OET interlinear NEH 9:17

uW Translation Notes:

וַ⁠יְמָאֲנ֣וּ לִ⁠שְׁמֹ֗עַ

and,refused to,listen

Alternate translation: “And they would not obey”

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ⁠יְמָאֲנ֣וּ לִ⁠שְׁמֹ֗עַ

and,refused to,listen

This is a reference to the command that is described in 9:15. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “they would not obey your command to enter and occupy the land of Canaan”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠לֹא־זָכְר֤וּ נִפְלְאֹתֶ֨י⁠ךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ עִמָּ⁠הֶ֔ם

and=not remember wonders,your which/who you(ms)_have_done/made among,them

The implication is that if they had done this, they would not have been afraid to go into Canaan and fight to take possession of it. They would have realized that the same God who defeated Pharaoh to deliver them from slavery could also defeat the nations living in Canaan. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say this explicitly. Alternate translation: “They did not remember the miracles that you had done to deliver them from Egypt, and so they were afraid that the nations that lived in Canaan would defeat them.”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַ⁠יַּקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־עָרְפָּ֔⁠ם

and,stiffened DOM neck,their

As in 9:16, this is a metaphor meaning that the people stubbornly refused to obey.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וַ⁠יִּתְּנוּ־רֹ֛אשׁ לָ⁠שׁ֥וּב לְ⁠עַבְדֻתָ֖⁠ם בְּ⁠מִרְיָ֑⁠ם

and,appointed head to,return to,slavery,their in/on/at/with,rebellion,their

The Israelites would know that this referred to their ancestors wanting to return to Egypt. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could say that explicitly. Alternate translation: “they disobeyed God and appointed a leader to take them back to Egypt, where they had been slaves”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

רֹ֛אשׁ

head

Head here is a figurative way of saying “leader.” Alternate translation: “leader”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לָ⁠שׁ֥וּב לְ⁠עַבְדֻתָ֖⁠ם

to,return to,slavery,their

Servitude is an abstract noun that refers to the condition of slavery that the Israelites experienced in Egypt. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the idea behind this word with a concrete noun such as “slave.” Alternate translation: “back to Egypt where they had been slaves”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

אֱל֨וֹהַּ סְלִיח֜וֹת

god forgiving

Forgiveness is an abstract noun that represents a readiness not to hold a person’s offenses against them. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the idea behind this word with a verb such as “forgive.” Alternate translation: “a God who is always ready to forgive”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / doublet

חַנּ֧וּן וְ⁠רַח֛וּם

gracious and,compassionate

Gracious and compassionate mean similar things. The Levites use them together to emphasize how merciful God is. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these words into a single expression. Alternate translation: “genuinely merciful,” otherwise “who acts kindly and mercifully toward us”

Note 9 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

אֶֽרֶךְ־אַפַּ֥יִם

slow_of angers

This is a figurative way of saying that a person does not lose their temper easily or quickly. Alternate translation: “very patient”

Note 10 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

וְ⁠רַב־חֶ֖סֶד

and,abounding (Some words not found in UHB: and,refused to,listen and=not remember wonders,your which/who you(ms)_have_done/made among,them and,stiffened DOM neck,their and,appointed head to,return to,slavery,their in/on/at/with,rebellion,their and=you(ms) god forgiving gracious and,compassionate slow_of angers and,abounding and, and=not forsake,them )

Faithfulness is an abstract noun that describes the quality of a person who will dependably keep their word and fulfill their responsibilities. Covenant faithfulness refers specifically to God keeping all the promises he made to the people of Israel. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the idea behind this word with an expression such as “keep promises.” Alternate translation: “you always keep the promises you make to your people”

Note 11 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠רַב־חֶ֖סֶד

and,abounding (Some words not found in UHB: and,refused to,listen and=not remember wonders,your which/who you(ms)_have_done/made among,them and,stiffened DOM neck,their and,appointed head to,return to,slavery,their in/on/at/with,rebellion,their and=you(ms) god forgiving gracious and,compassionate slow_of angers and,abounding and, and=not forsake,them )

Here the Levites speak of this quality of Yahweh as if it were an abundant food crop that he could share with people. Alternate translation: “who loves his people very much”

Note 12 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

וְ⁠לֹ֥א עֲזַבְתָּֽ⁠ם

and=not forsake,them

If it would be helpful to your readers, you could elaborate on what this means. Alternate translation: “so you did not abandon them there in the desert”