Even with me the LORD was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 1:37
What does Deuteronomy 1:37 mean?
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Deuteronomy 1:37
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The verse highlights that God's anger wasn't just directed at the people, but also at Moses for their sake. This wasn't a separate sin of Moses, but a consequence of their sin that impacted their leader's destiny, underscoring the profound interconnectedness of obedience and disobedience within the community.
Even with me the LORD was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is recounting the Israelites' failure to enter the Promised Land after their rebellion at Kadesh. He explains that because of their unbelief and the anger it provoked in God, he himself was also barred from entering, a consequence stemming from the people's actions but resulting in his personal judgment. This statement serves to underscore the gravity of the people's sin and why they faced forty years of wandering.
It's easy to think God's judgment falls only on the crowd. But what happens when the leader is included in the consequences?
Moses, the faithful leader, finds himself barred from the Promised Land. This verse makes it clear: "Even with me the LORD was angry on your account." It wasn't a separate, unrelated punishment, but a direct result of the people's rebellion.
A Shared Fate
The commentaries highlight that Moses' exclusion was tied to the people's sin. While the specific event leading to Moses' prohibition is detailed in Numbers (striking the rock at Meribah), Deuteronomy connects it here to the people's unbelief. Their persistent rebellion and failure to trust God ultimately impacted even Moses' destiny. It's a powerful reminder that leaders are not immune to the ripple effects of a community's spiritual state.
We often focus on the immediate results of our actions. But unbelief can cast a much longer shadow than we realize.
This verse is a stark illustration of how deeply interconnected we are. The people's pervasive unbelief, their refusal to trust God after all He had done, didn't just seal their fate; it also affected their leader.
The Weight of Disobedience
Moses himself states that God's anger towards him was "on your account." This means their persistent lack of faith and subsequent rebellion created a situation where even Moses, who had faithfully led them, could not enter the land. It underscores that spiritual decisions within a community have profound consequences, reaching beyond individuals to impact those closest to them, even those called to lead.
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Understand the original words
anaph · Hebrew Verb
The state of being displeased or incensed by sin, rebellion, or covenant-breaking; in Scripture, God's anger is His holy, righteous reaction against evil, intended to lead His people to repentance or judgment.
This verse places Moses' personal exclusion from the Promised Land within the broader context of the people's repeated disobedience, highlighting God's consistent judgment on unbelief and the leader's accountability.
c. 1446 BC
Israel Exits Egypt
The Israelites, led by Moses, escape slavery in Egypt, marking the beginning of their 40-year journey in the wilderness.
c. 1445 BC
Rebellion at Kadesh Barnea (First Instance)
After spies are sent into Canaan, the Israelites refuse to enter the land, provoking God's judgment. Most of the adult generation will die in the wilderness.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Moses Strikes the Rock at Meribah
When the people again complain about lack of water, God instructs Moses to speak to the rock. Moses strikes it twice in anger, disobeying God's specific command.
c. 1406 BC
Moses and Aaron Denied Entry to Canaan
Because of the disobedience at Meribah, God declares that Moses and Aaron will not lead the people into the Promised Land.
c. 1406 BC
Moses' Final Pleas
Moses pleads with God to reconsider the judgment, but the sentence stands. He then turns to the people to explain their own impending judgment.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Transjordan
The Israelites are led by Moses in battles against the Amorite kings Sihon and Og east of the Jordan River.
This passage details the specific event at Meribah where Moses struck the rock in anger, leading to God's pronouncement that neither he nor Aaron would enter the Promised Land, directly correlating to the consequence mentioned in Deuteronomy.
Psalm 106:32-33The Psalmist recounts how the people provoked God at Meribah, and notes that Moses also spoke rashly, leading to his punishment, reinforcing the idea that Moses' sin, even if prompted by the people's actions, had severe consequences.
Deuteronomy 3:23-28Here, Moses directly pleads with God to enter the Promised Land, recounting God's refusal and the reason given: 'Do not speak to me again of this matter,' highlighting Moses' deep longing and God's firm decree.
1 Corinthians 10:1-4Paul draws a parallel between the Israelites' experiences in the wilderness and the Christian life, mentioning that they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, which was Christ, underscoring the significance of this divine provision and the potential for even leaders to face judgment for disobedience.
gillDeuteronomy 1:37: "Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither."
Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes,.... Not at the same time, though, as some think, at the same place, near thirty eight years afterwards, they provoking him to speak unadvisedly with his lips; see Numbers 20:10 , saying, thou shalt not go in thither: into the land of Canaan; and though he greatly importuned it, he could not prevail; see Deuteronomy 3:25.
wesleyDeuteronomy 1:37: "Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither."
1:37 For your sakes - Upon occasion of your wickedness and perverseness, by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly.
The verse highlights that God's anger wasn't just directed at the people, but also at Moses for their sake. This wasn't a separate sin of Moses, but a consequence of their sin that impacted their leader's destiny, underscoring the profound interconnectedness of obedience and disobedience within the community.
Moses is recounting the Israelites' failure to enter the Promised Land after their rebellion at Kadesh. He explains that because of their unbelief and the anger it provoked in God, he himself was also barred from entering, a consequence stemming from the people's actions but resulting in his personal judgment. This statement serves to underscore the gravity of the people's sin and why they faced forty years of wandering.
Moses is recounting the Israelites' failure to enter the Promised Land after their rebellion at Kadesh. He explains that because of their unbelief and the anger it provoked in God, he himself was also barred from entering, a consequence stemming from the people's actions but resulting in his personal judgment. This statement serves to underscore the gravity of the people's sin and why they faced forty years of wandering.
"Even with me the LORD was angry on your account and said, ‘You also shall not go in there." — The verse highlights that God's anger wasn't just directed at the people, but also at Moses for their sake. This wasn't a separate sin of Moses, but a consequence of their sin that impacted their l…
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Last reviewed October 2026