The Meaning of Nehemiah 9:26 Explained

Nehemiah 9:26

KJV: Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

YLT: 'And they are disobedient, and rebel against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their back, and Thy prophets they have slain, who testified against them, to bring them back unto Thee, and they do great despisings,

Darby: But they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets who testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

ASV: Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophets that testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought great provocations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Nevertheless they were disobedient,  and rebelled  against thee, and cast  thy law  behind  their backs,  and slew  thy prophets  which testified  against them to turn  them to thee, and they wrought  great  provocations. 

What does Nehemiah 9:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Nehemiah 9:22-38 - The Penalty Of Ingratitude And Disobedience
The theme of this prayer is the covenant mercy of God. However great the provocation of the Chosen People, He never swerved from His ancient promise to their fathers. He testified against them by His Spirit and chastened them for their sins. He allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies and carried into captivity. But when they returned and cried for His help they found His manifold mercies waiting to welcome, forgive, and restore them. They were conscious that there was nothing in themselves or even in their fathers to explain these wonderful dealings, and the secret had ever to be found in His great mercies. In this hour of distress, they turned back to Him and bound themselves by a faithful covenant. But, alas, even written promises will not hold the wayward heart of man. What a picture this is of our own lives, and how often have all these experiences been repeated in us! Fortunately for us we are represented now, not by our promises and prayers, but by Jesus Christ, in whom we stand and are accepted and kept. [source]

Chapter Summary: Nehemiah 9

1  A solemn fast, and repentance of the people
4  The Levites make a confession of God's goodness, and their wickedness

What do the individual words in Nehemiah 9:26 mean?

And nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against You and Cast - Your law behind their backs and Your prophets killed who testified against them to turn them to Yourself and they worked provocations great
וַיַּמְר֨וּ וַֽיִּמְרְד֜וּ בָּ֗ךְ וַיַּשְׁלִ֤כוּ אֶת־ תּוֹרָֽתְךָ֙ אַחֲרֵ֣י גַוָּ֔ם וְאֶת־ נְבִיאֶ֣יךָ הָרָ֔גוּ אֲשֶׁר־ הֵעִ֥ידוּ בָ֖ם לַהֲשִׁיבָ֣ם אֵלֶ֑יךָ וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ נֶאָצ֖וֹת גְּדוֹלֹֽת

וַיַּמְר֨וּ  And  nevertheless  they  were  disobedient 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָרָה  
Sense: to be contentious, be rebellious, be refractory, be disobedient towards, be rebellious against.
וַֽיִּמְרְד֜וּ  and  rebelled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָרַד  
Sense: to rebel, revolt, be rebellious.
בָּ֗ךְ  against  You 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וַיַּשְׁלִ֤כוּ  and  Cast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַךְ  
Sense: to throw, cast, hurl, fling.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תּוֹרָֽתְךָ֙  Your  law 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
אַחֲרֵ֣י  behind 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
גַוָּ֔ם  their  backs 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: גַּו  
Sense: the back.
נְבִיאֶ֣יךָ  Your  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הָרָ֔גוּ  killed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: הָרַג  
Sense: to kill, slay, murder, destroy, murderer, slayer, out of hand.
הֵעִ֥ידוּ  testified 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עוּד 
Sense: to return, repeat, go about, do again.
בָ֖ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
לַהֲשִׁיבָ֣ם  to  turn  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
אֵלֶ֑יךָ  to  Yourself 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ  and  they  worked 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
נֶאָצ֖וֹת  provocations 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: נְאָצָה 
Sense: contempt, contumely.
גְּדוֹלֹֽת  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine plural
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.