They refused to listen and failed to remember the wonders You performed among them. They stiffened their necks and appointed a leader to return them to their bondage in Egypt. But You are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion, and You did not forsake them. They refused to listenThe Hebrew root for "refused" is "מָאֵן" (ma'en), which conveys a deliberate choice to reject or decline. This phrase highlights the Israelites' willful disobedience and stubbornness. Historically, this refusal to listen is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, where the Israelites often ignored God's commands and the guidance of His prophets. This refusal is not just a passive act but an active rebellion against divine authority. failed to remember
The Hebrew word for "remember" is "זָכַר" (zakar), which implies more than just recalling past events; it involves an active, conscious effort to keep God's deeds and commandments at the forefront of one's mind. The Israelites' failure to remember God's wonders signifies a spiritual amnesia that leads to ingratitude and disobedience. This forgetfulness is a cautionary tale for believers to continually meditate on God's past faithfulness. the wonders You performed among them
"Wonders" in Hebrew is "נִפְלָאוֹת" (nifla'ot), referring to miraculous acts that reveal God's power and sovereignty. These wonders include the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna. Each miracle was a testament to God's covenantal faithfulness and His desire to be known among His people. The historical context underscores the importance of these acts as foundational to Israel's identity and faith. They stiffened their necks
This phrase is a metaphor derived from the Hebrew "קָשָׁה" (qashah), meaning to harden or make stubborn. It paints a vivid picture of resistance, akin to an ox that refuses to be guided by a yoke. Biblically, a stiff neck symbolizes pride and an unwillingness to submit to God's will. This imagery is used throughout Scripture to describe Israel's recurrent rebellion and serves as a warning against prideful independence from God. appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt
The act of appointing a leader to return to Egypt signifies a desire to revert to past enslavement rather than embrace the freedom God offers. Egypt, in this context, symbolizes sin and oppression. Historically, this reflects the Israelites' frequent longing for the familiarity of Egypt despite its bondage, illustrating the human tendency to cling to the known, even when it is detrimental, rather than trust in God's provision. But You are a forgiving God
The Hebrew word for "forgiving" is "סְלִיחָה" (selichah), which denotes pardon and the removal of guilt. This phrase emphasizes God's nature as one who is willing to forgive despite human rebellion. It is a profound reminder of God's grace, highlighting His willingness to restore relationships with His people even when they turn away from Him. gracious and compassionate
"Gracious" comes from the Hebrew "חַנּוּן" (channun), and "compassionate" from "רַחוּם" (rachum). These attributes of God reveal His deep love and mercy. Graciousness involves unmerited favor, while compassion speaks to God's tender care and empathy towards human frailty. Together, they underscore the depth of God's love and His desire to bless and nurture His people. slow to anger
The Hebrew phrase "אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם" (erekh appayim) literally means "long of nostrils," a metaphor for patience and restraint. This characteristic of God highlights His enduring patience and reluctance to execute judgment hastily. It is a call for believers to emulate God's patience in their own lives, reflecting His character in their interactions with others. abounding in loving devotion
"Loving devotion" is translated from the Hebrew "חֶסֶד" (chesed), a term rich with meaning, encompassing love, loyalty, and faithfulness. God's chesed is a central theme in the Old Testament, representing His steadfast love and commitment to His covenant people. This abundance of loving devotion assures believers of God's unwavering commitment to them, regardless of their failures. and You did not forsake them
