Focused Passage

Deuteronomy 9:1-6

Not Your Righteousness: The Stiff-Necked People and the Interceding Mediator

From the preemptive pride-correction before the conquest (vv. 1-6) through the golden calf as the paradigm case of Israel's stiff-neckedness (vv. 7-21) and Moses's intercessory response (vv. 18-20) to the catalogue of additional rebellions (vv. 22-24) and the full intercessory prayer (vv. 25-29) — the chapter moves from warning through evidence through the only ground on which Israel can stand: the interceding mediator.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Hear, O Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities fortified to the heavens.

2 The people are strong and tall, the descendants of the Anakim. You know about them, and you have heard it said, “Who can stand up to the sons of Anak?”

3 But understand that today the LORD your God goes across ahead of you as a consuming fire; He will destroy them and subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them swiftly, as the LORD has promised you.

4 When the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, “Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.” Rather, the LORD is driving out these nations before you because of their wickedness.

5 It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise 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.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Hear שְׁמַ֣ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular O Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular Today הַיּוֹם֙ H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular you אַתָּ֨ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are about to cross עֹבֵ֤ר H5674 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the Jordan הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן H3383 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker to go in לָבֹא֙ H935 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct and dispossess לָרֶ֣שֶׁת H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct nations גּוֹיִ֔ם H1471 Noun - masculine plural greater גְּדֹלִ֥ים H1419 Adjective - masculine plural and stronger וַעֲצֻמִ֖ים H6099 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural than you מִמֶּ֑ךָּ H4480 Preposition | second person masculine singular with large גְּדֹלֹ֥ת H1419 Adjective - feminine plural cities עָרִ֛ים H5892 Noun - feminine plural fortified וּבְצֻרֹ֖ת H1219 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - feminine plural to the heavens בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ H8064 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Verse 2

Original words

The people עַֽם־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular are strong גָּד֥וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular and tall וָרָ֖ם H7311 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular the descendants בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of the Anakim עֲנָקִ֑ים H6062 Noun - proper - masculine plural You אַתָּ֤ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular know יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular about them אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative and you וְאַתָּ֣ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular have heard it said שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular Who מִ֣י H4310 Interrogative can stand up יִתְיַצֵּ֔ב H3320 Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine singular to לִפְנֵ֖י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct the sons בְּנֵ֥י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct of Anak עֲנָֽק׃ H6061 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

But understand וְיָדַעְתָּ֣ H3045 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular that כִּי֩ H3588 Conjunction today הַיּ֗וֹם H3117 Article | Noun - masculine singular the LORD יְהוָ֨ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - הֽוּא־ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular goes across הָעֹבֵ֤ר H5674 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular ahead of you לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular as a consuming אֹֽכְלָ֔ה H398 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular . . . ה֧וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular fire אֵ֣שׁ H784 Noun - common singular He will destroy them יַשְׁמִידֵ֛ם H8045 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural . . . וְה֥וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular and subdue them יַכְנִיעֵ֖ם H3665 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural before you לְפָנֶ֑יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular And you will drive them out וְהֽוֹרַשְׁתָּ֤ם H3423 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural and annihilate them וְהַֽאַבַדְתָּם֙ H6 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine plural swiftly מַהֵ֔ר H4118 Adverb as כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר H834 Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has promised דִּבֶּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular you לָֽךְ׃ Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 4

Original words

When the LORD יְהוָה֩ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular - אֹתָ֥ם׀ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural has driven them out בַּהֲדֹ֣ף H1920 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct before you מִלְּפָנֶיךָ֮ H6440 Preposition-m, Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹר֒ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct do not אַל־ H408 Adverb say תֹּאמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular in your heart בִּלְבָבְךָ֗ H3824 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular Because of my righteousness בְּצִדְקָתִי֙ H6666 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has brought me in הֱבִיאַ֣נִי H935 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular to possess לָרֶ֖שֶׁת H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֹּ֑את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular land הָאָ֣רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular Rather, the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular is driving out וּבְרִשְׁעַת֙ H7564 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct these הָאֵ֔לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural nations הַגּוֹיִ֣ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural before you מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular because of their wickedness מוֹרִישָׁ֥ם H3423 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 5

Original words

It is not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle because of your righteousness בְצִדְקָתְךָ֗ H6666 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular or uprightness וּבְיֹ֙שֶׁר֙ H3476 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct of heart לְבָ֣בְךָ֔ H3824 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular that you אַתָּ֥ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are going in בָ֖א H935 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular to possess לָרֶ֣שֶׁת H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct אֶת־ אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their land אַרְצָ֑ם H776 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural but [it is] because כִּ֞י H3588 Conjunction of their wickedness בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת׀ H7564 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct that the LORD יְהוָ֤ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is driving out מוֹרִישָׁ֣ם H3423 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural these הָאֵ֗לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural nations הַגּוֹיִ֣ם H1471 Article | Noun - masculine plural before you מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular to וּלְמַ֜עַן H4616 Conjunction keep הָקִ֣ים H6965 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the promise הַדָּבָ֗ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative He יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular swore נִשְׁבַּ֤ע H7650 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to your fathers לַאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ H1 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular to Abraham לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם H85 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Isaac לְיִצְחָ֖ק H3327 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Jacob וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב׃ H3290 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Understand, then וְיָדַעְתָּ֗ H3045 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular that כִּ֠י H3588 Conjunction it is not לֹ֤א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle because of your righteousness בְצִדְקָֽתְךָ֙ H6666 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular that the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular your God אֱ֠לֹהֶיךָ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular is giving נֹתֵ֨ן H5414 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you לְךָ֜ Preposition | second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֹּ֖את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular good הַטּוֹבָ֛ה H2896 Article | Adjective - feminine singular land הָאָ֧רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular to possess לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ H3423 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction you אָֽתָּה׃ H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular are a stiff-necked קְשֵׁה־ H7186 Adjective - masculine singular construct . . . עֹ֖רֶף H6203 Noun - masculine singular people עַם־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.