Tree of Life Version
Nehemiah 9:17
17They refused to obey and did not remember Your wonders that You did among them. Instead, they became stiff-necked and in their rebellion, appointed a leader in order to return to their bondage. But You are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Therefore 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 gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, and brought them water from the rock for their thirst. You told them to go in to possess the land that You had sworn to give them. 16“But they, our ancestors, became arrogant. They stiffened their neck and did not obey Your mitzvot. They refused to obey and did not remember Your wonders that You did among them. Instead, they became stiff-necked and in their rebellion, appointed a leader in order to return to their bondage. But You are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. Therefore You did not abandon them, 18even when they made a cast image of a calf for themselves and said, ‘This is your god who brought you up from Egypt!’ or when they committed great blasphemies. 19“Yet in Your great compassion You did not abandon them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud by day did not depart from above them, guiding them in the way, nor the pillar of fire by night, illuminating 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 Adonai bringing us to this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be like plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?”
- Numbers 16:14What’s more, you haven’t brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, nor given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you now gouge out the eyes of those men? We won’t come!”
- Psalms 106:24Then they scorned the pleasing land— they did not trust in His word.
- Proverbs 1:24Because you refused when I called, and did not pay attention when I stretched out my hand,
- Hebrews 12:25See to it that you do not refuse the One who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the One who was warning them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject the One who warns us from heaven.
- Psalms 78:11They forgot His deeds and His wonders that He had shown them.
- Psalms 86:5For You, my Lord, are good, and ready to forgive and full of mercy to all who call upon You.
- Psalms 106:7Our fathers in Egypt did not ponder Your wonders. Nor did they remember Your abundant lovingkindness, but rebelled by the sea— at the Sea of Reeds.
- Matthew 16:9You still don’t get it? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets of leftovers you gathered?
- 2 Peter 1:12Therefore I intend to keep reminding you of these things, even though you know them and are well-grounded in the truth that you have.
- Numbers 14:4They said to each other, “Let’s choose a leader and let’s go back to Egypt!”
- Acts 7:39Our fathers did not want to be obedient to him, but shoved him aside. And in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
- Numbers 14:18‘Adonai is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression. Still, He does not leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations.’
- Psalms 130:4For with You there is forgiveness, so You may be revered.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like You pardoning iniquity, overlooking transgression, for the remnant of His heritage? He will not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.
- Exodus 34:6Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed, “Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness 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
Tree of Life Version — © 2015 The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Commentaries