The Hebrew root "עָזַב" (azav) means to leave or abandon. Despite Israel's repeated unfaithfulness, God remained faithful, never abandoning His people. This assurance of God's presence and faithfulness is a cornerstone of the Christian faith, offering hope and encouragement that God will never leave nor forsake those who are His. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsraelitesThe people of Israel who were delivered from Egypt but often rebelled against God. 2. EgyptThe land of bondage from which God delivered the Israelites. 3. GodThe central figure in this passage, characterized by forgiveness, grace, compassion, patience, and loving devotion. 4. NehemiahThe leader who is recounting Israel's history and God's faithfulness in this prayer of confession. 5. WondersThe miraculous acts performed by God, such as the plagues in Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea. Teaching Points God's Unchanging CharacterDespite human rebellion, God's nature remains constant. He is always forgiving, gracious, and compassionate. The Danger of ForgetfulnessForgetting God's past works can lead to rebellion and a desire to return to old ways of bondage. The Call to RepentanceRecognizing God's patience and loving devotion should lead us to repentance and renewed commitment. Leadership and InfluenceThe Israelites appointed a leader to return to Egypt, highlighting the importance of godly leadership and influence. God's FaithfulnessEven when we are unfaithful, God does not forsake us. His commitment to His people is unwavering. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the description of God in Nehemiah 9:17 encourage you in your personal walk with Him? 2. In what ways can we be prone to "stiffen our necks" and resist God's leading in our lives today? 3. Reflect on a time when you forgot God's past faithfulness. How did that impact your decisions or attitude? 4. How can we ensure that we are following godly leaders and not being led back into "bondage"? 5. What practical steps can you take to remember and celebrate God's wonders in your life regularly? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 34:6-7This passage describes God's character as merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, which parallels Nehemiah 9:17. Psalm 103:8-10This psalm echoes the attributes of God mentioned in Nehemiah 9:17, emphasizing His compassion and forgiveness. Jonah 4:2Jonah acknowledges God's gracious and compassionate nature, similar to the description in Nehemiah 9:17. Romans 2:4This verse speaks of God's kindness leading to repentance, reflecting His patience and loving devotion. Hebrews 3:7-11This passage warns against hardening hearts, similar to the Israelites' stiff-necked behavior in Nehemiah 9:17. People Abram, Amorites, Bani, Bunni, Canaanites, Chenani, Egyptians, Ezra, Girgashite, Girgashites, Hashabniah, Hittites, Hodiah, Hodijah, Israelites, Jebusites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Levites, Og, Perizzites, Pethahiah, Pharaoh, Shebaniah, Sherebiah, SihonPlaces Assyria, Bashan, Egypt, Gate of Ephraim, Heshbon, Mount Sinai, Red Sea, UrTopics Abounding, Abundant, Anger, Appoint, Appointed, Bondage, Captain, Compassion, Compassionate, Deeds, Desert, Didn't, Egypt, Failed, Forgive, Forgiveness, Forgiving, Forsake, Forsaken, Forsookest, Full, Grace, Gracious, Hadst, Harden, Hardened, Hast, Hearken, Kindness, Leader, Listen, Long-suffering, Love, Loving, Lovingkindness, Loving-kindness, Merciful, Mercy, Mindful, Miracles, Neck, Necks, Obey, Order, Pardon, Pardons, Perform, Performed, Pity, Plenteous, Prison, Ready, Rebellion, Refuse, Refused, Remember, Remembered, Return, Service, Slavery, Slow, Steadfast, Stiff, Stiffened, Stiff-necked, Stubborn, Themselves, Turn, Turning, Wonders, Wondrous, Wrath, YeaDictionary of Bible Themes Nehemiah 9:17 1030 God, compassion
1055 God, grace and mercy
1085 God, love of
5165 listening
5790 anger, divine
5934 restraint
6025 sin, and God's character
6194 impenitence, warnings Nehemiah 9:16-17 1095 God, patience of
5793 arrogance
6245 stubbornness
8723 doubt, results of
8836 unbelief, response Nehemiah 9:16-18 1025 God, anger of
4618 calf Nehemiah 9:16-20 6667 grace, in OT Nehemiah 9:16-29 5170 neck Nehemiah 9:16-31 6223 rebellion, of Israel Library The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength. Neh 9:10
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John Newton—Olney HymnsQuestions About the Nature and Perpetuity of the Seventh-Day Sabbath.
AND PROOF, THAT THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS THE TRUE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. BY JOHN BUNYAN. 'The Son of man is lord also of the Sabbath day.' London: Printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1685. EDITOR'S ADVERTISEMENT. All our inquiries into divine commands are required to be made personally, solemnly, prayerful. To 'prove all things,' and 'hold fast' and obey 'that which is good,' is a precept, equally binding upon the clown, as it is upon the philosopher. Satisfied from our observations …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Ten Reasons Demonstrating the Commandment of the Sabbath to be Moral.
