Deuteronômio 9
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Deuteronômio 9:1-6
9:1 "Hear" This is the Hebrew term shema (BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal IMPERATIVE, cf. Deut. 4:1; 5:1; 6:3,4; 9:1; 20:3; 27:9), which means "to hear so as to do." See note at Deut. 4:1. SPECIAL TOPIC: LISTEN/HEAR (shema ▣ "O Israel" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ISRAEL (the name). ▣ "nations greater and mightier than you" This is a repeated theme (see note at Deut. 1:28). The theological point (i.e. YHWH's sovereign choice and His promise to the Patriarchs) is in Deut. 7:6-9. He is trustworthy and true. His faithful, loving character is magnified in Israel's stubbornness and stiffneckedness (cf. Deut. 9:6,7,13,24,27; 10:16; 31:27). SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) SPECIAL TOPIC: STUBBORNNESS 9:2 "the Anakim. . .sons of Anak" Etymologically this term means "long neck" and, therefore, refers to the giants. In Deut. 2:10-11 they are linked to the Rephaim in Num. 13:33 they are linked to the Nephilim SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS USED FOR TALL/POWERFUL WARRIORS OR PEOPLE GROUPS (Giants) SPECIAL TOPIC: "sons of God" in Genesis 6 ▣ "know" See full note at Deut. 4:35. 9:3 "Know" This VERB (BDB 393, KB 390, Qal PERFECT with waw) is used often and in several senses. SPECIAL TOPIC: KNOW ▣ "a consuming fire" This is BDB 77 plus BDB 37, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPAL. This imagery is describing the judgment of God on the people of the land because of their wickedness (cf. v.4-5; Gen 15:16). See note at Deut. 4:24. For a good brief discussion of the imagery used to describe God see The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, pp.332-336. SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE ▣ "He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you" These two VERBS of conquest are parallel and denote YHWH's actions on Israel's behalf: "destroy" ‒ BDB 1029, KB 1552, Hiphil IMPERFECT "subdue" ‒ BDB 488, KB 484, Hiphil IMPERFECT Also note that Israel must act in faith and attack: "you may drive them out" ‒ BDB 439, KB 441, Hiphil PERFECT with waw "destroy them quickly" ‒ BDB 1, KB 2, Hiphil PERFECT with waw plus the ADVERB (BDB 555 II) Notice the theological and covenantal balance between the promised action of the sovereign YHWH and the mandated faithful response of the Israeli army and leaders. Both are crucial! It is also to be noted that YHWH accomplished His task, but Israel did not complete the task of totally removing the indigenous inhabitants (cf. Judges 1-2). Israel should have acted quickly (cf. Deut. 7:22), but she did not! 9:4-6 "Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, 'Because of my righteousness'" This is similar to Deut. 8:11-20. God is showing the people again that He is acting, not because they are good, but because of the wickedness of the people in the land (cf. Gen. 15:12-21; Lev. 18:24-25; 20:13-14) His promise to their Patriarchs beginning in Gen. 12:1-3 He wants them to remember that He is in full control. The initial VERB "say" (BDB 55, KB 65) is a Qal IMPERFECT, used in a JUSSIVE sense. The fallen heart of humanity is still ever present and spiritually dangerous. The second VERB "has driven" (BDB 213, KB 239, Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT) shows YHWH's active involvement in the Conquest (cf. Deut. 6:19; JosH. 23:5). SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S GRACE ACTS TO ISRAEL 9:5 "It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart" These two NOUNS are parallel in this context: "righteousness" ‒ BDB 842, cf. Deut. 6:25; 9:4,5,6; 24:13; 33:21, see SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS "uprightness" ‒ BDB 449, means integrity or moral lifestyle, cf. 1 Chr. 29:17; Ps. 119:7 Israel is not being given the land Canaan because of her godliness, but because of the Canaanite's ungodliness (cf. Deut. 9:4; Gen. 15:12-21; Lev. 18:24-28, see note at Deut. 3:6) YHWH's greater purpose for Israel SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN ▣ "to confirm the oath the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" Notice the VERBS: "to confirm the oath" ‒ BDB 877, KB 1086, Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT "the Lord swore" ‒ BDB 989, KB 1396, Niphal PERFECT SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS ▣ "righteousness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS 9:6, 13 "you are a stubborn people" This was originally an agricultural phrase referring to unruly oxen. Literally this means "hard of neck" or "stiff-necked" (BDB 904 CONSTRUCT BDB 791, cf. Deut. 9:6,7,13,24,27; 10:16; 31:27; Exod. 32:9; 33:3,5; 34:9). SPECIAL TOPIC: STUBBORNNESS (OT)
