Ulangan 9:6

9:6 Understand, therefore, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is about to give you this good land as a possession, for you are a stubborn ¹  people!

Keluaran 32:9

32:9 Then the Lord said to Moses: “I have seen this people. ²  Look ³  what a stiff-necked people they are! ⁴ 

[9:6]  ¹ tn Heb “stiff-necked” (so KJV, NAB, NIV).

[9:6]  sn The Hebrew word translated stubborn means “stiff-necked.” The image is that of a draft animal that is unsubmissive to the rein or yoke and refuses to bend its neck to draw the load. This is an apt description of OT Israel (Exod 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut 9:13).

[32:9]  ² sn This is a bold anthropomorphism; it is as if God has now had a chance to get to know these people and has discovered how rebellious they are. The point of the figure is that there has been discernible evidence of their nature.

[32:9]  ³ tn Heb “and behold” or “and look.” The expression directs attention in order to persuade the hearer.

[32:9]  ⁴ sn B. Jacob says the image is that of the people walking before God, and when he called to them the directions, they would not bend their neck to listen; they were resolute in doing what they intended to do (Exodus, 943). The figure describes them as refusing to submit, but resisting in pride.