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.

NEHEMIAH 9:26KJV
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Nehemiah 9:26 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 9:26 mean?

Nehemiah 9:26 describes Israel’s response to God’s goodness as a rejection of his instruction and of the messengers sent to bring the people back. The verse presents that response as deliberate defiance, serious enough to include killing the prophets.

The speakers are addressing God in a public prayer about Israel’s past. Saying that the people cast God’s law behind their backs pictures them turning away from it, as though putting it out of sight. The verse comes immediately after a description of the good things the people had received in the land.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 9:26

  • “testified” — עוּד (ʿud): This word can carry the sense of giving a warning. In this verse, the prophets spoke against the people in order to turn them back to God.
  • “provocations” — נֶאָצָה (neʾatsah): This word can refer to acts of contempt or serious insult. The phrase “great provocations” sums up the people’s conduct as an affront to God.

Why Nehemiah 9:26 matters

  • The verse gives a purpose for the prophets’ warnings: they spoke “to turn them to thee.” Their message was meant to bring the people back to God.
  • The prayer places responsibility on the people being described. The repeated “they” connects their disobedience, rejection of the law, and treatment of the prophets.
  • The word “nevertheless” makes the contrast with verse 25 important. The people’s rebellion followed a time when they had enjoyed the good things God had given them.

Where else these words appear

“backs” Hebrew H1458 · used in 3 verses

  • 1 Kings 14:9 But hast done evil above all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back:
  • Ezekiel 23:35 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

“provocations” Hebrew H5007 · used in 5 verses

  • 2 Kings 19:3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.
  • Nehemiah 9:18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
  • Isaiah 37:3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

“rebelled” Hebrew H4775 · used in 23 verses

  • Genesis 14:4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
  • 2 Kings 18:20 Thou sayest,(but they are but vain words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me?
  • Job 24:13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

“testified” Hebrew H5749 · used in 40 verses

  • Genesis 43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
  • 2 Kings 17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
  • Psalms 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.