Deuteronômio 9:7-21
9:7 "Remember, do not forget" These two initial VERBS (BDB 269, KB 269, Qal IMPERATIVES, cf. Deut. 5:15; 7:18 [twice]; 8:2; 9:7,27; 15:15; 16:3,12; 24:9,18,22; 25:17; 32:7 and BDB 1013, KB 1489, Qal IMPERFECT, functioning as a JUSSIVE, cf. Deut. 4:9,23; 6:12; 8:11,14,19 [twice]; 9:7) are to help Israel remember (see note at Deut. 7:18) and not repeat her lack of faith in YHWH, His promises and His power as they did on several occasions during the exodus and wilderness wandering period. Moses mentions their act of idolatry and rebellion at the foot of Mt. Horeb in Deut. 9:8, where Aaron fashioned a golden calf at the insistence of the people (cf. Exodus 32)! 9:7-8 "how you provoked the Lord" See Exodus 16; 32; and Numbers 13-14; 16:21,25 as some examples. 9:7-22 These verses refer to the actions of Israel while Moses was on Mt. Horeb/Sinai receiving the Law (cf. Exodus 32). ▣ "Horeb" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOCATION OF MT. SINAI and SPECIAL TOPIC: HOREB 9:9 "the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord had made with you" Obviously the phrase "tablets of stone, and the tablets of the covenant" are parallel. These were YHWH's words, not Moses'. This is revelation, not human opinion or discovery. SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 9:9,11,18 "forty days" This number is often symbolic of a long, indefinite period of time, longer than a lunar cycle (i.e. 28 days) but less than a seasonal change. The time from leaving Mt. Horeb/Sinai to entering Canaan was thirty eight years. SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #7 9:9, 18 "I neither ate bread nor drank water" This refers to two separate 40 day fasts meaning either a miraculous preservation (cf. Exod. 24:18; 34:28) a hyperbolic idiom for a limited fast (no food, but water) This same period of fasting is used of Jesus in Matt. 4; Luke 4. He is the "new" Moses! 9:10 "the two tablets of stone" Because of Hittite Suzerain Treaties as a possible historical background, this may refer to two complete copies of the Law. See introduction to the book, VII. SPECIAL TOPIC: HITTITE (SUZERAIN) TREATIES ▣ "written by the finger of God" This is imagery for the divine origin of the Ten Words and their explanations (cf. Exod. 31:18; 32:15-16; Deut. 4:13). SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (Anthropomorphic Language) ▣ "the Lord had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire" This is a recurrent theme (cf. Deut. 4:12,15,33,36; 5:5,22,24,26; 9:10; 10:4). The phrase emphasizes God's acts and the content of the personal covenant revelation at Mt. Horeb/Sinai (i.e. Exod. 19-20). 9:12-14 Moses remembers his dialogue with YHWH in Exodus 32 "arise," Deut. 9:12 ‒ BDB 877, KB 1086, Qal IMPERATIVE "go down," Deut. 9:12 ‒ BDB 432, KB 434, Qal IMPERATIVE "let Me alone," Deut. 9:14 ‒ BDB 951, KB 1276, Hiphil IMPERATIVE "I may destroy them," Deut. 9:14 ‒ BDB 1029, KB 1552, Hiphil IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense "blot out their names," Deut. 9:14 ‒ BDB 562, KB 567, Qal IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense ▣ "for your people whom you brought out of Egypt" This VERB (BDB 422, KB 425, Hiphil PERFECT) is used many times of YHWH, but only here of Moses. ▣ "turned aside" This VERB (BDB 693, KB747, Qal PERFECT) is theologically parallel to שׁוב (BDB 996, KB 1427). This Hebrew root can denote idolatry or repentance. SPECIAL TOPIC: CONSEQUENCES OF IDOLATRY SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT) ▣ "molten image" This (BDB 651) does not refer to idolatry, but a physical representation of YHWH. This was a violation of the second commandment (i.e. Exod. 20:4) They wanted a god they could see and touch like the peoples of Egypt and Canaan. 