Deuteronomy 9 9

Deuteronomy 9:9 kjv

When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

Deuteronomy 9:9 nkjv

When I went up into the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.

Deuteronomy 9:9 niv

When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD had made with you, I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.

Deuteronomy 9:9 esv

When I went up the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.

Deuteronomy 9:9 nlt

This happened when I was on the mountain receiving the tablets of stone inscribed with the words of the covenant that the LORD had made with you. I was there for forty days and forty nights, and all that time I ate no food and drank no water.

Deuteronomy 9 verses

Deuteronomy 9 9 Meaning

Deuteronomy 9:9 describes Moses's time on Mount Horeb (Sinai) where he ascended to receive the tablets of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments, which represented the covenant between God and Israel. During this period, he fasted completely for forty days and forty nights, symbolizing intense divine revelation, separation, and complete reliance on God's supernatural provision, preparing him to mediate the divine law to the Israelite nation.

Deuteronomy 9 9 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 9 immediately follows Moses's charge to Israel to cross the Jordan and conquer the land (Deut 9:1-3). However, instead of dwelling on Israel's military strength or inherent righteousness, Moses pre-empts any pride by reminding them of their rebellion and obstinacy, starting with their past failures, particularly at Horeb. Verse 9 specifically initiates a crucial flashback narrative (Deut 9:9-10:11), recalling the defining moment when God first established His covenant with Israel. This historical recollection serves to humble the Israelites, emphasizing that their right to the land is not earned by their merit but granted by God's gracious promise to their ancestors. Moses recounts his own direct, supernatural encounter with God to receive the law, juxtaposing his complete submission and divine sustenance with the people's immediate failure to uphold the covenant (the golden calf incident, which follows directly after this verse).

Deuteronomy 9 9 Word analysis

• When I went up (בַּעֲלֹתִי - ba’alotiy):
  • Signifies a purposeful ascent, implying Moses's divine call and unique access to God's presence. It was not a casual stroll but a sacred pilgrimage.
  • This ascent set Moses apart as a mediator between God and the people.
• the mountain (הָהָרָה - haharah):
  • Refers specifically to Mount Horeb/Sinai (also known as the mountain of God).
  • Mountains in the Bible often serve as places of profound divine encounter, revelation, and covenant-making (e.g., Ararat, Moriah, Sinai, Transfiguration Mount).
• to receive (לָקַחַת - lakachat):
  • "To take" or "to receive." Emphasizes that the tablets were not found or created by human effort, but received as a divine gift and command.
• the tablets of stone (לוּחֹת הָאֶבֶן - luchot ha'even):
  • These were concrete, physical representations of the divine law. Stone signifies permanence, solidity, and durability.
  • Written by God Himself (or "with the finger of God" as mentioned in Deut 9:10 and Exod 31:18), they carried ultimate divine authority.
• the covenant (הַבְּרִית - hab'rit):
  • A foundational concept. In this context, it refers to the Mosaic Covenant (or Sinai Covenant), a legally binding agreement initiated by God.
  • It outlined the reciprocal obligations: God's promise to be their God, and Israel's promise to obey His laws. It's often conditional, predicated on Israel's obedience.
  • Polemically, it stands in stark contrast to human-made treaties or pacts with other gods, as this covenant is from the ultimate, sovereign Deity.
• forty days and forty nights (אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה - arba'im yom v'arba'im laila):
  • A significant symbolic period in biblical narrative. It denotes a period of purification, testing, judgment, intense divine activity, or preparation.
  • Examples include the flood (Gen 7:4, 12), Israel's wandering in the wilderness (Num 14:33), Elijah's journey to Horeb (1 Ki 19:8), and Jesus's temptation in the wilderness (Matt 4:2, Lk 4:2).
  • It suggests an intense, concentrated encounter with God that transformed Moses.
• I neither ate bread nor drank water (לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתִיתִי - lechem lo achalti u'mayim lo shatiti):
  • Highlights the supernatural sustenance Moses received directly from God's presence, rather than natural means.
  • This complete fasting underscores the gravity of the occasion and Moses's complete absorption in the divine encounter. It demonstrates God's ability to sustain life independent of physical provisions.
  • It reinforces Moses's special prophetic and mediatory status, setting him apart from ordinary humans. It also subtly critiques pagan practices where deities might require food or drink offerings for their sustenance.
  • It serves as an example of absolute devotion and reliance on God's sustaining power.

Deuteronomy 9 9 Bonus section

The event described in Deuteronomy 9:9, Moses's unique time with God, establishes a paradigm of consecrated time for receiving divine revelation. The phrase "forty days and forty nights" frequently appears in the Bible as a period for spiritual transformation, judgment, or intense encounter with the divine, underscoring its symbolic weight beyond mere duration. The physical tablets, explicitly mentioned as being made of stone, conveyed the enduring and unchangeable nature of God's moral law. This deep commitment required from Moses, sustained directly by God, foreshadows the spiritual discipline required of all who would seek to draw near to the Holy One and receive His truth, albeit no longer through direct legalistic mediation but through spiritual transformation by the Messiah.

Deuteronomy 9 9 Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:9 recounts a pivotal moment in Israel's history and the life of Moses: his forty-day fast on Mount Horeb to receive the Law. This verse sets the stage for Moses to remind the new generation of Israel, on the eve of entering the Promised Land, that their inheritance is based not on their merits, but on God's covenant and grace. Moses's extended period of fasting signifies his complete reliance on divine provision and highlights the holiness and seriousness of receiving God's Law. It emphasizes God's direct involvement in inscribing His will and establishing a relationship with His people. This encounter solidified Moses's unique role as God's chosen mediator, privy to intimate communion with the Almighty, which enabled him to receive and convey the very terms of the covenant foundational to Israel's identity and existence as a nation under God. The "tablets of stone" represent the immutability of God's perfect law, which would ultimately reveal Israel's inability to keep it perfectly, setting the stage for the need of a new, internal covenant through the Messiah.