Nehemiah 9:18 kjv
Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
Nehemiah 9:18 nkjv
"Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, And said, 'This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,' And worked great provocations,
Nehemiah 9:18 niv
even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, 'This is your god, who brought you up out of Egypt,' or when they committed awful blasphemies.
Nehemiah 9:18 esv
Even when they had made for themselves a golden calf and said, 'This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,' and had committed great blasphemies,
Nehemiah 9:18 nlt
even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said, 'This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!' They committed terrible blasphemies.
Nehemiah 9 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 32:4 | "...made a molten calf...said, 'This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up...'” | Golden calf made by Aaron and the people. |
| Dt 9:16 | "And indeed, you had sinned against the LORD your God and had made for yourselves a molten calf..." | Moses recalls Israel's sin in the wilderness. |
| 1 Ki 12:28 | "...made two calves of gold...’Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up...” | Jeroboam's sin of establishing idolatry in Israel. |
| Ps 106:19-20 | "They made a calf in Horeb... exchanged their glory for the image of an ox..." | A psalmist's reflection on the golden calf sin. |
| Dt 5:7-9 | "‘You shall have no other gods... shall not make for yourself a carved image... shall not worship them...'" | The first two commandments violated by the calf. |
| Ex 20:2 | "‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt...'" | God's self-declaration, explicitly contrasted by the calf's claim. |
| Is 44:9-10 | "Those who make an image... their idols do not profit; they are their own witnesses..." | Condemnation of idol worship and its futility. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | "...they became futile in their thoughts... exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image..." | Human tendency to idolatry and degradation. |
| Lev 24:16 | "And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death..." | Law on blasphemy and its severe consequences. |
| 2 Sam 12:14 | "...by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme..." | Consequences of sin bringing reproach upon God's name. |
| Ez 20:28 | "But when I brought them to the land... they looked on every high hill... and offered sacrifices..." | Israel's consistent idolatry and unfaithfulness. |
| Jn 5:23 | "...so that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father..." | Blasphemy related to denying the divine identity. |
| Tit 1:16 | "They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable..." | Hypocrisy and denying God through actions. |
| Mal 1:6 | "'A son honors his father... If I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence...'" | Questioning Israel's respect for God. |
| Heb 6:6 | "...if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance... they crucify again for themselves the Son of God..." | Grave offense of apostasy. |
| Dt 31:27 | "For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck..." | Moses foresees Israel's rebelliousness. |
| Ps 78:40-41 | "How often they provoked Him in the wilderness, and grieved Him... They again and again tempted God..." | Israel's repeated provocations and limiting God. |
| Ps 81:10-12 | "‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt... My people would not heed My voice...'" | God's plea contrasted with Israel's stubbornness. |
| Jdg 2:12 | "They forsook the LORD God... and followed other gods..." | A pattern of forsaking God in the Judges period. |
| Neh 9:26 | "...they were rebellious and rebelled against You... cast Your law behind their backs..." | Continuation of Israel's rebellion mentioned in Nehemiah 9. |
| Ez 23:49 | "...and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD." | Knowing God as a key lesson from divine judgment on apostasy. |
| Jer 2:13 | "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me... and hewn themselves cisterns..." | Israel's spiritual adultery and futile self-reliance. |
| Rom 3:3-4 | "For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not!" | God's faithfulness endures despite human unfaithfulness. |
| 2 Tim 2:13 | "...if we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." | God's unchanging character and covenant loyalty. |
Nehemiah 9 verses
Nehemiah 9 18 Meaning
Nehemiah 9:18 recalls a pivotal moment of Israel's great apostasy in the wilderness. It describes how the Israelites, shortly after witnessing God's powerful deliverance from Egypt and receiving His law at Sinai, fashioned a molten calf and declared it to be their God who had saved them. This act constituted profound idolatry, a direct violation of the first two commandments, and was a severe blasphemy, a scornful denial of the true God's identity and power, despite His miraculous works on their behalf.
Nehemiah 9 18 Context
Nehemiah 9:18 is part of a grand confessional prayer led by the Levites during the post-exilic period, following the rededication of Jerusalem's walls and Ezra's reading of the Law. The entire chapter 9 offers a panoramic review of Israel's history, highlighting God's faithfulness and kindness alongside His people's persistent unfaithfulness, rebellion, and ingratitude. Verse 18 specifically looks back to the infamous Golden Calf incident at Mount Sinai, which occurred immediately after the Exodus and the giving of the Mosaic Law. This particular act of idolatry is presented as an early and egregious example of Israel's covenant disloyalty, setting a precedent for their subsequent rebellious pattern throughout their history. It contrasts sharply with the earlier verses in Nehemiah 9 that praise God for His selection of Abraham and His mighty acts in bringing Israel out of Egypt, emphasizing the immense betrayal by a people so recently and powerfully delivered. The mention of this severe sin lays the groundwork for the Levites' plea for God's mercy and forgiveness despite generations of national disobedience.
