grace in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in our midst, for it is a stiff-necked people..." | Moses' appeal acknowledges their character |
| Deut 9:6 | "Know therefore that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people." | Moses' later reminder of their inherent stubbornness |
| Deut 9:13 | "Furthermore, the LORD said to me, 'I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people.'" | Parallel account by Moses confirming the assessment |
| 2 Chr 30:8 | "Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD..." | King Hezekiah's call for national repentance |
| Neh 9:16 | "But they and our fathers acted proudly and stiffened their neck and would not obey your commandments." | Levites' prayer confessing generational rebellion |
| Neh 9:17 | "...they stiffened their neck and in their rebellion appointed a chief to return to their slavery in Egypt." | Extreme rebellion against God's chosen leader and plan |
| Psa 78:8 | "...and not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright..." | Warning against repeating ancestral stubbornness |
| Prov 29:1 | "He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken beyond healing." | Proverbial wisdom about unyielding obstinacy |
| Isa 48:4 | "Because I knew that you were obstinate, and your neck was an iron sinew..." | God's divine foreknowledge of Israel's deep-seated rebellion |
| Jer 7:26 | "...they stiffened their neck, and did worse than their fathers." | Intensification of rebellion through generations |
| Jer 17:23 | "But they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear..." | Persistent rejection of prophetic warning |
| Acts 7:51 | "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit." | Stephen's prophetic accusation against contemporary Jewish leaders |
| Gen 6:5 | "The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth..." | God's prior discernment of widespread human depravity |
| Psa 139:2-4 | "You know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar." | God's complete omniscience and understanding |
| Heb 4:13 | "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him..." | God's omnipresence and full knowledge of hearts |
| Deut 31:27 | "For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are..." | Moses foresees and warns of future disobedience |
| Num 14:11 | "How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, despite all the signs..." | God's complaint about Israel's lack of faith |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "...stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." | Disobedience likened to idolatry, related to rebellion |
| Rom 10:21 | "All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people." | Paul echoing Old Testament lament over Israel's unbelief |
| Matt 11:30 | "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." | Contrast to resisting God's "yoke" of obedience |
Exodus 32 verses
Exodus 32 9 Meaning
Exodus 32:9 conveys the LORD's immediate and profound assessment of the people of Israel during the Golden Calf incident. He reveals His complete awareness of their profound rebellion, explicitly labeling them as a "stiff-necked people." This description highlights their deep-seated stubbornness, inherent resistance to divine authority, and inherent tendency to turn away from God's commands despite His powerful acts of deliverance and His covenant with them. It underscores that God sees beyond actions to the core character of their unyielding spirit.
Exodus 32 9 Context
Exodus chapter 32 vividly narrates the devastating episode of Israel's idolatry with the golden calf. This event transpired with shocking immediacy after the magnificent manifestation of God's presence on Mount Sinai, where Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments and details of the covenant directly from the LORD. While Moses was still on the mountain (Exod 24:12), the people grew impatient due to his prolonged absence (Exod 32:1). They pressured Aaron to construct an idol, attributing their deliverance from Egypt to this newly fashioned molten calf (Exod 32:4), and engaged in revelry that involved sacrifices and immoral acts (Exod 32:6). Verse 9 serves as God's divine announcement to Moses, revealing His immediate and perfect knowledge of their grievous sin and identifying their fundamental character as rebellious. This act of creating an idol was a direct polemic against the singular, invisible nature of YHWH, rejecting the recent covenant and falling back into practices reminiscent of Egyptian paganism.
Exodus 32 9 Word analysis
And the LORD (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה - vayyomer YHWH): Signifies the immediate initiation of a solemn divine communication. "YHWH," the personal covenant name of God, underscores His relationship with Israel and His authority, making their act of rebellion deeply personal and offensive against Him. It reveals His active awareness and righteous judgment.
said to Moses: Highlights Moses' unique role as the primary mediator and confidante to whom God revealed the grave situation directly.
'I have seen (רָאִיתִי - ra'i'ti): A declarative statement emphasizing God's perfect, active observation and full understanding. This is not merely physical sight but a profound comprehension and moral judgment of their deeds and inner disposition, confirming His omniscience.
this people (אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה - et-ha'am hazzeh): The demonstrative "this" often carries a tone of profound disapproval or distancing. It signifies a temporary disowning of their privileged "My people" status due to their severe covenant breach. It refers specifically to the generation actively engaged in the idolatry.
and behold (וְהִנֵּה - ve'hinneh): An interjection used to draw attention to a critical or significant observation. Here, it introduces God's stark, unwavering assessment of the people's core nature.
it is a stiff-necked people (עַם־קְשֵׁה עֹרֶף הוּא - am-q'sheh 'oref hu'): This idiomatic phrase literally means "people hard of neck." It originates from the image of an ox refusing to submit to the yoke, resisting direction and stubbornly pulling away. Spiritually, it signifies obstinacy, resistance to authority, stubborn disobedience, and an unwillingness to humble oneself before God's commands or guidance. It's a deep-seated characteristic, not just a passing mood.
Words-group Analysis:
- "And the LORD said to Moses, 'I have seen this people': This opening phrase establishes the divine initiative and authority behind the judgment. The emphasis on "I have seen" signifies God's direct, complete, and righteous perception of the people's rebellion. He doesn't need to be told; He already knows the depths of their sin. The shift from "My people" to "this people" reveals the severity of the covenant breach.
- "and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.": This declarative statement is God's profound, damning verdict on Israel's inherent spiritual nature. The emphatic "behold" underscores the shocking revelation of their deep-seated obstinacy. It goes beyond the singular act of idolatry, defining their chronic unwillingness to submit to YHWH's authority, guidance, and the easy "yoke" of His commandments.
Exodus 32 9 Bonus section
- The anthropomorphic language ("I have seen") serves to emphasize God's personal observation and immediate response to sin, conveying His intimate awareness rather than implying physical limitation.
- The repetition of "stiff-necked people" throughout the Pentateuch (e.g., Exod 33:3, 33:5, 34:9; Deut 9:6, 9:13) transforms it into a core characteristic and prophetic indictment of Israel's history of rebellion.
- This verse represents a potential "unraveling" of the covenant recently made at Sinai, demonstrating that human disobedience has immediate and severe consequences on the relationship with God.
- The diagnosis of "stiff-necked" emphasizes the willfulness of their disobedience. It wasn't an oversight or a misunderstanding, but an intentional turning away, revealing the depths of humanity's sin nature apart from divine grace.
Exodus 32 9 Commentary
Exodus 32:9 serves as God's stark and concise diagnosis of Israel's spiritual state at a critical juncture. His declaration of them as a "stiff-necked people" is not merely an emotional outburst but a precise theological judgment. It reveals divine omniscience: God perceives not only the external acts of sin but also the deep-seated rebellious disposition of the human heart. The people's idolatry was a manifestation of an ingrained unwillingness to humble themselves under God's unique authority, despite recent, overwhelming displays of His power and grace. This verse sets the stage for God's holy wrath and subsequent dialogue with Moses, highlighting the constant tension between human stubbornness and divine justice tempered by mercy through intercession. It underscores that true obedience requires not just outward conformity but a submitted heart.