Deuteronomy 9:23
And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and did not believe him or obey his voice.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that rebellion wasn't just disobedience, but a deep-seated disbelief in God's promise and ability. They didn't just refuse to go; they fundamentally distrusted the God who had already given them the land. This wasn't a simple mistake, but a failure to believe the very voice and promise of the Lord.
Just before this, Moses recounts how the Israelites provoked God at several places in the wilderness, reminding them of their persistent rebellion from the moment they left Egypt. Now, he specifically calls out their refusal to enter the promised land after God commanded them to go up from Kadesh-barnea, highlighting their disbelief and disobedience to God's voice. This act of rebellion, refusing to trust God's promise and command, is presented as a foundational example of their unfaithfulness, which had characterized their journey from the very beginning.
God declared the land was already theirs, yet the Israelites hesitated. What does it mean for God to 'give' us something He still calls us to claim?
A Promised Possession
In Deuteronomy 9:23, Moses reminds the Israelites of God's direct command: "Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you." Notice the tension here. God states the land is given, a done deal in His sovereign decree. Yet, the act of possession requires their action.
This highlights a crucial aspect of God's relationship with us:
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The verse doesn't just say they 'rebelled.' It spells out how. What's the core issue when God's people refuse to listen?
The Two Faces of Rebellion
Deuteronomy 9:23 lays bare the heart of Israel's failure at Kadesh-Barnea: "ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice."
This wasn't a minor infraction; it was a fundamental rejection rooted in two intertwined actions:
Understand the original words
mārâ · Hebrew Verb
Willful disobedience against God’s authority; it signifies a refusal to submit to divine sovereignty and covenant obligations.
peh · Hebrew Noun
A divine injunction or decree; it refers to the revealed will of God that carries the authority of the covenant and demands obedience.
’āman · Hebrew Verb
The act of trusting or relying on God’s promises; it is the fundamental requirement for a relationship with God, involving personal commitment and reliance on His character.
This passage directly follows the spies' discouraging report and shows the people's immediate reaction of disbelief and rebellion, mirroring the event described in Deuteronomy 9:23.
Joshua 5:6This verse in Joshua highlights the consequence of the generation's disbelief at Kadesh-barnea, stating they did not 'obey the voice of the LORD' and thus wandered for forty years, directly linking to the disobedience mentioned in Deuteronomy.
Hebrews 3:16-19The author of Hebrews uses the example of the Israelites at Kadesh-barnea to warn against unbelief and disobedience, explicitly connecting their rebellion to their inability to enter the promised land.
Psalm 78:22This psalm reflects on Israel's history of sin, specifically mentioning their 'unbelief toward God' and their 'failure to trust in his deliverance,' which is the core issue described in Deuteronomy 9:23.
pooleDeuteronomy 9:23: "Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice."
No text from Poole on this verse.
gillDeuteronomy 9:23: "Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice."
Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadeshbarnea,.... From whence the spies were sent to search the land, though previous to it they had the following order to go up and possess it; see Numbers 32:8 . saying, go up and possess the land which I have giv…
The verse highlights that rebellion wasn't just disobedience, but a deep-seated disbelief in God's promise and ability. They didn't just refuse to go; they fundamentally distrusted the God who had already given them the land. This wasn't a simple mistake, but a failure to believe the very voice and promise of the Lord.
Just before this, Moses recounts how the Israelites provoked God at several places in the wilderness, reminding them of their persistent rebellion from the moment they left Egypt. Now, he specifically calls out their refusal to enter the promised land after God commanded them to go up from Kadesh-barnea, highlighting their disbelief and disobedience to God's voice. This act of rebellion, refusing to trust God's promise and command, is presented as a foundational example of their unfaithfulness, which had characterized their journey from the very beginning.
Just before this, Moses recounts how the Israelites provoked God at several places in the wilderness, reminding them of their persistent rebellion from the moment they left Egypt. Now, he specifically calls out their refusal to enter the promised land after God commanded them to go up from Kadesh-barnea, highlighting their disbelief and disobedience to God's voice. This act of rebellion, refusing to trust God's promise and command, is presented as a foundational example of their unfaithfulness, which had characterized their journey from the very beginning.
"And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God and did not believe him or obey his voice." — The verse highlights that rebellion wasn't just disobedience, but a deep-seated disbelief in God's promise and ability. They didn't just refuse to go; they fundamentally distrusted the God who had al…
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