Nehemiah 9 18 Word analysis
- Even when they had made: This phrase (וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֗ם `wa-ya‘aśu lahém`) highlights the immediate and wilful nature of their sin, occurring very shortly after receiving the Law and God's powerful deliverance. It emphasizes human agency in their rebellion.
- for themselves: (לָהֶ֗ם `la-hem`) Reinforces self-will and self-indulgence. The idol was made for their own purposes, for their own gratification and perceived control over the divine, rather than for the worship of the one true God who had revealed Himself.
- a molten calf: (עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה֙ `‘egel massekhah`) "Calf" (`‘egel`) refers to a young bull, often associated with strength and fertility deities in ancient Near Eastern cultures (e.g., Egyptian Apis bull cult, Baal worship). "Molten" (`massekhah`) implies a cast metal image. This was a clear violation of the prohibition against making carved or molten images for worship, echoing Egyptian idolatry from which they were freed. It represented a desire for a visible, tangible deity they could manipulate.
- and said: (וַיֹּאמְר֛וּ `wa-yo’mru`) Points to a direct, vocal proclamation, indicating an intentional declaration of blasphemy.
- ‘This is your God: (זֶ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ `zeh ’eloheykhá`) This declaration attributes divine identity to a lifeless idol. It is an act of deep theological distortion and outright idolatry, stripping Yahweh of His unique glory and conferring it upon a creation.
- who brought you up out of Egypt!’: (הֵ֤ם הֶעֱל֙וּךָ֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם `hem he‘elûkhâ mi-Mitsrayim`) This is a profound act of blasphemy. The Israelites credited an inanimate object with the miraculous, redemptive work that Yahweh alone had accomplished. It's a direct insult to God's power and sovereignty, diminishing His saving acts. It denied God's unique power and history with them.
- and had committed great blasphemies: (וַיַּעֲשׂ֖וּ נְאׇצ֗וֹת גְּדֹל֖וֹת `wa-ya‘aśu nə’atsōwt gəḏōlōwt`). "Blasphemies" (`nə’atsōwt`) means contempt, scorn, or despising, conveying active insult and profound disrespect towards God. "Great" (`gəḏōlōwt`) emphasizes the enormity and severity of their sin, not just an error but a flagrant, weighty offense against God's majesty and holiness. This phrase summarizes their action not just as a mistake but as an intentional affront to God Himself.
Nehemiah 9 18 Bonus section
The act of making the golden calf was more than just poor judgment; it was an attempt by the people to mold God into an image they could control or understand according to their pagan experiences. By saying, "This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt," they weren't necessarily rejecting the existence of Yahweh, but redefining Him according to their own corrupt imagination and idolatrous traditions, stripping Him of His unique holiness and sovereignty. This polemic against pagan deity concepts underscores that God is not a human construct or a material idol, but the self-existent Creator and Deliverer. The profound ingratitude evident in attributing the Exodus to a calf, rather than Yahweh, further intensifies the "great blasphemy." It reflects a hardened heart that forgets divine acts of mercy almost immediately, showcasing the deep-seated problem of human rebellion against God's authority and truth.
Nehemiah 9 18 Commentary
Nehemiah 9:18 serves as a stark reminder of Israel's foundational sin of apostasy. Despite the immediate and overwhelming display of God's power and presence— His deliverance from Egypt and His voice from Sinai—the people swiftly reverted to idolatry. Their fabrication of the molten calf and their attribution of God's redemptive act to it constituted a blatant repudiation of the God who had chosen, delivered, and covenanted with them. This "great blasphemy" showcased a deep spiritual inclination towards self-worship and tangible gods, rejecting the invisible, holy, and sovereign Lord. It underscores human tendency towards unfaithfulness even in the face of divine grace, powerfully setting the stage for the recurring pattern of sin in Israel's history recounted in Nehemiah 9, while simultaneously highlighting the incredible endurance of God's steadfast love and mercy that followed these grievous acts. This verse functions as a sobering mirror, reflecting how quickly a divinely blessed people can turn to spiritual rebellion.