King James Version

Nehemiah 9:29

And 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.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

וַתָּ֨עַדvataadand protestעוּדconjunction, verb, hiphil, sequential imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and protest”, the next action in the storyH5749to duplicate or repeat; by implication, to protest, testify (as by reiteration); intensively, to encompass, restore (as a sort of reduplication)admonish, charge, earnestly, lift up, protest, call (take) to record, relieve, rob, solemnly, stand upright, testify, give warning, (bear, call to, give, take to) witness.בָּהֶ֜םbaheminבָּהֶ֜םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in”inלַהֲשִׁיבָ֣םlahashivamto againשׁוּבpreposition, verb, hiphil, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “to again”, the to-form of the verbH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).תּוֹרָתֶ֗ךָtoratekhalawתּוֹרָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH8451a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuchlaw.וְהֵ֨מָּהvehemahand theyהֵםconjunction, pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and they”H1992they (only used when emphatic)it, like, [idiom] (how, so) many (soever, more as) they (be), (the) same, [idiom] so, [idiom] such, their, them, these, they, those, which, who, whom, withal, ye.הֵזִ֜ידוּhezidvbe proudזוּדverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be proud”, a completed actionH2102to seethe; figuratively, to be insolentbe proud, deal proudly, presume, (come) presumptuously, sod.וְלֹאveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…שָׁמְע֤וּshamevhearשָׁמַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “hear”, a completed actionH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…לְמִצְוֺתֶ֨יךָ֙lemitsoteykhato lawמִצְוָהpreposition, noun, common, feminine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4687a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)(which was) commanded(-ment), law, ordinance, precept.וּבְמִשְׁפָּטֶ֣יךָuvemishpateykhaand in lawמִשְׁפָּטconjunction, preposition, noun, common, masculine, plural, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and in law”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4941properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style[phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right,…חָֽטְאוּchatevby faultחָטָאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “by fault”, a completed actionH2398properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemnbear the blame, cleanse, commit (sin), by fault, harm he hath done, loss, miss, (make) offend(-er), offer for sin, purge, purify (self), make reconciliation, (cause, make) sin(-ful, -ness), trespass.בָ֔םvaminבָ֔םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in”inאֲשֶׁרasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…יַעֲשֶׂ֥הyaasehdoעָשָׂהverb, qal, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “do”, an unfinished actionH6213to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest applicationaccomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, f…אָדָ֖םadampersonאָדָםnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “person”, the ordinary formH120ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)[idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person.וְחָיָ֣הvechayahand liveחָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and live”, a completed action in a sequenceH2421to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revivekeep (leave, make) alive, [idiom] certainly, give (promise) life, (let, suffer to) live, nourish up, preserve (alive), quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), revive, ([idiom] God) save (alive, life, lives), [idiom] surely, be whole.בָהֶ֑םvaheminבָהֶ֑םpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in”inוַיִּתְּנ֤וּvayitnvand giveנָתַןconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and give”, the next action in the storyH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…כָתֵף֙khatefarmכָּתֵףnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “arm”, the ordinary formH3802the shoulder (proper, i.e. upper end of the arm; as being the spot where the garments hang); figuratively, side-piece or lateral projection of anythingarm, corner, shoulder(-piece), side, undersetter.סוֹרֶ֔רֶתsoreretbackslidingסָרַרverb, qal, participle, absolute — “backsliding”, a verb used as a describing wordH5637to turn away, i.e. (morally) be refractory[idiom] away, backsliding, rebellious, revolter(-ing), slide back, stubborn, withdrew.וְעָרְפָּ֥םvearepamand back neckעֹרֶףconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and back neck”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6203the nape or back of the neck (as declining); hence, the back generally (whether literal or figurative)back ((stiff-) neck((-ed).הִקְשׁ֖וּhiqshvbe cruelקָשָׁהverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “be cruel”, a completed actionH7185properly, to be dense, i.e. tough or severe (in various applications)be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous, be ((ask a), be in, have, seem, would) hard(-en, (labour), -ly, thing), be sore, (be, make) stiff(-en, (-necked)).וְלֹ֥אveloand no , -r,לֹאconjunction, particle, negative — “and no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…שָׁמֵֽעוּshamevhearשָׁמַעverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “hear”, a completed actionH8085to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)[idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) n…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

and didst forewarn them, that Thou mightest bring them back 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 by them, and presented a stubborn shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

and 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.

Young’s Literal Translation

and 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.

World English Bible

and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.

Darby Translation

And 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.

Douay-Rheims

And 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.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And thou didst testify against them, to bring them back to thy law: but they hearkened not, but sinned against thy commandments and thy judgments, which if a man do, he shall live in them; and they turned their back, and hardened their neck, and heard not.