Skip to content
Logo Devotion Header

Deuteronomy 9 Deuteronomy 9 - The Israelites' Rebellion and God's Mercy

1 Not Because of Israel’s Righteousness
Hear, O Israel. You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.

2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?”

3 But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.

4 After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you.

5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

7 The Golden Calf
Remember this and never forget how you provoked the Lord your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord.

8 At Horeb you aroused the Lord’s wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you.

9 When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.

10 The Lord gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the Lord proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.

11 At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the Lord gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant.

12 Then the Lord told me, “Go down from here at once, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made a cast idol for themselves.”

13 And the Lord said to me, “I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed!

14 Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.”

15 So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands.

16 When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the Lord your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you.

17 So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.

18 Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and so provoking him to anger.

19 I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the Lord listened to me.

20 And the Lord was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too.

21 Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.

22 You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah.

23 And when the Lord sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, “Go up and take possession of the land I have given you.” But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not trust him or obey him.

24 You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.

25 I lay prostrate before the Lord those forty days and forty nights because the Lord had said he would destroy you.

26 I prayed to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

27 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin.

28 Otherwise, the country from which you brought us will say, ‘Because the Lord was not able to take them into the land he had promised them, and because he hated them, he brought them out to put them to death in the desert.’

29 But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm.”

Previous Chapter Deuteronomy 8 Next Chapter Deuteronomy 10

Analysis of Deuteronomy Chapter 9

Deuteronomy Chapter 9 is a profound and significant passage within the Hebrew Bible, providing insights into the relationship between God and the Israelites. The chapter revolves around themes of divine justice, human fallibility, and the importance of humility and obedience toward God’s commandments. Moses delivers a powerful discourse, highlighting the reasons for the success of the Israelites and emphasizing their need for humility and recognition of God’s grace and righteousness rather than their own merit.

Verses 1-3: The Assurance of Victory

The chapter opens with Moses addressing the Israelites:

“Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the LORD your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the LORD has promised you.”

In these verses, Moses assures the Israelites of their imminent victory over nations stronger and more powerful than they. The promise of victory is not based on the Israelites’ own might but on the intervention and support of the LORD. This sets the stage for emphasizing God’s role as the primary agent of conquest. The imagery of God as a “consuming fire” underlines His unstoppable power and the divine justice that will be executed against those nations.

Verses 4-6: The Warning Against Self-Righteousness

Moses continues with a warning:

“Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. Know, therefore, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people.”

Here, Moses addresses a critical aspect of human nature: the tendency towards self-righteousness. He warns the Israelites not to attribute their success to their own righteousness. Instead, the expulsion of the Canaanite nations is due to their wickedness and as a fulfillment of God’s promises to the patriarchs. This passage serves as a profound lesson in humility, reminding the Israelites and subsequent generations that their blessings are a result of God’s grace and covenantal faithfulness, not their own merit.

Verses 7-21: The Rebellion and the Golden Calf

Moses then recounts Israel’s history of rebellion:

“Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you. When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water. And the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words that the LORD had spoken with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. And at the end of forty days and forty nights the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant. Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them; they have made themselves a metal image.’”

  • The episode of the golden calf is a critical moment in Israel’s history, underscoring their propensity toward disobedience and idolatry.
  • Moses’ fasting and communion with God highlight the sacredness of the covenant and the gravity of their sin.
  • The Israelites’ quick turn to idolatry, even as Moses was receiving the commandments, illustrates the contrast between divine expectation and human action.

These verses serve as a cautionary tale, reminding the Israelites of their past failures to adhere to God’s laws. By recalling this event, Moses emphasizes the need for repentance and humility.

Verses 22-24: Further Rebellions

Moses continues to recount instances of rebellion:

“At Taberah also, and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath. And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and did not believe him or obey his voice. You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.”

Moses lists additional instances where the Israelites tested God’s patience and disobeyed His commands. These recountings serve to remind the people of their persistent disobedience and the consequences it brought. It is also a means to contrast their behavior with the steadfastness of God’s patience and mercy.

Verses 25-29: Moses’ Intercession

The chapter concludes with Moses recounting his intercession on behalf of the Israelites:

“So I lay prostrate before the LORD for these forty days and forty nights, because the LORD had said he would destroy you. And I prayed to the LORD, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not regard the stubbornness of this people or their wickedness or their sin, lest the land from which you brought us say, “Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.” For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’”

Moses’ intercession reflects his role as a mediator between God and the Israelites. His prayer appeals to God’s reputation among the nations and invokes the patriarchal promises as a basis for mercy. It reflects profound humility and empathy, showing Moses’ dedication to the people despite their disobedience.

Themes and Lessons

Deuteronomy Chapter 9 is rich with themes that are crucial for understanding the relationship between God and His people:

  • Divine Sovereignty and Justice: The chapter emphasizes that the Israelites’ success is due to God’s will and not their own righteousness. God’s justice is also evident in His judgment against the wicked nations and His continued commitment to His promises.
  • Human Fallibility and Need for Humility: The Israelites are reminded of their consistent rebellion and need for repentance. This serves as a lesson in humility, acknowledging that their relationship with God is founded on His grace more than their deeds.
  • Intercessory Prayer: Moses’ role as an intercessor highlights the importance of mediation and prayer in the life of faith. It underscores the idea that leaders and followers alike must constantly seek God’s mercy and favor.
  • The Importance of Covenant: The chapter reiterates the centrality of the covenant between God and the Israelites. Despite their failures, God’s promises to their forefathers stand firm, showcasing His unwavering faithfulness.

Conclusion

Deuteronomy Chapter 9 provides a comprehensive narrative that addresses both divine grace and human responsibility. It calls on the Israelites to recognize their dependency on God, to remain humble, and to acknowledge their past mistakes. By remembering their rebellions and Moses’ intercessions, the Israelites are reminded of the necessity to seek divine guidance and to live in accordance with God’s commandments.

Throughout this chapter, the overarching message is clear: success and prosperity come from God’s grace and not human merit. This timeless lesson encourages humility, obedience, and a constant striving to align one’s life with divine will.

In essence, Deuteronomy 9 serves as a mirror reflecting the human condition and the boundless mercy of God. It invites readers to introspect, repent, and embrace a life of faith rooted in the acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and righteousness.