Deuteronomy 9 7

Deuteronomy 9:7 kjv

Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.

Deuteronomy 9:7 nkjv

"Remember! Do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

Deuteronomy 9:7 niv

Remember this and never forget how you aroused the anger of the LORD your God in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

Deuteronomy 9:7 esv

Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD.

Deuteronomy 9:7 nlt

"Remember and never forget how angry you made the LORD your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him.

Deuteronomy 9 verses

Deuteronomy 9 7 Meaning

Deuteronomy 9:7 serves as a forceful, double-barreled command from Moses to the Israelites: "Remember, do not forget." This imperative is immediately followed by a stark reminder of their collective history of rebellion and provoking God to anger throughout their forty-year journey in the wilderness. It vividly portrays a persistent pattern of defiance from the very beginning of their exodus from Egypt until the present moment, standing on the threshold of the Promised Land. The verse underscores that Israel's future inheritance of the land is entirely due to God's faithfulness and not based on their own righteousness or merit, emphatically disarming any sense of pride or self-congratulation.

Deuteronomy 9 7 Context

Deuteronomy 9:7 is embedded within Moses' second discourse to Israel, delivered on the plains of Moab as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. The immediate context of Deuteronomy 9 is Moses' emphatic warning against Israel becoming proud, urging them not to think their impending victory over the powerful inhabitants of Canaan is a result of their own righteousness (Deut 9:1-6). Before discussing specific instances of rebellion, Moses paints a broad, damning historical brushstroke, declaring that their entire history since the Exodus has been characterized by provocation and rebellion. This serves as the foundation for the subsequent detailed recounting of their specific failures, notably the Golden Calf incident (Deut 9:8-21), their complaints at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-Hattaavah, and their ultimate refusal to enter the land at Kadesh Barnea (Deut 9:22-24). The overarching aim is to instill humility and remind them that the land is a gift, a fulfillment of God's oath to the patriarchs (Deut 9:5), entirely apart from their deservability. This historical recounting functions as a cautionary tale for the new generation, impressing upon them the severity of past sins and the necessity of complete obedience to the covenant.

Deuteronomy 9 7 Word analysis

• Remember, do not forget: (זָכֹר לֹא תִשְׁכַּח – zakhor lo’ tishkach)

  • Remember (zakhor): This is an emphatic imperative. The root zakhar means "to recall, call to mind, keep in mind." It implies not merely a passive memory but an active, conscious effort to retain and internalize the past. It speaks to a covenantal obligation to not just acknowledge history but to draw spiritual lessons from it.
  • do not forget (lo’ tishkach): This is a strong negation of the verb shakach, "to forget." The double command, remember and do not forget, forms a rhetorical intensifier. It highlights the strong tendency of Israel to forget God's works and their own failures, especially in times of prosperity. Forgetting the past could lead to repeating past mistakes and a dangerous sense of self-reliance or entitlement. This warning aims to counteract historical amnesia, which often breeds arrogance and spiritual complacency.

• how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath: (אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִקְצַפְתָּ אֶת־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – ‘et ‘asher hiqtsaphta ‘et-YHWH ‘Eloheykha)

  • provoked (hiqtsaphta): The Hiphil form of qatsaph (קָצַף) means "to make angry, to provoke to wrath/displeasure." It indicates that Israel's actions were a direct cause of God's anger, showing that their rebellion was not ignored but evoked a holy and righteous response from God. This verb emphasizes the gravity and personal offense of their disobedience.
  • the LORD your God (YHWH ‘Eloheykha): This title signifies the personal, covenantal relationship God has with Israel (YHWH) and His universal sovereignty and power (Elohim). By provoking "the LORD your God," they were offending the One who specifically chose them, redeemed them, and entered into a binding relationship with them. This intensifies the sin from mere transgression to covenant unfaithfulness against their gracious benefactor.
  • to wrath: While not a distinct Hebrew word here, the idea of "wrath" is strongly implied by hiqtsaphta. God's wrath is not akin to human vindictiveness but is a manifestation of His holy nature reacting against sin, an outpouring of His justice and displeasure at defiance against His perfect will.

• in the wilderness: (בַּמִּדְבָּר – ba-midbar)

  • wilderness (midbar): This specific geographic and historical context (the barren desert between Egypt and Canaan) symbolizes a period of dependency on God, discipline, testing, and revelation. It was the arena where God consistently provided (manna, water) and where Israel consistently rebelled, making their ingratitude even more stark. It marks the crucible where their faith (or lack thereof) was most exposed.

