A Stiff-Necked Nation
By Rabbi Label Lam
A stiff-necked nation: They turn the back of their neck to the one rebuking them and they refuse to listen. (Rashi)
Like any other trait, stubbornness can be used for good or the opposite. Therefore, for the sake of our survival, a stinging rebuke was needed, as it were, to reset the broken bone so it would not grow firm, committed to some corrupt value. So we have survived!