9:14 Is this an example of the wrath of God or is it a test of Moses' leadership (cf. Deut. 9:25ff, Exod. 32:30-35)? ▣ "blot out their name from under heaven" This is Hebrew imagery (cf. Deut. 25:5; Ps. 41:5) for the complete extermination of the covenant people, except Moses. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD 9:15 "mountain was burning with fire" Burning fire or bright light was a symbol of God's presence (cf. Exod. 19:16,18; Deut. 1:32-33; 4:33; 5:4; Isa. 66:15; Heb. 12:18). SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE SPECIAL TOPIC: SHEKINAH 9:16 "You had made for yourselves a molten calf" This same VERB (BDB 793 I, KB 899, Qal PERFECT) is used in Deut. 9:12 and 21. Here this image is called: in Exod. 32:4,8, "molten calf" (BDB 722) in Deut. 9:21, "the calf" in Deut. 9:12, a "molten image" (cf. Exod. 34:17; Lev. 19:4) 9:17 "smashed them before your eyes" The very day the covenant was written by God it was broken (both literally and figuratively). 9:18 See SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER 9:19 "the Lord listened to me" See Exodus 34. Notice the source of Moses' fear (BDB 388, KB 386, Qal PERFECT, cf. Deut. 28:60): YHWH's anger ‒ BDB 60, cf. Exod. 32:12 YHWH's hot displeasure ‒ BDB 404, cf. Deut. 29:23 YHWH's wrath ‒ BDB 893, KB 1124, Qal PERFECT, cf. Deut. 1:34; Lev. 10:6; Num. 16:22 YHWH's threat to destroy you ‒ BDB 1029, KB 1552, Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT, cf. Deut. 6:15; 9:20 Numbers 1 and 2 may function as a hendiadys (cf. TEV, NET Bible). 9:20 "for Aaron" Moses praying for Aaron is not recorded in Exodus 32. 9:21 See Exodus 32:20. Notice how many VERBS are used to describe what Moses did to the golden calf, the sinful thing: "burned it," BDB 976, KB 1358, Qal IMPERFECT with waw "crushed it," BDB 510, KB 507, Qal IMPERFECT with waw, cf. 2 Kgs. 18:4; Micah 1:7 "grinding it very small," BDB 377, KB 374, Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE "it was as fine as dust," BDB 200, KB 229, Qal PERFECT "threw its dust into the brook," BDB 1020, KB 1527, Hiphil IMPERFECT with waw
Deuteronômio 9:22-24
9:22 "Taberah" This was one of the campsites of Israel (mentioned in Numbers 33). The place name comes from a word play on the VERB "to burn" (BDB 129). This was the geographical location where YHWH answered their constant complaining with a judgment of fire (cf. Num. 11:1-3,34-35). It was about a three day journey north of Mt. Horeb/Sinai, but the exact location is uncertain. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE EXODUS, III. ▣ "Massah" This was another location of conflict between YHWH and Israel during the exodus (cf. Exod. 17:7). It is usually linked to Meribah (cf. Deut. 33:8), but not always (cf. Deut. 6:16; 9:2). Massah means "testing" (BDB 650 III, cf. Deut. 6:16; 9:22; 33:8; Exod. 17:7; Ps. 95:8) Meribah means "strife" (BDB 937 II, cf. Exod. 17:7) ▣ "Kibroth-Hattaavah" The name means "graves of lust" (BDB 869, cf. Num. 11:31-35). Numbers 11 mentions movement recorded between Taberah and Kibroth-Hattaavah, but here in Deuteronomy the two sites are separate. 9:23 "Go up and possess this land" These are both Qal IMPERATIVES and reflect YHWH's direct speech through Moses to Israel: "go up" ‒ BDB 748, KB 828 "possess" ‒ BDB 439, KB 441 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: POSSESS THE LAND) Notice again YHWH's command for Israel to act on her belief in His sovereignty and promises. But instead of faith Israel demonstrated unbelief: "you rebelled against the command" ‒ BDB 598, KB 632 , Hiphil IMPERFECT with waw, cf. Num. 20:24; 27:14; Deut. 1:26,43; 9:23; Ps. 107:11 "you neither believed Him" ‒ BDB 52, KB 63, Hiphil PERFECT SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT "nor listened to His voice" ‒ BDB 1033, KB 1570, Qal PERFECT (these Qal PERFECTS reflect a settled condition). This is exactly opposite of covenant obedience and responsibility. SPECIAL TOPIC: LISTEN/HEAR (shema) ▣ "you rebelled" See note at Deut. 1:26. 9:24 Israel had always been rebellious!
