Nehemiah 9:29
What does Nehemiah 9:29 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 9:29 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 9:29 means
God testified against them to bring them back to His Law, but they acted proudly, would not listen, and sinned against ordinances “which if a man do, he shall live in them.” They “withdrew the shoulder,” hardened their neck, and refused to hear. The language conveys stubborn, active resistance to life-giving instruction. God’s commands are not arbitrary; they are pathways to true life. Rejecting them is self-destructive as well as rebellious. The piling up of images—pride, shrugging off the yoke, stiff-necked refusal—shows entrenched defiance. The verse lays moral responsibility squarely on the people, paving the way for just judgment while still highlighting the gracious intention behind God’s testimonies.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and 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 thine ordinances (which if a man do, he shall live in them), and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and 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 thine ordinances (which if a man do, he shall live in them), and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And gave witness against them so that you might make them come back again to your law: but their hearts were lifted up, and they gave no attention to your orders and went against your decisions (which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him), and turning their backs on you, made their necks stiff and did not give ear.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and dost testify against them, to bring them back unto Thy law; and they--they have acted proudly, and have not hearkened to Thy commands, and against Thy judgments have sinned, --which man doth and hath lived in them--and they give a refractory shoulder, and their neck have hardened, and have not hearkened.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And thou didst admonish them to return to thy law. But they dealt proudly, and hearkened not to thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them: and they withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And thou testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law; but they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thine ordinances (which if a man do, he shall live in them); and they withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
Context
After recounting cycles of deliverance, the prayer focuses on God’s persistent calls to repentance and the people’s obstinate response. Verse 30 will describe God’s long patience and prophetic appeals by His Spirit, and then the consequence: being given into the hands of foreign peoples. The flow moves from warning ignored to judgment enacted.
v.28But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies,
v.29This passage
v.30Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 10:5
For Moses writeth that the man that doeth the righteousness which is of the law shall live thereby.
- 2 Chronicles 36:15
And Jehovah, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place:
- James 4:6
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore the scripture saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.
- Jeremiah 44:16
As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of Jehovah, we will not hearken unto thee.
- Hosea 6:5
Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
- Jeremiah 25:3
From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even unto this day, these three and twenty years, the word of Jehovah hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising up early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.
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