Nehemiah 9:16-17

9:16 “But they – our ancestors ¹  – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled ²  and did not obey your commandments. 9:17 They refused to obey and did not recall your miracles that you had performed among them. Instead, they rebelled and appointed a leader to return to their bondage in Egypt. ³  But you are a God of forgiveness, merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and unfailing in your loyal love. ⁴  You did not abandon them,

Nehemiah 9:26

9:26 “Nonetheless they grew disobedient and rebelled against you; they disregarded your law. ⁵  They killed your prophets who had solemnly admonished them in order to cause them to return to you. They committed atrocious blasphemies.

Nehemiah 9:28-30

9:28 “Then, when they were at rest again, they went back to doing evil before you. Then you abandoned them to ⁶  their enemies, and they gained dominion over them. When they again cried out to you, in your compassion you heard from heaven and rescued them time and again. 9:29 And you solemnly admonished them in order to return them to your law, but they behaved presumptuously and did not obey your commandments. They sinned against your ordinances – those by which an individual, if he obeys them, ⁷  will live. They boldly turned from you; ⁸  they rebelled ⁹  and did not obey. 9:30 You prolonged your kindness ¹⁰  with them for many years, and you solemnly admonished them by your Spirit through your prophets. Still they paid no attention, ¹¹  so you delivered them into the hands of the neighboring peoples. ¹² 

[9:16]  ¹ tn Heb “and our fathers.” The vav is explicative.

[9:16]  ² tn Heb “they stiffened their neck” (so also in the following verse).

[9:17]  ³ tc The present translation follows a few medieval Hebrew MSS and the LXX in reading בְּמִצְרָיִם (bÿmitsrayim, “in Egypt”; so also NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV, NLT) rather than the MT reading בְּמִרְיָם (bÿmiryam, “in their rebellion”).

[9:17]  ⁴ tc The translation follows the Qere reading חֶסֶד (khesed, “loyal love”) rather than the Kethib reading וְחֶסֶד (vÿkhesed, “and loyal love”) of the MT.

[9:26]  ⁵ tn Heb “they cast your law behind their backs.”

[9:28]  ⁶ tn Heb “in the hand of” (so KJV, ASV); NAB “to the power of.”

[9:29]  ⁷ tn Heb “if a man keep.” See note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.

[9:29]  ⁸ tn Heb “they gave a stubborn shoulder.”

[9:29]  ⁹ tn Heb “they stiffened their neck.”

[9:30]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew expression here is elliptical. The words “your kindness” are not included in the Hebrew text, but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[9:30]  ¹¹ tn Heb “did not give ear to.”

[9:30]  ¹² tn Heb “the peoples of the lands.”