Deuteronomy 9:9-25 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:18

And I fell down before the Lord ,.... In prayer for Israel who had sinned; but this he did not immediately after he had broken the tables, but when he had first ground the calf to powder, strewed it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it; and when he had chided Aaron, and ordered the sons of Levi to slay every man his brother: as at the first forty days and forty mights ; which is to be connected, I think, not with what goes before; for we read not that he fell down... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:19

For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you ,.... Which was exceeding vehement, as appeared by his words to Moses, forbidding to intercede for them, that he might consume them, and make of him a greater nation; wherefore he dreaded the issue of it, lest it should be to destroy you ; that that should be his full resolution and determination; however, he made use of means, and betook himself to fasting and prayer; so heartily affected was he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:20

And the Lord was very angry with Aaron, to have destroyed him ,.... For complying with the request of the people in making a calf for them, and for that miserable shift he made to excuse himself; which so provoked the Lord, that he threatened to destroy him, and he was in danger of being cut off, had it not been for the intercession of Moses: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time : who either was included in the general prayer for the people, Exodus 32:31 or a particular prayer was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:21

And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made ,.... Which was the object of their sin, which lay in making and worshipping it; see Isaiah 31:7 . and burnt it with fire, and stamped it ; with his feet after it was burnt, to bring it into small pieces: and ground it very small ; or, as the Targum of Jonathan,"ground it in a mortar well;'the burnt and broken pieces: even until it was as small as dust ; being ground to powder, as in Exodus 32:20 . and I cast the dust thereof... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:22

And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the Lord to wrath. These places are not mentioned in the strict order in which the provocations were made at them; for they provoked the Lord at Massah by murmuring for water, before they provoked him at Taberah, by complaining as it should seem of their journeying; for Massah was before they came to Sinai, and Taberah after they departed from thence; though some, as Aben Ezra observes, say that Taberah is Massah; but it... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:23

Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadeshbarnea ,.... From whence the spies were sent to search the land, though previous to it they had the following order to go up and possess it; see Numbers 32:8 . saying, go up and possess the land which I have given you ; this they were bid to do, before they desired the spies might be sent to search it first; and after they had returned and made their report, they were encouraged to go up and take possession of it: then ye rebelled against... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:24

You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you. Either from the time he first had and took knowledge of them and visited them, before his departure from Egypt to the land of Midian; (see Exodus 2:11 compared with Acts 7:25 ); or from the time that he was sent to them to deliver them out of Egypt; see Exodus 5:20 and especially from the time he brought them into the wilderness. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:25

Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first ,.... Which Jarchi says are the selfsame said above, Deuteronomy 9:18 , but doubled or repeated, because of the order of his prayer. The words "at the first" are not in the text; and, as before observed, we do not read that Moses fell down at the first forty days he was in the mount, unless it can be thought he did, Exodus 32:11 , wherefore this falling down seems to be as he fell down at the second... read more

Adam Clarke