Deuteronomy 9 1

Deuteronomy 9:1 kjv

Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven,

Deuteronomy 9:1 nkjv

"Hear, O Israel: You are to cross over the Jordan today, and go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,

Deuteronomy 9:1 niv

Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.

Deuteronomy 9:1 esv

"Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven,

Deuteronomy 9:1 nlt

"Listen, O Israel! Today you are about to cross the Jordan River to take over the land belonging to nations much greater and more powerful than you. They live in cities with walls that reach to the sky!

Deuteronomy 9 verses

Deuteronomy 9 1 Meaning

Deuteronomy 9:1 serves as a pivotal introduction, alerting Israel to the immediate, monumental task ahead: crossing the Jordan River today to conquer nations far superior in strength and size, inhabiting cities with seemingly impregnable defenses. The verse highlights the overwhelming human impossibility of the conquest, setting the stage for Moses to immediately impress upon Israel that their success will not be by their own might or righteousness, but solely by the powerful hand and unwavering faithfulness of God who goes before them. It is a call to heed God's word and prepare for divinely enabled victory in the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 9 1 Context

Deuteronomy 9:1 stands at the beginning of Moses' second major address to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, poised to enter the Promised Land. This entire section (chapters 9 and 10) serves as a potent antidote to self-righteousness. Moses had just completed a review of God's covenant laws (chapters 5-8), and now he shifts to reinforce the true basis of their success in conquering Canaan. The historical context is critical: the Israelites are looking directly across the Jordan River at the fortified cities of Canaan, inhabited by powerful peoples, echoing the daunting report of the spies nearly 40 years prior (Num 13). Moses' address immediately brings to mind their previous failure of unbelief due to this fear (Deu 1:26-33). Thus, the verse deliberately states the challenge to highlight that their forthcoming victory would be a miracle of God, not a result of their military prowess or inherent goodness. This sets up the following verses where Moses will emphatically declare that God is dispossessing these nations because of their wickedness, not Israel's righteousness (Deu 9:4-6).

Deuteronomy 9 1 Word analysis

• "Hear" (שְׁמַע - Shema): An imperative verb, commanding not merely passive auditory perception but active listening, comprehension, and obedient response. It is a fundamental call in Deuteronomy, emphasizing attention to divine instruction. This reflects Israel's core identity as a people who hearken to God's voice.
• "O Israel" (יִשְׂרָאֵל - Yisrael): Addresses the entire community as the people chosen by God, inheritors of the covenant with Abraham. It emphasizes the collective responsibility and destiny of the nation.
• "Thou art to pass over" (עָבַר - 'abar): Signifies a crossing over or through, implying movement from one side to another. Here, it denotes an imminent, decisive, and divinely sanctioned movement from the wilderness into the Promised Land, necessitating faith and action.
• "Jordan" (הַיַּרְדֵּן - HaYarden): The significant river marking the boundary of the Promised Land. Its crossing represents a symbolic and literal transition into their divine inheritance, a barrier to be overcome by God's power.
• "this day" (הַיּוֹם - HaYom): Emphasizes urgency, immediacy, and the critical nature of the moment. It signifies that the time for action is now, reflecting a crucial "today" in covenant history where God's promises are brought to fruition and their obedience is called for.
• "to go in" (לָבוֹא - lavo'): Implies entry, not just crossing a boundary, but actively occupying and inhabiting the land. This indicates a proactive, divinely led conquest.
• "to possess" (לָרֶשֶׁת - lareshet): Means "to inherit" or "to take possession." It stresses that the land is not merely seized by force but is received as a rightful inheritance granted by God as fulfillment of His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• "nations" (גּוֹיִם - goyim): Refers to the numerous non-Israelite, idolatrous peoples inhabiting Canaan whom God is dispossessing. This highlights the diversity and quantity of the opposition.
• "greater" (גְּדֹלִים - gedolim): Implies numerical superiority and significant size, suggesting the vast populations Israel would encounter.
• "mightier" (עֲצוּמִים - 'atzumim): Denotes immense strength, power, and perhaps military prowess. It underscores the overwhelming physical and martial disadvantage Israel faces in human terms.
• "than thyself" (מִמְּךָ - mimmecha): Explicitly highlights Israel's numerical and physical inferiority, removing any illusion that their conquest could be by their own strength. It reinforces the need for divine intervention.
• "cities" (עָרִים - 'arim): Refers to urban settlements, specifically the walled cities of Canaan.
• "great" (גְּדֹלֹת - gedolot): Indicates large, sprawling, or significantly sized cities, suggesting formidable strongholds.
• "fenced up to heaven" (בְּצוּרוֹת בַּשָּׁמַיִם - betzurot ba'shamayim): A hyperbole signifying extraordinarily high and heavily fortified walls, seemingly reaching the sky and thus impenetrable to human efforts. It emphasizes the perceived insurmountable nature of the obstacles and is perhaps a polemic against the idea of human fortifications providing ultimate security, subtly recalling the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:4).

