Deuteronomy 9 15

Deuteronomy 9:15 kjv

So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.

Deuteronomy 9:15 nkjv

"So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire; and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.

Deuteronomy 9:15 niv

So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands.

Deuteronomy 9:15 esv

So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.

Deuteronomy 9:15 nlt

"So while the mountain was blazing with fire I turned and came down, holding in my hands the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant.

Deuteronomy 9 verses

Deuteronomy 9 15 Meaning

Deuteronomy 9:15 powerfully recounts Moses' descent from Mount Horeb amidst a terrifying divine manifestation, holding the stone tablets inscribed by God's own hand. This verse sets the stage for Moses confronting the egregious sin of Israel—their worship of the golden calf—starkly contrasting God's awesome presence and His immutable law with the people's blatant rebellion. It signifies the impending rupture of the covenant due to human unfaithfulness, even as the signs of divine power and wrath were undeniably present.

Deuteronomy 9 15 Context

Deuteronomy Chapter 9 serves as Moses' impassioned historical address to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the promised land. Moses' primary aim is to disabuse them of any notion that their impending success is due to their own righteousness or merit (Deut 9:4-6). Instead, he vehemently recounts Israel's persistent history of rebellion and idolatry, emphasizing God's graciousness despite their constant provocations.

Verse 15 is specifically embedded within Moses' detailed recollection of the golden calf incident at Mount Horeb (Sinai). This account highlights the immediate and grave apostasy of the people directly after receiving God's commandments, while God's fiery presence still lingered on the mountain. The context vividly portrays the profound tension between divine holiness and human sin, with Moses caught as the burdened mediator holding the very covenant that was being brazenly broken below. It is a cautionary tale, designed to instill humility and dependence on God's grace, and to warn against future disobedience.

Deuteronomy 9 15 Word analysis

• So I turned (וָאֵפֶן - va'e'phen): Root word "פנה" (panah) meaning to turn, face. Indicates a change of direction, a decisive movement. In the context of Moses having just heard God's decree and expressed His anger towards Israel (Deut 9:12-14), Moses' immediate turning signifies a purposeful descent to address the crisis below. It is an urgent, direct response.

• and came down (וָאֵרֵד - va'e'red): Root word "ירד" (yarad) meaning to go down, descend. Physically describes the downward motion from the elevated divine presence to the idolatrous activity. This physical descent mirrors the spiritual fall of the people. Moses acts as the intermediary, carrying God's will and covenant into the realm of human rebellion.

• from the mount (מִן־הָהָר - min ha-har): "Mount" (הָהָר - ha-har) refers to Mount Horeb, also known as Sinai, the sacred site where God had just delivered the Ten Commandments and established His covenant with Israel. This mountain was set apart, enveloped in cloud and fire, representing God's holy, inaccessible presence (Ex 19:12-20). Moses descended from the place of purity and revelation into the place of gross impurity.

• and the mount burned (וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר - ve-ha-har bo'er): "burned" (בֹּעֵר - bo'er) from "בָּעַר" (ba'ar), meaning to burn, consume, glow. The continued description of the mountain burning emphasizes the ongoing manifestation of God's holy, terrifying presence, indicative of His glory, but also of His consuming wrath against sin (Deut 4:24). This divine fire is both awesome and judgment-laden.

• with fire (בָּאֵשׁ - ba'esh): "Fire" (אֵשׁ - esh) is a recurring motif in divine appearances throughout the Bible. Here, it signifies God's absolute holiness, His purifying power, and His immediate wrath. The persistence of the fire on the mountain vividly underscores the gravity of the sin being committed directly beneath God's majestic display.

• and the two tables of the covenant (וּשְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית - u'shnei luchot ha'b'rit): "Tables" (לֻחוֹת - luchot) refers to the two stone tablets. "Covenant" (הַבְּרִית - ha'b'rit) refers to the divine agreement between God and Israel, specifically the Ten Commandments. These tablets were not mere legal documents; they were written by God's own finger (Ex 31:18), symbolizing His direct revelation and the terms of His holy relationship with Israel. Their presence in Moses' hands, untarnished and perfect at this point, starkly contrasts with the broken covenant below.

• were in my two hands (עַל שְׁתֵּי יָדָי - al shtei yadai): "Hands" (יָדָי - yadai, dual form) emphasizes Moses' personal carrying of these sacred objects. It symbolizes his unique role as mediator, entrusted with the very embodiment of God's law. He is bringing the perfect standard of God into a situation where it has been perfectly violated, foreshadowing his later act of breaking them in wrath (Deut 9:17).

• Words-group analysis:

  • "So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire": This phrase emphasizes Moses' immediate and burdened descent from the awe-inspiring, fear-inducing presence of God (burning mountain), into the chaotic reality of Israel's spiritual rebellion. The juxtaposition of divine glory (fire) with human depravity (idolatry soon to be revealed) creates a powerful sense of imminent judgment and the tragic irony of their situation.
  • "and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands": This highlights the ultimate source and tangible representation of God's holy requirements. Moses, as the human bearer, is carrying the very Law of the covenant (written by God) directly into the heart of the breaking of that covenant. This detail underscores the perfection of what God gave versus the utter failure of what man performed, setting up the profound symbolic act of the tablets' breakage in the following verses.

Deuteronomy 9 15 Bonus section

This verse, with its vivid imagery of a burning mountain and the stone tablets, holds deep theological significance that echoes throughout the biblical narrative. The terrifying manifestation of God at Sinai through fire establishes a precedent for understanding God's nature as both holy love and consuming fire, highlighting His utter separation from sin. The 'two tables of the covenant' also prophetically foreshadow the limitations of a covenant written on stone, paving the way for the necessity of a new covenant "not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts" (2 Cor 3:3; Jer 31:33), where God's law is internally embraced through the Holy Spirit. This scene also profoundly underscores the theme of mediation: Moses carries the physical law as a mediator, foreshadowing Christ's ultimate mediation not with tablets of stone but by embodying and fulfilling the Law perfectly (Mt 5:17) and establishing the new covenant with His blood (Lk 22:20; Heb 9:15). The events at Horeb serve as a foundational historical precedent to consistently humble Israel, reminding them that their blessings are always by God's unmerited favor, not by their own works.

Deuteronomy 9 15 Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:15 presents a powerful tableau of contrasting realities. Moses descends from a mountain ablaze with divine fire—a spectacle of God's majesty, purity, and impending judgment—all while carrying the meticulously inscribed stone tablets that represent God's holy, unyielding covenant. The scene is saturated with tension. The fire on the mountain testifies to God's presence, the purity of His law, and the consuming wrath that sin provokes. Moses' immediate descent, directly after being informed of Israel's heinous idolatry, highlights his pivotal role as the intercessor and the first witness to their colossal betrayal. He brings the perfect law of God into direct confrontation with the broken law of man. The physical weight of the tablets in his hands foreshadows the heavy spiritual burden he carries and the profound impact of their imminent shattering, symbolizing the covenant broken not by God, but by the very people He chose. This verse, therefore, encapsulates the paradox of God's magnificent grace set against humanity's inherent capacity for profound disobedience, laying bare the deep need for a mediator and ultimate redemption.