Deuteronomy 9 Commentary

Moses reassures the people of Israel of their imminent conquest of Canaan, despite the seemingly invincibility of its inhabitants. He tells Israel that it is Yahweh their God who is crossing over the Jordan before them as a consuming fire.

Moses tells the Israelites that Canaan will be conquered to execute justice upon the inhabitants, and to fulfill His oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not because Israel is righteous. Israel is a stubborn people, as they have demonstrated.

Moses recounts Israel’s disobedience with the molten calf at Mount Sinai to demonstrate God’s assertion that they are not gaining the land because of their righteousness.

Moses continues to recount the molten calf incident at Mount Sinai. He reminds the Israelites of the time when he interceded on their behalf, so that the LORD might not destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven.

Moses outlines other instances of Israel’s rebellion and the adverse consequences brought by the disobedience to exhort this generation to follow God wholly.

As Moses resumed the story of the molten calf, he reminded the Israelites of his intercessory prayer on their behalf so that the LORD might not destroy them and start over with Moses. They narrowly averted destruction, an important lesson about the consequences for disobedience.