Deuteronomy 1:32-35
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights that their unbelief wasn't a single moment of doubt, but a persistent state – "ye were not believing." It underscores that this refusal to trust God, despite all the undeniable evidence of His power and faithfulness, was the fundamental sin that barred them from the promised land.
Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go. “And the LORD heard your words and was angered, and he swore, ‘Not one of these men of this evil generation shall see the good land that I swore to give to your fathers,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is recounting the Israelites' journey from Mount Sinai to the borders of the Promised Land, reminding them of God's constant presence and protection. Despite all these faithful acts and His explicit commands to go in and possess the land, the people had chosen to listen to fear and doubt instead.
Did God give a command or just a promise? The wording here is crucial for understanding why their disbelief was so serious.
Moses is recounting a pivotal moment when God's people were poised to enter the Promised Land.
What makes unbelief such a serious offense? It's not just another sin, but one that cuts off the possibility of healing.
The commentary points to a profound truth about unbelief:
Ask a follow-up
Was this a one-time failure, or did something deeper characterize their hearts?
The original language and context reveal that this wasn't just a fleeting moment of doubt:
Understand the original words
aman · Hebrew Verb
To hold confidence, trust, or faith in someone or something; biblically, it denotes a firm reliance upon God's character and promises, resulting in obedience.
anan · Hebrew Noun
A common phenomenon in the OT denoting the visible presence of God's glory and guidance; the cloud represents His protection, leading, and hidden yet present majesty.
esh · Hebrew Noun
A symbol of God's holy, purifying, and judging presence; it represents His guidance (as the pillar of fire) and His consuming judgment against sin.
shaba · Hebrew Verb
A declaration invoking God as witness to the truth of a statement or the commitment to an action; it is a solemn oath, often binding the speaker to consequences if broken.
dor · Hebrew Noun
A collective period of time characterized by a particular moral or spiritual condition; 'evil generation' refers to a group of people collectively marked by rebellion and lack of faith toward God.
ra · Hebrew Adjective
The objective or subjective state of being morally corrupt, wicked, or harmful; it denotes a fundamental opposition to God's will and covenantal standards.
This verse highlights a pivotal moment where the Israelites, after witnessing countless miracles, chose fear over faith. Their persistent unbelief wasn't a single mistake but a deep-seated refusal to trust God's word, leading directly to their exclusion from the land He had promised.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
After centuries of slavery, God dramatically delivers the Israelites from Egypt, demonstrating His power and faithfulness.
c. 1446 BC
Giving of the Law at Sinai
God establishes His covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai, giving them His laws and instructions for living.
c. 1445 BC
Journey to Kadesh-barnea
The Israelites travel through the wilderness from Mount Sinai towards the promised land, a journey that God Himself guides.
c. 1445 BC— this verse
Rejection of the Promised Land
Despite God's promises and guidance, the Israelites refuse to enter the Promised Land, choosing instead to believe their fears and the discouraging reports of the spies.
c. 1445 BC
Divine Judgment Declared
As a consequence of their unbelief, God decrees that the generation that came out of Egypt will not enter the Promised Land, except for Joshua and Caleb.
c. 1405 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
Forty years after their rebellion, a new generation of Israelites, led by Joshua, finally crosses the Jordan River to conquer and possess the land God promised.
This passage directly quotes and reflects on the consequence of the Israelites' unbelief in Deuteronomy 1:32, stating that they could not enter the promised rest because of their disbelief.
Numbers 14:11This verse highlights God's disappointment with Israel's repeated disbelief and testing, which mirrors the specific instance of unbelief in Deuteronomy 1:32 despite God's presence and past faithfulness.
Psalm 106:24This psalm recounts Israel's rejection of the promised land, directly referencing their contempt for the land and their disbelief in God's word, which is the core sin described in Deuteronomy 1:32.
John 3:18This New Testament verse speaks of condemnation coming to those who do not believe in Jesus, drawing a parallel to the severe consequences of unbelief in God's promises and guidance seen throughout Israel's history, including in Deuteronomy 1.
gillDeuteronomy 1:32: "Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God,"
Yet in this thing ye did not believe the Lord your God. That they might go up and possess the land at once, and that he would fight for them, and subdue their enemies under them; or notwithstanding the favours bestowed upon them, and because of them, they did not believe in the Lord their God, and which was a great aggravation of their unbelief, and was the cause of their not entering into the good land, Hebrews 3:19 .
wesleyDeuteronomy 1:32: "Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God,"
1:32 Ye did not believe the Lord - So they could not enter in, because of unbelief. It was not any other sin shut them out of Canaan, but their disbelief of that promise, which was typical of gospel grace: to signify that no sin will ruin us but unbelief, which is a sin against the remedy; and therefore without remedy.
The verse highlights that their unbelief wasn't a single moment of doubt, but a persistent state – "ye were not believing." It underscores that this refusal to trust God, despite all the undeniable evidence of His power and faithfulness, was the fundamental sin that barred them from the promised land.
Moses is recounting the Israelites' journey from Mount Sinai to the borders of the Promised Land, reminding them of God's constant presence and protection. Despite all these faithful acts and His explicit commands to go in and possess the land, the people had chosen to listen to fear and doubt instead.
Moses is recounting the Israelites' journey from Mount Sinai to the borders of the Promised Land, reminding them of God's constant presence and protection. Despite all these faithful acts and His explicit commands to go in and possess the land, the people had chosen to listen to fear and doubt instead.
"Yet in spite of this word you did not believe the LORD your God, who went before you in the way to seek you out a place to pitch your tents, in fire by night and in the cloud by day, to show you by what way you should go. “And the LORD hea…" — The verse highlights that their unbelief wasn't a single moment of doubt, but a persistent state – "ye were not believing." It underscores that this refusal to trust God, despite all the undeniable e…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
