Christian Standard Bible
Nehemiah 9:17
17They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, and you did not abandon them.
Nehemiah 9:17 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (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,
- English Standard Version (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.
- New King James Version (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.
Context of Nehemiah 9:17
15You provided bread from heaven for their hunger; you brought them water from the rock for their thirst. You told them to go in and possess the land you had sworn to give them. 16But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to your commands. They refused to listen and did not remember your wonders you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, and you did not abandon them. 18Even after they had cast an image of a calf for themselves and said, “This is your god who brought you out of Egypt,” and they had committed terrible blasphemies, 19you did not abandon them in the wilderness because of your great compassion. During the day the pillar of cloud never turned away from them, guiding them on their journey. And during the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.
Read all of Nehemiah 9Nehemiah 9:17 word by word
וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ לִשְׁמֹ֗עַ וְלֹא־זָכְר֤וּ נִפְלְאֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ עִמָּהֶ֔ם וַיַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עָרְפָּ֔ם וַיִּתְּנוּ־רֹ֛אשׁ לָשׁ֥וּב לְעַבְדֻתָ֖ם בְּמִרְיָ֑ם וְאַתָּה֩ אֱל֨וֹהַּ סְלִיח֜וֹת חַנּ֧וּן וְרַח֛וּם אֶֽרֶךְ־אַפַּ֥יִם וְרַב־חֶ֖סֶד וְלֹ֥א עֲזַבְתָּֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And refusedמָאֵןmâ'ên · to refuseH3985
- to obeyשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- neither were mindfulזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
- of thy wondersפָּלָאpâlâ' · to wonderH6381
- that thou didstעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- among them; but hardenedקָשָׁהqâshâh · to hardenH7185
- their necksעֹ֫רֶף‛ôreph · neckH6203
- and in their rebellionמְרִיmerîy · rebellionH4805
- appointedנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- a captainרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: leaderH7218
- to returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to their bondageעַבְדוּת‛abdûth · slaveryH5659
- a Godאֱלֹהַּ'ĕlôahh 'ĕlôahh · godH433
- ready to pardonסְלִיחָהselîychâh · forgivenessH5547
- graciousחַנּוּןchannûn · graciousH2587
- and mercifulרַחוּםrachûm · compassionateH7349
- slowאָרֵךְ'ârêk · slowH750
- to angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- and of greatרַבrab · manyH7227
- kindnessחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- and forsookestעָזַב‛âzab · to leave: forsakeH5800
Cross-references for Nehemiah 9:17
- Numbers 14:3Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to die by the sword? Our wives and children will become plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?”
- Numbers 16:14Furthermore, you didn’t bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey or give us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of these men? We will not come!”
- Psalms 106:24They despised the pleasant land and did not believe his promise.
- Proverbs 1:24Since I called out and you refused, extended my hand and no one paid attention,
- Hebrews 12:25See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven.
- Psalms 78:11They forgot what he had done, the wondrous works he had shown them.
- Psalms 86:5For you, Lord, are kind and ready to forgive, abounding in faithful love to all who call on you.
- Psalms 106:7Our ancestors in Egypt did not grasp the significance of your wondrous works or remember your many acts of faithful love; instead, they rebelled by the sea — the Red Sea.
- Matthew 16:9Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets you collected?
- 2 Peter 1:12Therefore I will always remind you about these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have.
- Numbers 14:4So they said to one another, “Let’s appoint a leader and go back to Egypt.”
- Acts 7:39Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
- Numbers 14:18The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and rebellion. But he will not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generation.
- Psalms 130:4But with you there is forgiveness, so that you may be revered.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, forgiving iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not hold on to his anger forever because he delights in faithful love.
- Exodus 34:6The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed: The Lord — the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,
Commentaries on Nehemiah 9:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17And in their rebellion appointed a captain - This clause, read according to its order in the Hebrew text, is thus: And appointed a captain to return to their bondage in their rebellion. But it is probable that במרים bemiryam, in their rebellion, is a mistake for במצרים bemitsrayim, in Egypt. This is the reading of seven of Kennicott's and De Rossi's MSS., the Neapolitan edition of the Hagiographa, and the Septuagint. It is also the reading in Numbers…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17In their rebellion - The Septuagint and several maunscripts have “in Egypt” (the words in the original differing by one letter only), and translate - “And appointed a captain to return to their bondage in Egypt.” Compare the margin reference. The appointment of a leader is regarded here as made, whereas we are only told in the Book of Numbers that it was proposed.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-38Verses 4-38 The summary of their prayers we have here upon record. Much more, no doubt, was said. Whatever ability we have to do any thing in the way of duty, we are to serve and glorify God according to the utmost of it. When confessing our sins, it is good to notice the mercies of God, that we may be the more humbled and ashamed. The dealings of the Lord showed his goodness and long-suffering, and the hardness of their hearts. The testimony of the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-21This prayer reminded the people of God's miraculous guidance of Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21–22), his personal appearance at Mount Sinai to reveal his covenant laws through Moses (see Exodus 19–20), and his faithfulness in providing bread and water (see Exodus 16:4; 17:1–6). Despite all of that, Israel's ancestors were proud and stubborn and refused to obey (see Exodus 32; Numbers 14:4). Yet in his grace, God remained faithful and compassionate…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-386-38. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone, &c.--In this solemn and impressive prayer, in which they make public confession of their sins, and deprecate the judgments due to the transgressions of their fathers, they begin with a profound adoration of God, whose supreme majesty and omnipotence is acknowledged in the creation, preservation, and government of all. Then they proceed to enumerate His mercies and distinguished favors to them as a nation, from the…Read the comment
Topics related to Nehemiah 9:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Nehemiah 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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