Nehemiah 9 17

Nehemiah 9:17 kjv

And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

Nehemiah 9:17 nkjv

They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

Nehemiah 9:17 niv

They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them,

Nehemiah 9:17 esv

They refused to obey and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them, but they stiffened their neck and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and did not forsake them.

Nehemiah 9:17 nlt

They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,

Nehemiah 9 verses

Nehemiah 9 17 Meaning

Nehemiah 9:17 presents a profound contrast: the unfaithfulness and rebellion of the Israelites set against the unchanging, compassionate faithfulness of God. It describes the wilderness generation's repeated refusal to obey, their forgetfulness of God's miraculous provisions, and their defiant act of attempting to replace divinely appointed leadership and return to the very slavery from which God had rescued them. In stark opposition, the verse extols God's character as One who is ready to forgive, full of grace, compassion, patience, and boundless steadfast love, culminating in the truth that He did not abandon His people despite their egregious sins.

Nehemiah 9 17 Context

Nehemiah chapter 9 records a lengthy prayer of confession offered by the Levites on behalf of the returned exiles during the Feast of Booths. This prayer is a pivotal moment following the public reading of the Law in chapter 8, where the people demonstrated repentance and joy. The Levites recounted Israel's entire history, from creation and Abraham's call, through the Exodus, wilderness wanderings, conquest of Canaan, the era of the judges and kings, and ultimately, the exile. Verse 17 specifically falls within the historical recounting of the wilderness period (verses 9-21), emphasizing the pattern of God's miraculous deliverance and provision contrasted with the Israelites' constant rebellion and ingratitude. It highlights their greatest act of defiance – seeking to return to Egypt – yet simultaneously praises God's enduring character of forgiveness and faithfulness despite their persistent sin. This historical review served as a corporate confession and a foundation for the renewed covenant commitment (chapter 10) to avoid past mistakes.

Nehemiah 9 17 Word analysis

• "They refused to obey,"

  • Word Analysis: The Hebrew me'anu (מֵאֲנוּ) means 'they refused' or 'they were unwilling.' This signifies a deliberate, conscious rejection of God's commands and will, not mere ignorance. It speaks to a heart condition of rebellion.
  • Significance: This is not passive failure but active defiance, a common theme for the wilderness generation.

• "and they were not mindful"

  • Word Analysis: The Hebrew lo zakh'ru (לֹא זָכְרוּ) means 'they did not remember' or 'they did not call to mind.' While remembering can be cognitive, here it implies a failure to allow God's past actions to influence their present obedience and trust.
  • Significance: A failure of spiritual memory leading to ingratitude and repeated sin.

• "of Your wonders"

  • Word Analysis: nifle'oteikha (נִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ) refers to God's 'marvelous deeds,' 'extraordinary acts,' or 'miracles.' These were not just everyday events but supernatural interventions of divine power.
  • Significance: The Israelites forgot specific, undeniable demonstrations of God's power and faithfulness, such as the plagues, the Red Sea crossing, and the manna.

• "that You did among them;"

  • Significance: The wonders were experienced personally and corporately, making their forgetfulness and rebellion even more culpable.

• "but they stiffened their neck,"

  • Word Analysis: The idiom vayyaqshu et orpam (וַיַּקְשׁוּ אֶת־עָרְפָּם) literally means 'they made their neck hard.' This is a widely used biblical metaphor for stubbornness, inflexibility, and an unwillingness to submit to authority, especially God's authority or yoke.
  • Significance: It illustrates resistance to guidance and discipline, characteristic of their rejection of God's covenant.

• "and in their rebellion"

  • Word Analysis: b'meryam (בְּמֶרְיָם) derives from meri (מֶרִי), meaning 'rebellion' or 'contumacy.' It is outright insubordination against divine authority.
  • Significance: It frames their actions as direct opposition to God.

• "they appointed a head"

  • Word Analysis: vayyitt'nu rosh (וַיִּתְּנוּ רֹאשׁ) literally 'they gave a head' or 'they set up a head.' This refers to the specific incident in Numbers 14:4, where, in response to the fearful report of the spies, the people conspired to appoint a new leader to guide them back to Egypt, directly undermining Moses' God-given leadership.
  • Significance: A clear usurpation of divine leadership and a preference for human authority that catered to their unbelief.

• "to return to their slavery in Egypt."

  • Word Analysis: lashuv l'avdutam (לָשׁוּב לְעַבְדוּתָם) refers to returning 'to their bondage.'
  • Significance: This act represents the pinnacle of their unbelief—preferring known physical bondage over the challenges and uncertainties of walking in faith towards God's promised freedom. It revealed a deep spiritual blindness.

