“Furthermore, the LORD said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Deuteronomy 9:13
What does Deuteronomy 9:13 mean?
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Deuteronomy 9:13
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What's striking here is that God, after just delivering His law from the mountain, immediately labels His own people "stubborn." This isn't a judgment of their initial reception of the law, but a stark recognition of their inherent tendency to resist His will. It reveals that God sees our deepest inclinations, not just our outward actions, from the very beginning.
“Furthermore, the LORD said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Just moments after God gave Moses the Ten Commandments the second time, He pointedly reveals to Moses that the Israelites are indeed a stubborn people. This stark assessment follows Moses' plea for mercy on their behalf, reminding God of their constant rebellions from Egypt until that very moment. Moses is being prepared to remind Israel of their deep-seated sinfulness, so they don't wrongly assume they are inheriting the Promised Land based on their own merit.
Have you ever felt like God truly sees you, not just your actions, but your inner self? Moses gets a profound glimpse into God's perspective on His people.
God's All-Seeing Perspective
God's statement, "I have seen this people," isn't just a casual observation. It's a declaration of His penetrating insight.
More Than Meets the Eye
He sees beyond outward appearances and actions, looking directly into the core of their being. This includes their motivations, their hidden desires, and their deep-seated tendencies. When God says He has "seen" them, it means He fully comprehends their state, their history, and their inherent nature.
The Bible doesn't shy away from calling out sin. Here, God uses a powerful image to describe Israel's core problem. What does it truly mean to be 'stubborn' in God's eyes?
A Resistance to God's Will
The description "stubborn people" (or "stiff-necked") paints a vivid picture.
Refusing the Yoke
Imagine an animal with a yoke on its neck, resisting the pull and refusing to be guided. This is the essence of stubbornness in this context.
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Understand the original words
qesheh 'oreph · Hebrew Adjective/Noun phrase
A state of stiff-necked, rebellious pride where an individual or nation refuses to submit to divine authority or correction.
This passage directly uses the same description of the Israelites as 'stubborn' or 'stiff-necked' right after the golden calf incident, highlighting their persistent tendency to turn away from God.
Nehemiah 9:16This prayer recounts Israel's history, explicitly calling them 'stubborn' and 'rebellious' in their dealings with God, reinforcing the recurring theme of their disobedience.
Jeremiah 7:26The prophet Jeremiah confronts the people with their continued disobedience, stating they have 'stubbornly turned their neck' to God's voice, showing this characteristic persisted even centuries later.
Acts 7:51Stephen, in his defense, accuses the Israelites of being 'stubborn' and uncircumcised in heart and ears, directly echoing the language of Deuteronomy and showing how this trait led to their rejection of prophets and Jesus.
gillDeuteronomy 9:13: "Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:"
Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying,.... After he had given him the two tables, and before his departure from the mount: I have seen this people; took notice of them, their ways, and their works: and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people; unwilling to submit to, and bear the yoke of my commandments; see Exodus 32:9.
henryDeuteronomy 9:7-29: "Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD."
9:7-29 That the Israelites might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan for their righteousness, Moses shows what a miracle of mercy it was, that they had not been destroyed in the wilderness. It is good for us often to remember aga…
What's striking here is that God, after just delivering His law from the mountain, immediately labels His own people "stubborn." This isn't a judgment of their initial reception of the law, but a stark recognition of their inherent tendency to resist His will. It reveals that God sees our deepest inclinations, not just our outward actions, from the very beginning.
Just moments after God gave Moses the Ten Commandments the second time, He pointedly reveals to Moses that the Israelites are indeed a stubborn people. This stark assessment follows Moses' plea for mercy on their behalf, reminding God of their constant rebellions from Egypt until that very moment. Moses is being prepared to remind Israel of their deep-seated sinfulness, so they don't wrongly assume they are inheriting the Promised Land based on their own merit.
Just moments after God gave Moses the Ten Commandments the second time, He pointedly reveals to Moses that the Israelites are indeed a stubborn people. This stark assessment follows Moses' plea for mercy on their behalf, reminding God of their constant rebellions from Egypt until that very moment. Moses is being prepared to remind Israel of their deep-seated sinfulness, so they don't wrongly assume they are inheriting the Promised Land based on their own merit.
"“Furthermore, the LORD said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people." — What's striking here is that God, after just delivering His law from the mountain, immediately labels His own people "stubborn." This isn't a judgment of their initial reception of the law, but a sta…
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Last reviewed October 2026