Deuteronomy 1 37

Deuteronomy 1:37 kjv

Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

Deuteronomy 1:37 nkjv

The LORD was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, 'Even you shall not go in there.

Deuteronomy 1:37 niv

Because of you the LORD became angry with me also and said, "You shall not enter it, either.

Deuteronomy 1:37 esv

Even with me the LORD was angry on your account and said, 'You also shall not go in there.

Deuteronomy 1:37 nlt

"And the LORD was also angry with me because of you. He said to me, 'Moses, not even you will enter the Promised Land!

Deuteronomy 1 verses

Deuteronomy 1 37 Meaning

Deuteronomy 1:37 recounts Moses' declaration that the LORD was angered with him "for your sakes," leading to God's prohibition against Moses entering the Promised Land. This statement highlights that Moses, the leader of Israel, would not partake in the immediate fulfillment of God's promise to bring His people into Canaan, a consequence linked to the actions and conduct of the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 1 37 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 1 serves as the prologue to Moses' final address to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they are to enter the Promised Land. This opening chapter reviews the historical events of their forty-year wilderness journey, particularly focusing on their failure at Kadesh Barnea due to unbelief and rebellion, which led to the entire older generation (except Joshua and Caleb) being denied entry into Canaan. Within this recapitulation, Moses also personally recounts his own exclusion from the land. Verse 37 specifically refers to the event at Meribah (Num 20), where, out of frustration with the people's grumbling, Moses struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as commanded, thus failing to honor God as holy in the sight of the Israelites. God's anger at Moses, linked to "your sakes" (Israel's persistent rebellion that led to Moses' exasperation), underscores the gravity of Moses' sin and the strict holiness God demands from His leaders.

Deuteronomy 1 37 Word analysis

• Also (גַּם - gam): A conjunctive particle, indicating continuity or an additional point. Here, it connects Moses' personal exclusion to the general punishment of the unfaithful generation that he was just recounting. It implies "furthermore" or "even I."
• the LORD (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal, unchanging, and redeeming character. Even in judgment, His actions are consistent with His covenant faithfulness and holy nature. This name contrasts with generic terms for deity, highlighting the specific, relational aspect of this divine displeasure.
• was angry (קָצַף - qatsaph): Implies strong displeasure, indignation, or fury. It denotes a righteous and holy anger, not a capricious human outburst. God's anger is a deliberate expression against dishonor or rebellion. It's a settled determination stemming from His violated holiness.
• with me (אֹתִי - 'oti): Directly refers to Moses himself, underscoring that the judgment fell personally upon the revered leader, Moses, despite his close relationship with God. This highlights the impartial nature of God's justice.
• for your sakes (בַּגְלַלְכֶם - baglal'khem): This crucial Hebrew phrase is often translated as "because of you" or "on your account." It signifies a causal connection, implying that the persistent provocation, murmuring, and rebellion of the Israelites frustrated and angered Moses to the point where he acted in a way that dishonored God at Meribah. God's anger toward Moses, therefore, stemmed from Moses' failure to properly represent God's holiness in the midst of Israel's unfaithfulness, implying a shared, complex culpability and a warning to the people. It demonstrates the profound spiritual impact the people's conduct had even on their divinely appointed leader.
• saying (לֵאמֹר - le'mor): A common Hebrew idiom indicating a direct quotation or divine pronouncement, signaling the solemn and definitive nature of God's decree.
• ‘You shall not go in there.’: A direct and unequivocal prohibition from God to Moses, specifically referring to entering the land of Canaan. This consequence for Moses' disobedience at Meribah was final and irrevocable, symbolizing the strictness of God's righteous requirements, especially for those in positions of leadership.

• "Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes": This phrase connects God's direct judgment on Moses to the surrounding context of Israel's rebellion. It means that while Moses was personally held accountable for his sin at Meribah, the provocation by the Israelites was the backdrop and indirect cause for Moses' exasperated act. The LORD's anger with Moses, precipitated "because of" Israel's grumbling, underscores that even the greatest human leaders are held to a high standard of faithfully representing God, especially when dealing with a rebellious people. The phrase illustrates that God does not overlook the sins of His closest servants, and sometimes the circumstances contributing to their sin (like the people's lack of faith) are also factored into the divine judgment and its purpose. It emphasizes that even an individual leader's actions can be intimately linked to the corporate spiritual condition.
• "saying, ‘You shall not go in there.’": This solemn pronouncement emphasizes the immediate and direct consequence of God's anger. The prohibition from entering the Promised Land was a highly significant disciplinary measure, illustrating the severe cost of dishonoring God's holiness, particularly by those called to lead His people. It serves as a stark reminder that disobedience has direct and unavoidable consequences, demonstrating the immutability of God's word and justice.

Deuteronomy 1 37 Bonus section

The event described in Deuteronomy 1:37 also carries a profound theological and typological significance. Moses, as the giver of the Law, could lead the people to the edge of the Promised Land, but not into it. His inability to enter, though a consequence of his own sin, also foreshadows a deeper spiritual truth: the Law, perfect and holy as it is, cannot bring God's people into their ultimate spiritual rest and inheritance. It can expose sin and lead one to the brink of promise, but not into its full possession. This role is reserved for a "better Joshua" (the name Joshua being "Jesus" in Greek), who alone can truly lead God's people into His divine rest (Heb 4). Moses represents the old covenant order that pointed to, but could not perfectly accomplish, the work of salvation and entrance into the fullness of God's promises, a task perfectly fulfilled in Christ.

Deuteronomy 1 37 Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:37 reveals a poignant moment in Moses' life: his exclusion from the Promised Land, specifically attributed by God to his actions, which were connected to the Israelites' constant rebellion. At Meribah (Waters of Strife), the grumbling of the people frustrated Moses, leading him to strike the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God commanded (Num 20:12). In doing so, he acted impatiently and failed to properly sanctify God in the eyes of the people, presenting himself and not God as the source of provision. God’s anger was not arbitrary; it stemmed from a violation of His holiness by His chosen representative. The phrase "for your sakes" does not exonerate Moses, but rather highlights the severe interconnectedness: Israel's deep-seated unbelief and provocation pushed Moses to a point where he sinned. Thus, Moses' punishment became a vivid object lesson for the nation regarding the gravity of dishonoring God, particularly for leaders, demonstrating that no one, not even the revered Moses, is exempt from God’s holy standards. This disciplinary action also teaches about the critical responsibility of leadership to faithfully reflect God's character, even in the most trying circumstances.