• "But You are a God of forgiveness,"

  • Word Analysis: Eloah Selikhot (אֱלוֹהַּ סְלִיחוֹת) 'God of pardons' or 'God of forgivenesses.' Selikhot (סְלִיחוֹת) emphasizes the readiness and capacity of God to grant forgiveness, even repeatedly. This stands in stark contrast to human retribution.
  • Significance: Introduces God's character as fundamentally oriented towards pardoning, shifting the focus from human sin to divine grace.

• "gracious"

  • Word Analysis: Khannun (חַנּוּן) refers to showing grace, favor, or pity. It is an act of benevolent kindness, not based on merit.
  • Significance: God's kindness extends beyond strict justice.

• "and compassionate,"

  • Word Analysis: Rakum (רַחוּם) refers to having compassion or mercy, rooted in the Hebrew word for 'womb,' conveying a deep, tender, parental-like feeling of pity and empathy.
  • Significance: God's mercy is heartfelt and deeply felt, demonstrating His love for His erring people.

• "slow to anger,"

  • Word Analysis: Erekh Appayim (אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם), literally 'long of nostrils/face,' a Hebrew idiom for patience, indicating that God does not quickly give vent to His wrath.
  • Significance: His patience allows for opportunities for repentance and averts immediate judgment despite severe provocation.

• "abounding in steadfast love,"

  • Word Analysis: v'rav-khesed (וְרַב־חֶסֶד) 'and great in loyal love,' 'full of unfailing love.' Hesed (חֶסֶד) is a key Old Testament term describing God's loyal, covenant love, mercy, and faithfulness that endures beyond human performance.
  • Significance: God's covenant love is abundant and constant, the foundation of His enduring relationship with Israel.

• "and You did not abandon them."

  • Word Analysis: v'lo azavtam (וְלֹא עֲזַבְתָּם) means 'and You did not forsake them' or 'You did not leave them behind.'
  • Significance: Despite their utter rejection, God remained true to His covenant and did not cast them off entirely. This confirms His enduring faithfulness even in their most rebellious moments, contrasting with what would be human reaction.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "They refused to obey... to their slavery in Egypt.": This first half of the verse meticulously details Israel's chronic and deliberate unfaithfulness in the wilderness. It moves from general disobedience and forgetfulness of God's past mercies to specific, direct rebellion through usurping leadership and wishing for a return to oppressive bondage, illustrating a deep spiritual degradation and preference for self-will over divine guidance and freedom.
  • "But You are a God of forgiveness... did not abandon them.": This second half of the verse powerfully contrasts Israel's depravity with God's glorious and unwavering character. It recites the divine attributes of mercy, grace, patience, and unfailing love, a well-known divine self-revelation (Exodus 34:6-7). This highlights God's radical grace that steadfastly endures even when His people prove utterly unworthy, demonstrating His fundamental commitment to His covenant.

Nehemiah 9 17 Bonus section

The specific acts of rebellion mentioned in Nehemiah 9:17 (refusing to obey, stiff-necked, appointing a head to return to Egypt) constitute an implicit polemic against reliance on human leadership over divine guidance, and against preferring the security of past bondage over the challenging freedom God offers. It challenges the human tendency to self-organize apart from God's plan and to view slavery as a preferable alternative to trusting in divine provision in perceived wilderness scarcity.

The Nehemiah 9 prayer, of which this verse is a part, functions not merely as a historical recitation but as a theological foundation for Israel's post-exilic renewal. By acknowledging the patterns of ancestral sin, particularly the "stiff-necked" disobedience, the generation in Nehemiah's time laid bare their need for God's continued mercy and established their identity not through their righteousness, but through His unchanging steadfast love. This also points forward to the need for a new covenant where God would write His law on their hearts, as prophesied, addressing the very issue of human stubbornness at its root (Jer 31:33, Ezek 36:26).

Nehemiah 9 17 Commentary

Nehemiah 9:17 serves as a theological anchor within a prayer of historical confession. It starkly presents humanity's profound depravity and spiritual amnesia against the backdrop of God's infinite grace and unchanging covenant loyalty. The wilderness generation, after experiencing miraculous liberation, deliberately turned away from God, choosing their own self-destructive path back to slavery and even appointing their own human leader in defiance of divine appointment. This exemplifies extreme human stubbornness, rebellion, and a tragic short-sightedness.

However, the verse does not end on a note of despair or condemnation. Instead, it pivots to extoll the very character of God. The recitation of God's attributes—forgiving, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and non-abandoning—reveals His intrinsic nature to be utterly devoted to mercy and faithfulness, even when provoked to wrath. This divine self-revelation (first found in Exodus 34:6-7) is foundational to understanding God's interactions with humanity throughout the Bible.

The practical usage lies in recognizing our own propensities for rebellion and forgetfulness, while simultaneously drawing immense comfort and hope from God's unyielding nature. It encourages deep humility, honest confession, and renewed trust in God's capacity to pardon and sustain us, not based on our worthiness, but on His eternal character.