Deuteronomy 1:20 kjv
And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.
Deuteronomy 1:20 nkjv
And I said to you, 'You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us.
Deuteronomy 1:20 niv
Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us.
Deuteronomy 1:20 esv
And I said to you, 'You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us.
Deuteronomy 1:20 nlt
I said to you, 'You have now reached the hill country of the Amorites that the LORD our God is giving us.
Deuteronomy 1 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:7 | "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, 'To your offspring I will give this land.'..." | Initial promise of land to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:18 | "...To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates..." | Confirmation and scope of the land promise. |
| Ex 3:8 | "...to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites..." | God's intention to bring Israel to the promised land. |
| Ex 23:23 | "For My angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites..." | God promises to drive out inhabitants. |
| Num 13:29 | "The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country..." | Confirmation of the Amorites' formidable presence. |
| Num 14:8 | "If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey." | Affirmation of God's power to give the land despite obstacles. |
| Dt 1:8 | "See, I have set the land before you. Go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to your fathers..." | God's readiness for them to enter. |
| Dt 1:21 | "See, the LORD your God has set the land before you. Go up and possess it..." | The command to enter immediately follows the verse. |
| Dt 9:5-6 | "Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land..." | Emphasizes the land as a gift, not earned. |
| Dt 31:3 | "The LORD your God, He will cross over before you..." | God's active role in leading them into the land. |
| Jos 1:6 | "Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them." | Command to Joshua, reinforcing the land as a divine gift. |
| Jos 21:43 | "Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that He swore to give to their fathers, and they took possession of it..." | Fulfillment of the promise by God's faithfulness. |
| Ps 105:44 | "He gave them the lands of the nations, and they inherited the toil of the peoples..." | God's provision and the inheritance of the nations' land. |
| Neh 9:15 | "You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger... and you commanded them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them." | Acknowledging God's provision and command. |
| Heb 3:19 | "So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief." | The Israelites' failure to enter the land was due to unbelief, directly contrasting God's willingness to give it. |
| Heb 4:1 | "Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it." | Spiritual application of failing to enter God's rest due to disobedience. |
| Heb 4:9-11 | "So then, there remains a Sabbath-rest for the people of God... Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience as those." | Draws parallels between the physical rest (land) and spiritual rest. |
| Rom 9:6-8 | "...Not all who are descended from Israel are Israel... it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." | The promise is ultimately spiritual, going beyond mere physical inheritance. |
| Gal 3:18 | "For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise." | The land, and all inheritance from God, is by promise, not merit. |
| Acts 7:5 | "Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession..." | Reinforces the land as a promised possession. |
Deuteronomy 1 verses
Deuteronomy 1 20 Meaning
Deuteronomy 1:20 declares Moses' communication to the Israelites upon their arrival at the threshold of the Promised Land, specifically the formidable hill country inhabited by the Amorites. It underscores that this land was a direct gift from Yahweh, their covenant God, thereby reminding them of His faithfulness and His readiness to fulfill His ancient promise to their forefathers.
Deuteronomy 1 20 Context
Deuteronomy 1 is the opening of Moses' valedictory address to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land. This discourse serves as a powerful review of Israel's journey from Mount Horeb (Sinai) to the current moment. Verse 20 specifically recounts the arrival at Kadesh-Barnea, the critical juncture where Israel was presented with the immediate opportunity to enter the land God promised. It is a retrospective statement, setting the stage for the narrative of Israel's rebellion and subsequent 40-year wandering. Historically, the Amorites were a prominent and formidable people inhabiting the highlands east and west of the Jordan, often mentioned among the "seven nations" of Canaan. The "hill country" refers to the central highlands, a strategic and difficult terrain that the Israelites would have to conquer.
Deuteronomy 1 20 Word analysis
- And I said (וָאֹמַר - va'omer):
- Word-level: "And I said" (consecutive waw + first common singular perfect form of amar). Moses' direct personal communication, indicating leadership and responsibility in conveying God's will and reminding the people of crucial past events.
- Significance: This emphasizes Moses as the speaker recounting the history, setting a reflective and admonishing tone for the new generation.
- to you (אֲלֵכֶם - alechem):
- Word-level: Second masculine plural pronoun, directing the statement to the whole assembly of Israel.
- Significance: It highlights the collective responsibility and experience of the people in their history with God.
- You have come (בָּאתֶם - ba'tem):
- Word-level: Second masculine plural perfect form of bo'. Signifies an accomplished action, a physical arrival at a specific place.