• From the day you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place: (מִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר יְצָאתֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַד־בֹּאֲכֶם עַד־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה – min-hayyom ‘asher yetza’tem me’eretz Mitzrayim ‘ad-bo’akhem ‘ad-hamaqom hazzeh)

  • This phrase emphasizes the continuous nature and duration of their rebellion, spanning approximately 40 years. It signifies that their defiance was not an isolated incident but a chronic condition from the very beginning of their liberty, immediately after God had demonstrated His power and redemption in the Exodus. It suggests a deep-seated spiritual issue, not merely a fleeting lapse.

• you have been rebellious against the LORD: (מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם עִם־יְהוָה – mamrim heyyitem ‘im-YHWH)

  • rebellious (mamrim): The Hiphil participle of marah (מָרָה) meaning "to be contentious, stubborn, refractory, disobedient." This describes their inherent character and ongoing pattern of behavior. It denotes a continuous, willful resistance to divine authority, not just accidental lapses but an entrenched attitude of defiance.
  • against the LORD (im-YHWH): Again, YHWH reinforces that their rebellion was not against human leaders or circumstances but directly against the Sovereign God of the covenant, the One who graciously led and provided for them. It underlines the deep affront their actions represented.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Remember, do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath": This segment immediately sets the tone, emphasizing active recall of their past egregious failures and the severe divine reaction. It's a command against amnesia concerning their sin, directly tying their actions to God's justified anger.
  • "in the wilderness. From the day you departed from the land of Egypt until you came to this place": These phrases delineate the time and setting of their consistent rebellion. The wilderness is the context, and the "from... until" statement provides the chronological scope, spanning their entire existence as a liberated people. It underlines that their disloyalty was a pervasive, defining characteristic of their journey.
  • "you have been rebellious against the LORD": This concluding declaration serves as the stark, summary indictment of their national history. It encapsulates the preceding specific details into a universal statement about their inherent, ongoing spirit of defiance against their divine benefactor, stripping away any potential self-justification or pride.

Deuteronomy 9 7 Bonus section

The rhetorical strategy employed in Deuteronomy 9, particularly in verse 7, highlights a key theme throughout Moses' final speeches: the importance of memory in shaping national and individual identity and spiritual fidelity. Moses systematically uses historical narratives (historiography) not just as simple recollections but as pedagogical tools to correct theological misunderstandings and pre-empt future errors.

The very land they are about to inherit is promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deut 9:5), not given as a reward for this generation's obedience or the previous generation's merit, which this verse firmly denies. This profound theological truth — that the possession of blessings flows from God's promise and grace, not human performance — serves as a profound challenge to any works-based righteousness, whether ancient Israelite or contemporary. The emphasis on Israel's sinfulness rather than righteousness ensures that the glory for their deliverance and inheritance redounds entirely to God.

Deuteronomy 9 7 Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:7 is a cornerstone of Moses' efforts to humble Israel. Standing on the precipice of entering the Promised Land, the generation that witnessed the wonders of God and experienced His disciplined faithfulness throughout the wilderness era receives a stark warning. This verse meticulously dismantles any potential nationalistic pride or self-righteousness. It is not just a general admonition but a deeply specific and targeted historical corrective.

The dual command "Remember, do not forget" powerfully stresses the criticality of active historical recollection. Forgetting past failures leads to repeating them and attributing success to human merit rather than divine grace. Moses wants to burn into their corporate memory the uncomfortable truth that their past was marked by consistent provocation of their gracious God. This provocation was not a single incident but a sustained attitude, spanning from the miraculous liberation from Egypt through forty years of divine sustenance and patience in the wilderness. Their "rebellious" nature signifies a deep-seated resistance to God's authority and will.

This verse sets the stage for Moses to explicitly remind them of concrete instances of rebellion later in the chapter (Golden Calf, Taberah, Massah, Kibroth-Hattaavah, Kadesh Barnea). The point is not merely to recount history but to impress upon the new generation that their future success in Canaan will depend solely on God's fidelity to His covenant promises, not on their past performance or future merit. It's a call to genuine humility, continuous repentance, and unwavering reliance on the Lord. The practical application extends to all believers, reminding us to humbly recall our own spiritual failings and God's consistent grace, preventing pride and fostering a spirit of grateful obedience. We, too, must "remember and not forget" God's acts in our lives and our own proneness to rebellion.