Deuteronomy 31:17
Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's striking here is not just God's anger, but the reason the people will eventually give for their suffering: "Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?" This reveals that, even in their deepest distress and forgetfulness of their sin, they'll recognize their calamities stem from a broken relationship with God, not just random misfortune.
God informs Moses that Joshua will succeed him and receive his charge in the tabernacle. He forewarns Moses that after his death, the people will break their covenant by turning to foreign gods, leading to God's abandonment of them, their suffering, and their eventual realization that their troubles stem from God's absence.
When God's anger is kindled, it's not a fleeting emotion, but a powerful, consuming force. What does this look like when God withdraws His presence?
The verse describes God's anger as a 'kindling.' This isn't like human anger, which can be impulsive or temporary. God's anger here is a just and righteous response to persistent rebellion and covenant-breaking.
A Consuming Fire
When God says His anger will be 'kindled,' it implies a righteous judgment that will consume the unfaithful. This anger leads to specific consequences:
This isn't a God who is passive in the face of sin; His anger is a serious matter with profound repercussions.
What happens when God's presence is no longer felt? The people's own words reveal the devastating realization that follows.
The consequences of God's anger and withdrawal are not abstract. The people themselves will articulate the root cause of their suffering.
The Diagnosis of Desolation
The verse states that 'many evils and troubles shall befall them.' When this happens, they will finally say, 'Have not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?'
This confession reveals several key truths:
Understand the original words
panim · Hebrew Noun
A metaphor for the withdrawal of God's favor, presence, and protection from His people due to their persistent sin, leaving them vulnerable to judgment.
This verse speaks into the very real, cyclical pattern of Israel's history. Their future struggles, detailed in the book of Judges, were not unexpected but foreseen consequences of covenant unfaithfulness, highlighting that God's presence is conditional on their obedience.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, establishing His covenant with them at Mount Sinai.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites begin the military conquest of the Promised Land, driving out its inhabitants.
c. 1400 BC
Division of Canaan
The land of Canaan is divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, and Joshua delivers his final addresses.
c. 1375 BC
Joshua's death and initial apostasy
After Joshua's death, the generation that knew God's mighty acts begins to fall away, leading to periods of oppression by neighboring nations.
c. 1375 BC - 1077 BC
This passage describes how the Lord repeatedly handed Israel over to their enemies when they fell into idolatry, directly mirroring the forsaking and 'devouring' mentioned in Deuteronomy. It shows the historical outworking of God's anger when His people turn away.
Psalm 104:29This Psalm speaks of creation's distress when God hides His face, echoing the profound sense of abandonment and catastrophe described in Deuteronomy. It highlights how God's presence is the source of all well-being and order.
Isaiah 59:2This verse directly links Israel's suffering and lack of divine intervention to their sins separating them from God, which is the core realization the people express in Deuteronomy. It powerfully illustrates the consequences of a hidden face, where iniquity creates a barrier.
Jeremiah 2:13This prophecy describes Israel forsaking 'the fountain of living waters' (God) for broken cisterns (idols), which directly reflects the 'whoring after the gods of the strangers' and breaking the covenant that leads to God's anger in Deuteronomy. It shows the spiritual adultery that provokes God's judgment.
Ezekiel 39:23-24This passage explains that Israel's exile and suffering were a consequence of their sin and idolatry, leading other nations to recognize God's judgment. It reinforces the idea that national disaster stems from being forsaken by God due to unfaithfulness.
calvinDeuteronomy 31:14-30: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation."
- And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Josh…
bensonDeuteronomy 31:17: "Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?"
Deuteronomy 31:17 . Then my anger shall be kindled against them — So it was upon their first defection to idolatry, ( Jdg 2:14 ,) and so it continued to be in all ages, as we read in t…
What's striking here is not just God's anger, but the reason the people will eventually give for their suffering: "Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?" This reveals that, even in their deepest distress and forgetfulness of their sin, they'll recognize their calamities stem from a broken relationship with God, not just random misfortune.
God informs Moses that Joshua will succeed him and receive his charge in the tabernacle. He forewarns Moses that after his death, the people will break their covenant by turning to foreign gods, leading to God's abandonment of them, their suffering, and their eventual realization that their troubles stem from God's absence.
God informs Moses that Joshua will succeed him and receive his charge in the tabernacle. He forewarns Moses that after his death, the people will break their covenant by turning to foreign gods, leading to God's abandonment of them, their suffering, and their eventual realization that their troubles stem from God's absence.
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Period of the Judges
A cycle of disobedience, divine judgment (oppression by enemies), repentance, and deliverance characterizes this era, as described in the Book of Judges.
c. 1400 BC— this verse
Moses records the Song of the Lord
Just before his death and the entry into Canaan, Moses is commanded by God to write a song that will serve as a witness against Israel's future disobedience.
"Then my anger will be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them and hide my face from them, and they will be devoured. And many evils and troubles will come upon them, so that they will say in that day, ‘Have not these evil…" — What's striking here is not just God's anger, but the reason the people will eventually give for their suffering: "Have not these evils come upon us because our God is not among us?" This reveals t…