Deuteronômio 9:25-29
9:25 Moses' intercessory prayer uses two VERBS: "I fell down" ‒ BDB 656, KB 709 Hithpael IMPERFECT with waw, Deut. 9:25 Hithpael PERFECT, Deut. 9:25 "I prayed" ‒ Deut. 9:26 - BDB 813, KB 933, Hithpael IMPERFECT with waw SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER ▣ "forty days and nights" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SYMBOLIC NUMBERS IN SCRIPTURE, #7 9:26-29 Verses 26-29 show three reasons Moses gave to YHWH in answer to His question, "Why should I spare Israel?": His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (cf. Exod. 32:13) Canaan will misunderstand YHWH's character Canaan will not understand YHWH's judgment on Israel The paragraph contains three prayer request VERBS: "do not destroy," Deut. 9:26 ‒ BDB 1007, KB 1469, Hiphil JUSSIVE "remember," Deut. 9:27 ‒ BDB 269, KB 269, Qal IMPERATIVE "do not look" (i.e. "turn"), Deut. 9:27 ‒ BDB 815, KB 937, Qal JUSSIVE Moses appeals to YHWH's character and eternal redemptive plan for all people as the basis for not destroying His disobedient covenant people. More is at stake than just one people group! SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN 9:26 Notice how Moses' prayer reminds YHWH of His covenant relationship: "Lord God" (literally, "adon YHWH," cf. Deut. 3:24 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord [adon and kurios]) "Thy people" ‒ covenant title, cf. Deut. 9:29 "Thine inheritance" ‒ covenant gift, cf. Deut. 9:29 "Thou has redeemed ‒ BDB 804, KB 911, Qal PERFECT (see SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM). YHWH delivered them from slavery to a national entity (cf. Deut. 7:8; 9:26; 13:5) "Thou hast brought out of Egypt" ‒ BDB 422, KB 425, Hiphil PERFECT; this fulfilled YHWH's covenant promise to Abraham (cf. Deut. 9:29; Gen. 15:16-21) YHWH acts because of who He is! He follows the redemptive plan He has for all peoples! The great hope of all mankind is the unchanging, gracious, merciful, loving character of YHWH (e.g. Exod. 34:6; Mal. 3:6). See notes at Deut. 4:31 and 10:17. SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT) ▣ "with a mighty hand" This phrase and "outstretched arm" of Deut. 9:29 have both been found in Egyptian texts referring to the Egyptian king. This is a recurrent idiom (cf. Exod. 32:11; Deut. 4:34; 5:15; 6:21; 7:8,19; 9:26; 11:2; 26:8; 34:12; 2 Chr. 6:32; Ps. 136:12; Dan. 9:15). Moses chose phrases that Israel had heard before in relationship to Pharaoh. YHWH was their true king! 9:27 Notice the character of Israel: "the stubbornness of this people" ‒ BDB 904, cf. Deut. 9:6,7,13,24,27 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: STUBBORNNESS) "their wickedness" ‒ BDB 957, cf. Jer. 14:20; Ezek. 3:19; 33:12 "their sin" ‒ BDB 308, cf. Exod. 32:30; Deut. 9:18; Ps. 32:5; 51:5; Prov. 5:22; 13:6; 14:34; 21:4; 24:9 (Deuteronomy shares the vocabulary of the sages) ▣ "Your servants" See SPECIAL TOPIC: SERVANT LEADERSHIP 9:28 "Otherwise the land from which You brought us may say" YHWH, because of Your reputation and worldwide purpose of redemption, spare Israel. Another phrase used in the same sense is, "for God's namesake" (cf. Isa. 48:9-11; Ezek. 20:9,14,22,44; 36:21-23; Dan. 9:17-19). SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN 9:29 "Your great power and Your outstretched arm" See full note at Deut. 4:34.