Nehemiah 9:16
“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "acted presumptuously" isn't just about making a mistake; it describes a defiant choice to sin with contempt for God's authority. This isn't accidental disobedience, but a hardening of the heart that rejects His commandments outright.
This confession comes during a solemn assembly where the people of Israel are reflecting on God's faithfulness throughout their history. After recounting God's amazing acts of salvation and provision, from creation to leading them out of Egypt, this verse marks a turning point. It shifts from praise for God's goodness to a humble admission of their own stubborn rebellion and refusal to obey His commands, setting the stage for further acknowledgments of their ancestors' repeated unfaithfulness.
Understand the original words
ziyd · Hebrew Verb
To act with arrogance, pride, or insolence toward God’s authority, often implying a deliberate rejection of His word.
qashah oref · Hebrew Noun phrase
A metaphorical expression for stubbornness or rebellion against God’s authority, comparing the person to an animal that refuses to submit to the yoke.
mitsvah · Hebrew Noun
The divine laws, statutes, and requirements given by God to His people, serving as the standard for obedience and relationship with Him.
This verse is spoken during the post-exilic period, as the people reflect on their history. It highlights a consistent pattern of rebellion and pride that stretches all the way back to their ancestors' experience in the wilderness, emphasizing that their struggles were not due to God's failings but their own persistent disobedience.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivered the Israelites from over 400 years of slavery in Egypt, leading them through the Red Sea.
c. 1446-1406 BC— this verse
Wilderness Wanderings
After receiving the Law at Mount Sinai, the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years due to their repeated disobedience and lack of faith.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites finally crossed the Jordan River and began conquering the land of Canaan.
c. 1400-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
Following Joshua's death, Israel experienced cycles of disobedience, oppression by surrounding nations, and deliverance by judges.
This passage describes the Israelites as 'stiff-necked,' mirroring the hardened necks mentioned in Nehemiah and highlighting a persistent pattern of rebellion against God's commands.
Deuteronomy 1:43Here, the people are rebuked for acting presumptuously and refusing to go forward, directly paralleling the actions of pride and disobedience confessed in Nehemiah 9:16.
Jeremiah 7:23-24This prophetic word from God emphasizes the importance of obeying His voice, directly contrasting with the people's failure to listen to His commandments as confessed in Nehemiah.
Isaiah 48:18This verse speaks of peace and righteousness flowing from obedience, presenting a clear contrast to the destructive path the people took due to their stubborn refusal to listen, as detailed in Nehemiah 9.
pulpitNehemiah 9:16: "But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,"
Verse 16. - They and our fathers. Rather, "they, our fathers." The vau is used exegetically. Dealt proudly. i.e. "acted insolently." Compare Deuteronomy 1:43, where the same verb is translated "were presumptuous" (marg.). Hardened their necks. So in 2 Kings 17:14.
pooleNehemiah 9:16: "But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,"
Notwithstanding all these singular and wonderful mercies; which he hitherto recounted to aggravate their sins, which he now comes to confess, and to lead them to a sincere and ingenuous grief and repentance for their sins, not only for the mischief which they brought upon themselves, but for the injury and indignity which they offered to God. Dealt proudly, i.e. sinned presu…
The phrase "acted presumptuously" isn't just about making a mistake; it describes a defiant choice to sin with contempt for God's authority. This isn't accidental disobedience, but a hardening of the heart that rejects His commandments outright.
This confession comes during a solemn assembly where the people of Israel are reflecting on God's faithfulness throughout their history. After recounting God's amazing acts of salvation and provision, from creation to leading them out of Egypt, this verse marks a turning point. It shifts from praise for God's goodness to a humble admission of their own stubborn rebellion and refusal to obey His commands, setting the stage for further acknowledgments of their ancestors' repeated unfaithfulness.
This confession comes during a solemn assembly where the people of Israel are reflecting on God's faithfulness throughout their history. After recounting God's amazing acts of salvation and provision, from creation to leading them out of Egypt, this verse marks a turning point. It shifts from praise for God's goodness to a humble admission of their own stubborn rebellion and refusal to obey His commands, setting the stage for further acknowledgments of their ancestors' repeated unfaithfulness.
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c. 1050 BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
Israel demanded a king, leading to the anointing of Saul, and later David and Solomon, marking a new era of national leadership.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
After centuries of unfaithfulness, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Babylonians, and much of the population was exiled.
"“But they and our fathers acted presumptuously and stiffened their neck and did not obey your commandments." — The phrase "acted presumptuously" isn't just about making a mistake; it describes a defiant choice to sin with contempt for God's authority. This isn't accidental disobedience, but a hardening of the…
