Deuteronomy 9:1-29

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:1-6

The call to attention (Deut. 9:1), Hear, O Israel, intimates that this was a new discourse, delivered at some distance of time after the former, probably the next sabbath day. I. Moses represents to the people the formidable strength of the enemies which they were now to encounter, Deut. 9:1. The nations they were to dispossess were mightier than themselves, not a rude and undisciplined rout, like the natives of America, that were easily made a prey of. But, should they besiege them, they... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:7-29

That they might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan for their righteousness, Moses here shows them what a miracle of mercy it was that they had not long ere this been destroyed in the wilderness: ?Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God (Deut. 9:7); so far from purchasing his favour, thou hast many a time laid thyself open to his displeasure.? Their fathers? provocations are here charged upon them; for, if God had dealt with their fathers according... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:1

Hear, O Israel ,.... A pause being made after the delivery of the preceding discourse; or perhaps what follows might be delivered at another time, at some little distance; and which being of moment and importance to the glory of God, and that Israel might have a true notion of their duty, they are called upon to listen with attention to what was now about to be said: thou art to pass over Jordan this day ; not precisely that very day, but in a short time after this; for it was on the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:2

A people great and tall ,.... Of a large bulky size, and of an high stature, so that the spies seemed to be as grasshoppers to them, Numbers 13:33 , the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest ; by report, having had an account of them by the spies, who described them as very large bodied men, and of a gigantic stature, the descendants of one Anak, a giant; and so the Targum of Jonathan,"a people strong and high like the giants;'from these Bene Anak, children of Anak, or Phene Anak,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:3

Understand therefore this day ,.... Or be it known to you for your encouragement, and believe it: that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee as a consuming fire : did not only go before them over the river Jordan, in a pillar of cloud and fire, to guide and direct them, and was a wall of fire around them to protect and defend them, but as a consuming fire, before which there is no standing, to destroy their enemies; see Deuteronomy 4:24 , he shall destroy them, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:4

Speak not thou in thine heart ,.... Never once think within thyself, or give way to such a vain imagination, and please thyself with it: after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out from before thee ; to make way for the Israelites, and put them into the possession of their land; which is to be ascribed not to them, but to the Lord: saying, for my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this land ; such a thought as this was not to be secretly cherished in their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:5

Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart ,.... Neither for their external righteousness before men, or their outward conformity to the law, nor for the inward sincerity of their hearts, and their upright intentions in doing good, in which they were defective: dost thou go to possess their land ; this is repeated, and enlarged on, and explained, that this notion might be entirely removed from them, and not entertained by them; similar to which is that of men, who... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:6

Understand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness ,.... This is again repeated to impress it upon their minds, that it was not for any goodness of theirs, but as a gift of divine goodness to them, that they were put into the possession of the good land, which greatly exceeded any merits of theirs, and was entirely owing to the kindness of God to them, and not to any righteousness of theirs; and this he frequently inculcates, that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:7

Remember, and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness ,.... Aben Ezra remarks that this was after they journeyed from Horeb; but before they came thither, even as soon as, they were in the wilderness, they provoked the Lord, as by their murmuring for water at Marah, when they had been but three days in the wilderness; and for bread in the wilderness of Sin, and for water again at Rephidim; all which were before they came to Horeb or Sinai, and which agrees... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 9:8

Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath ,.... The word "also" shows that they had provoked him before, but this instance is given as a very notorious one; here they made the golden calf and worshipped it, while Moses was on the mount with God, receiving instructions from him for their good. Near to this place a rock had been smitten for them, from whence flowed water for the refreshment of them and their cattle; here the Lord appeared in the glory of his majesty to them, and from hence,... read more

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