Words-group Analysis:

• "Hear, O Israel": This iconic opening, a form of the "Shema," functions as an urgent and foundational summons to pay close attention to God's decree and command. It highlights the divine speaker and the importance of what is about to be revealed, reminding Israel of their covenant obligation to listen and obey.
• "Thou art to pass over Jordan this day": This phrase communicates immediate, inevitable, and divinely ordained action. "This day" signifies a momentous, present reality—the crossing is not a distant future event but an imminent transition into the realization of God's promises, requiring current readiness and faith.
• "to go in to possess nations": This expresses the clear divine purpose for their entry into Canaan. It is a targeted mission: to inherit and establish control over the land by dispossessing its current occupants. The emphasis is on inheriting a promised blessing, not just an act of war.
• "greater and mightier than thyself": This stark contrast vividly portrays Israel's significant human disadvantage. It deliberately highlights the overwhelming power of the enemies relative to Israel, setting the stage for the powerful theological point that their success would be solely by God's hand, not their own might.
• "cities great and fenced up to heaven": This vivid and exaggerated description of the Canaanite strongholds underlines the humanly insurmountable obstacles Israel faces. The hyperbole serves to magnify the enemies' defenses, further reinforcing the idea that only divine intervention could lead to conquest, debunking any pride in human military capabilities.

Deuteronomy 9 1 Bonus section

The hyperbole "fenced up to heaven" (בְּצוּרוֹת בַּשָּׁמַיִם) resonates with the infamous tower of Babel (Gen 11:4), which also aimed "to heaven." This literary echo may subtly highlight human hubris and false security. While Babel sought to reach heaven for self-glory, these Canaanite cities' walls aimed heavenward in their construction, embodying their false reliance on human might. This implicitly establishes a divine contrast: what man builds high against God (like Babel) will fall, and what man fortifies against God's plan (like Jericho) will also fall. The language further prepares the Israelites to recall their past failure at Kadesh-Barnea where fear of these very cities (Deu 1:28; Num 13:28) led to forty years of wandering. Moses uses this potent reminder not to induce fear again, but to preempt any self-righteous claim to victory by emphasizing the miraculous nature of the coming conquest, a conquest entirely attributed to God's unparalleled might and presence.

Deuteronomy 9 1 Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:1 serves as a stark introduction to Moses’ powerful admonition against pride. He frames the immediate reality of their daunting task: the crossing of the Jordan into a land occupied by overwhelming adversaries and impregnable fortresses. The seemingly insurmountable nature of these challenges—nations "greater and mightier," cities "fenced up to heaven"—is deliberately exaggerated to highlight Israel’s utter reliance on God. This immediate portrayal of their disadvantage sets the critical theological stage for Moses’ subsequent teaching: the land is not given because of Israel’s righteousness, but because of God’s covenant faithfulness and the wickedness of the Canaanites. The "Shema," the call to "Hear," emphasizes that Israel must internalize this truth and actively listen to God’s perspective rather than succumbing to fear or boasting. It underscores that spiritual preparedness (trusting God) is more vital than military strength. This verse serves as a reminder to believers throughout history that God often calls His people to face challenges that are beyond their natural abilities, precisely so that His power and faithfulness might be undeniably manifest.