“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.”
My Notes
What Does Nehemiah 9:26 Mean?
The Levites recount Israel's history of disobedience in their prayer of confession: the people were disobedient, rebelled, cast God's law behind their backs, slew his prophets, and committed great provocations.
"Cast thy law behind their backs" is a vivid image — taking what God gave them and throwing it behind them, out of sight, deliberately choosing to not look at it. The rejection was not passive. It was active and symbolic.
"Slew thy prophets which testified against them" — the prophets who called them to repentance were killed. The messengers were silenced with violence. The people did not just ignore the warning. They murdered the warners.
"To turn them to thee" — the prophets' purpose was restoration, not condemnation. They testified to turn the people back to God. And the people responded by killing them.
This verse is part of the longest prayer in the Old Testament (Nehemiah 9:5-38), a comprehensive confession that traces Israel's entire history of receiving grace and responding with rebellion.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does 'casting God's law behind their backs' look like in your life — actively ignoring what God has said?
- 2.Why did the people kill the prophets who came to help them? What does that reveal about resistance to truth?
- 3.How does this pattern of rebellion and patience repeat throughout history — and in your own life?
- 4.What would honest confession of your own rebellion look like?
Devotional
They were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs. The image is devastating: taking God's word — the thing he gave you for guidance and life — and throwing it over your shoulder. Out of sight. Out of mind.
Slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee. The prophets came to help. To turn them back. To save them from the consequences of their own choices. And the people killed them.
The pattern is heartbreaking in its repetition: God sends. The people reject. God sends again. The people kill. God sends again. The people ignore. The patience of God against the stubbornness of his people is the theme of the entire Old Testament.
And committed great provocations. The provocations were not small. They were great — deliberate, sustained, severe. The rebellion was not a minor drift. It was an active campaign against the God who loved them.
But here is the context: this is a prayer of confession. The people recounting their own history. They are not denying it. They are naming it — every rebellion, every murder, every provocation. The confession is the first step toward restoration.
What law have you thrown behind your back? What voice of God have you silenced? The confession is available. And the God who kept sending prophets despite the rejection is still sending.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Nevertheless, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee,.... Notwithstanding all these favours and mercies…
Slew thy prophets - Compare 1Ki 18:4; 1Ki 19:10; 2Ch 24:21. Jewish tradition further affirms that more than one of the…
We have here an account how the work of this fast-day was carried on. 1. The names of the ministers that were employed.…
Israel's Disobedience
26. cast thy law behind their backs R.V. back. -Thy law," cf. Neh 9:14. For this phrase cf. 1Ki…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture