נחמיה, פרק ט׳, פסוק כ״ט

Throughout the era of the kings, God constantly sent His prophets to warn the people, hoping to guide them back to the right path [מצודת דוד, מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Instead of listening, the people chose to rebel brazenly [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם]. Their sins were not accidental, as they acted deliberately, driven by open arrogance and defiance [מלבי״ם]. This rebellion infected every area of their lives. They ignored both their spiritual duties toward God and the civil laws meant to govern a just society [מלבי״ם]. Even when they did happen to enforce social justice, their motives were corrupt. They would punish offenders not to fulfill God's will, but merely to satisfy a desire for personal revenge [מצודת דוד].

The tragedy of their disobedience is magnified by the very nature of the laws they rejected. The primary approach among commentators is that God's laws were given specifically to grant life. They are inherently just, designed to promote both physical and mental well-being. This stood in sharp contrast to the practices of surrounding nations at the time, whose beliefs demanded cruel and destructive acts, such as burning children for idols [רלב״ג].

When confronted by the prophets, the people's refusal to listen is captured through physical imagery. They are described as giving a stubborn shoulder, a metaphor for throwing off responsibility. The primary image is of a stubborn cow pulling its shoulder back to escape the weight of the yoke and the burden of the commandments [רס״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, it can be understood as a deeply human gesture of someone coldly turning their shoulder to walk away from a friend [מצודת דוד]. Finally, they stiffened their necks, refusing to look toward God and choosing instead to turn their backs on Him [רלב״ג]. This deep-seated stubbornness persisted, remaining unbroken even when they faced punishment for their actions [מלבי״ם].