New Living Translation
Nehemiah 9:29
29“You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen.
Nehemiah 9:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
- New International Version (NIV)“You warned them in order to turn them back to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, of which you said, ‘The person who obeys them will live by them.’ Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear.
Context of Nehemiah 9:29
27So you handed them over to their enemies, who made them suffer. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies. 28“But as soon as they were at peace, your people again committed evil in your sight, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people turned and cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them many times! “You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen. 30In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them. 31But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!
Read all of Nehemiah 9Nehemiah 9:29 word by word
וַתָּ֨עַד בָּהֶ֜ם לַהֲשִׁיבָ֣ם אֶל־תּוֹרָתֶ֗ךָ וְהֵ֨מָּה הֵזִ֜ידוּ וְלֹא־שָׁמְע֤וּ לְמִצְוֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ וּבְמִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָ חָֽטְאוּ־בָ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־יַעֲשֶׂ֥ה אָדָ֖ם וְחָיָ֣ה בָהֶ֑ם וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ כָתֵף֙ סוֹרֶ֔רֶת וְעָרְפָּ֥ם הִקְשׁ֖וּ וְלֹ֥א שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And testifiedstעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
- against them, that thou mightest bring them againשׁוּבshûb · to return: repentH7725
- unto thy lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- yet they dealt proudlyזִידzûd zîyd · to boilH2102
- and hearkenedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- not unto thy commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- but sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- against thy judgmentsמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- which if a manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- he shall liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- in them;) and withdrewסָרַרsârar · to rebelH5637
- in them;) and withdrewנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
- the shoulderכָּתֵףkâthêph · shoulderH3802
- and hardenedקָשָׁהqâshâh · to hardenH7185
- their neckעֹ֫רֶף‛ôreph · neckH6203
Cross-references for Nehemiah 9:29
- Nehemiah 9:26“But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies.
- Deuteronomy 4:26“Today I call on heaven and earth as witnesses against you. If you break my covenant, you will quickly disappear from the land you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will live there only a short time; then you will be utterly destroyed.
- Deuteronomy 31:21And when great disasters come down on them, this song will stand as evidence against them, for it will never be forgotten by their descendants. I know the intentions of these people, even now before they have entered the land I swore to give them.”
- 2 Kings 17:13Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah: “Turn from all your evil ways. Obey my commands and decrees—the entire law that I commanded your ancestors to obey, and that I gave you through my servants the prophets.”
- 2 Chronicles 24:19Yet the Lord sent prophets to bring them back to him. The prophets warned them, but still the people would not listen.
- 2 Chronicles 36:15The Lord, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent his prophets to warn them, for he had compassion on his people and his Temple.
- Jeremiah 25:3“For the past twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until now—the Lord has been giving me his messages. I have faithfully passed them on to you, but you have not listened.
- Hosea 6:5I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces— to slaughter you with my words, with judgments as inescapable as light.
- Nehemiah 9:10You displayed miraculous signs and wonders against Pharaoh, his officials, and all his people, for you knew how arrogantly they were treating our ancestors. You have a glorious reputation that has never been forgotten.
- Exodus 10:3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.
- Jeremiah 13:15Listen and pay attention! Do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.
- Jeremiah 43:2Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the other proud men said to Jeremiah, “You lie! The Lord our God hasn’t forbidden us to go to Egypt!
- Jeremiah 44:10To this very hour you have shown no remorse or reverence. No one has chosen to follow my word and the decrees I gave to you and your ancestors before you.
- Daniel 5:20But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.
- James 4:6And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
- Leviticus 18:5If you obey my decrees and my regulations, you will find life through them. I am the Lord.
Commentaries on Nehemiah 9:29
- 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. 28-31The people did not learn from the mistakes made during the time of the judges (Nehemiah 9:26–27). The same pattern of disobedience appeared during the monarchy (compare 2 Kings 17). Despite the nation's ongoing disobedience (Nehemiah 9:29), God remained steadfast in his love, patience, compassion, and guidance through the spirit and the prophets.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 9:29
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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