- Significance: They were literally there, at the threshold. This proximity accentuates the tragedy of their subsequent failure to enter.
- to the hill country (אֶל־הַהַר - el ha'har):
- Word-level: "To the mountain" or "the hill country" (preposition el + definite article ha + noun har). Refers to the central mountainous region, likely the southern part of Canaan.
- Significance: Not just any part of the land, but the strategically important and naturally fortified highlands, home to formidable inhabitants. It indicates the direct, challenging frontier of the promised inheritance.
- of the Amorites (הָאֱמֹרִי - ha'emori):
- Word-level: Definite article + proper noun Emori. A significant Canaanite people group, known for their strength (Amos 2:9).
- Significance: The Amorites represent one of the prominent and powerful pre-Israelite inhabitants of Canaan. Their presence underscored the challenge but also the promise of God to drive out the nations before Israel. It indirectly challenges the polytheistic and idolatrous beliefs associated with these peoples, emphasizing Yahweh's sole authority.
- which the LORD (אֲשֶׁר יְהוָה - asher Yahweh):
- Word-level: Relative pronoun "which" + the unique covenantal name of God (YHWH, "Yahweh" or "LORD").
- Significance: Links the land directly to God's identity and power. Yahweh is the source, owner, and grantor of the land. His covenant name reinforces His faithfulness to His promises.
- our God (אֱלֹהֵינוּ - Eloheinu):
- Word-level: Plural noun Elohim (God) with a first common plural possessive suffix "our".
- Significance: Emphasizes the personal and covenantal relationship between Yahweh and Israel. He is not just "God," but their God, acting specifically for them.
- is giving (נֹתֵן - nothen):
- Word-level: Present participle of the verb natan ("to give").
- Significance: The use of the present participle signifies an ongoing, immediate, or certainly imminent action. God was in the very act of giving the land; it was ready and available for them to receive. It underscores the concept of divine initiative and grace. The land is a gift, not something to be earned or merited.
- us (לָנוּ - lanu):
- Word-level: Preposition "to/for" + first common plural suffix "us".
- Significance: Reinforces the collective inheritance and benefit intended for the entire community of Israel.
Words-Group Analysis:
- "You have come to the hill country of the Amorites": This phrase succinctly marks the critical geographical and historical location. It represents the very boundary of the Promised Land, the tangible manifestation of God's decades-old promise. The mention of the "Amorites" immediately identifies the challenge, preparing the listener for the subsequent narrative of fear and disobedience.
- "which the LORD our God is giving us": This clause provides the divine context and imperative for entering the land. It asserts that the land's possession is not merely a military endeavor but a divine gift and fulfillment of covenant promises by their faithful, personal God. The "is giving" highlights God's continuous readiness and generosity. This directly counters any idea of Israel claiming the land by their own strength; it's by God's decree and power.
Deuteronomy 1 20 Bonus section
The "hill country of the Amorites" could also symbolize life's daunting challenges that stand between us and God's blessings. Just as Israel stood on the edge of a promised land, confronting a formidable obstacle (the Amorites), believers often face trials before experiencing the fullness of God's promises. This verse powerfully reiterates that God Himself is giving the victory and the inheritance, even when the obstacles seem insurmountable. It emphasizes that the fulfillment of divine promise rests on God's character and power, not on human might or merit. The tragedy of the narrative is that despite God's clear intention to give, the generation fell due to unbelief and fear. The verse highlights the divine sovereignty and the importance of human response.
Deuteronomy 1 20 Commentary
Deuteronomy 1:20 is a pivotal verse within Moses' sermon, serving as a solemn and crucial point of recollection. It encapsulates the core truth of the wilderness generation's missed opportunity: God was utterly faithful, had led them to the very threshold of the promised inheritance, and was actively giving them the land. The location—"the hill country of the Amorites"—signified a formidable challenge, yet this fact was explicitly framed by the greater truth that "the LORD our God is giving us" this land.
This verse reveals God's character: His steadfast love in covenant promises, His divine initiative in providing, and His power to deliver. It was not a hypothetical promise, but an immediate offer of possession. The use of "our God" further strengthens the bond of covenant, emphasizing a deeply personal commitment from the Creator to His chosen people. The land was truly a gift, requiring only an act of faithful obedience to enter and receive. However, as the subsequent verses unveil, this truth would be overshadowed by Israel's unbelief, turning God's gift into a point of testing, revealing the crucial importance of faith in laying hold of God's blessings. The passage implicitly draws a sharp contrast between God's active 'giving' and Israel's subsequent failure to 'take', leading to profound spiritual lessons on obedience and trust.