1. Because all the reasons of this commandment are moral and perpetual; and God has bound us to the obedience of this commandment with more forcible reasons than to any of the rest--First, because he foresaw that irreligious men would either more carelessly neglect, or more boldly break this commandment than any other; secondly, because that in the practice of this commandment the keeping of all the other consists; which makes God so often complain that all his worship is neglected or overthrown, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The "Fraternity" of Pharisees
To realise the state of religious society at the time of our Lord, the fact that the Pharisees were a regular "order," and that there were many such "fraternities," in great measure the outcome of the original Pharisees, must always be kept in view. For the New Testament simply transports us among contemporary scenes and actors, taking the then existent state of things, so to speak, for granted. But the fact referred to explains many seemingly strange circumstances, and casts fresh light upon all. …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Fragrant Spices from the Mountains of Myrrh. "Thou Art all Fair, My Love; There is no Spot in Thee. " --Song of Solomon iv. 7.
FRAGRANT SPICES FROM THE MOUNTAINS OF MYRRH. HOW marvellous are these words! "Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee." The glorious Bridegroom is charmed with His spouse, and sings soft canticles of admiration. When the bride extols her Lord there is no wonder, for He deserves it well, and in Him there is room for praise without possibility of flattery. But does He who is wiser than Solomon condescend to praise this sunburnt Shulamite? Tis even so, for these are His own words, and were …
Charles Hadden Spurgeon—Till He Come The Personality of the Holy Spirit.
Before one can correctly understand the work of the Holy Spirit, he must first of all know the Spirit Himself. A frequent source of error and fanaticism about the work of the Holy Spirit is the attempt to study and understand His work without first of all coming to know Him as a Person. It is of the highest importance from the standpoint of worship that we decide whether the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person, worthy to receive our adoration, our faith, our love, and our entire surrender to Himself, …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit The Early Life of Malachy. Having Been Admitted to Holy Orders He Associates with Malchus
[Sidenote: 1095.] 1. Our Malachy, born in Ireland,[134] of a barbarous people, was brought up there, and there received his education. But from the barbarism of his birth he contracted no taint, any more than the fishes of the sea from their native salt. But how delightful to reflect, that uncultured barbarism should have produced for us so worthy[135] a fellow-citizen with the saints and member of the household of God.[136] He who brings honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock[137] …
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh The Prophecy of Obadiah.
We need not enter into details regarding the question as to the time when the prophet wrote. By a thorough argumentation, Caspari has proved, that he occupies his right position in the Canon, and hence belongs to the earliest age of written prophecy, i.e., to the time of Jeroboam II. and Uzziah. As bearing conclusively against those who would assign to him a far later date, viz., the time of the exile, there is not only the indirect testimony borne by the place which this prophecy occupies in …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Preface to the Commandments
And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God,' &c. Exod 20: 1, 2. What is the preface to the Ten Commandments? The preface to the Ten Commandments is, I am the Lord thy God.' The preface to the preface is, God spake all these words, saying,' &c. This is like the sounding of a trumpet before a solemn proclamation. Other parts of the Bible are said to be uttered by the mouth of the holy prophets (Luke 1: 70), but here God spake in his own person. How are we to understand that, God spake, …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Of Immediate Revelation.
Of Immediate Revelation. [29] Seeing no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son revealeth him; and seeing the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit; therefore the testimony of the Spirit is that alone by which the true knowledge of God hath been, is, and can be only revealed; who as, by the moving of his own Spirit, he disposed the chaos of this world into that wonderful order in which it was in the beginning, and created man a living soul, to rule and govern it, so by …
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity Influences that Gave Rise to the Priestly Laws and Histories
[Sidenote: Influences in the exile that produced written ceremonial laws] The Babylonian exile gave a great opportunity and incentive to the further development of written law. While the temple stood, the ceremonial rites and customs received constant illustration, and were transmitted directly from father to son in the priestly families. Hence, there was little need of writing them down. But when most of the priests were carried captive to Babylonia, as in 597 B.C., and ten years later the temple …
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament The Holy War,
MADE BY SHADDAI UPON DIABOLUS, FOR THE REGAINING OF THE METROPOLIS OF THE WORLD; OR, THE LOSING AND TAKING AGAIN OF THE TOWN OF MANSOUL. THE AUTHOR OF 'THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.' 'I have used similitudes.'--Hosea 12:10. London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms in the Poultry; and Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in the Poultry, 1682. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. Bunyan's account of the Holy War is indeed an extraordinary book, manifesting a degree of genius, research, and spiritual …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Nehemiah 9:17 NIVNehemiah 9:17 NLTNehemiah 9:17 ESVNehemiah 9:17 NASBNehemiah 9:17 KJV
Nehemiah 9:17 Commentaries
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