Deuteronomy 9:5
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God is driving out these nations, not because Israel deserves it, but as a direct fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This highlights that God's faithfulness to His ancient promises is the primary engine for His actions, even when dealing with the wickedness of others.
Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
English Standard Version (ESV)
As the Israelites stand on the brink of entering the promised land, God, through Moses, reminds them that their conquest isn't a reward for their own merit. They are about to dispossess nations far mightier than themselves, a feat only possible through God's power, and this action is rooted in the nations' profound wickedness and God's ancient promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Ever feel like you've earned something good through sheer effort or character? This verse flips that script entirely. Moses reminds the Israelites that their incredible inheritance wasn't a reward for being 'good people.'
It's All About God's Promise
Moses confronts a dangerous thought creeping into the Israelites' minds: that they deserved the Promised Land because they were righteous. He shuts this down HARD.
This completely shifts the focus from human achievement to divine faithfulness. God's promises are the foundation, not our performance.
Why would God drive out entire nations? It wasn't just a land grab. This passage reveals a profound connection between God's judgment on sin and His unwavering commitment to His promises.
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Two Sides of God's Action
Deuteronomy 9:5 presents two crucial, intertwined reasons for the Israelites' entry into Canaan:
Judgment on Sin: The nations occupying the land were steeped in wickedness. God's justice demanded their removal. This wasn't arbitrary; their actions were so corrupt they could no longer be tolerated. It serves as a stark warning about the consequences of persistent sin.
Faithfulness to Covenant: Simultaneously, God was acting to fulfill His sworn promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This land was part of an ancient covenant, a gift rooted in God's sovereign choice and grace, not in the merit of any generation.
This shows that God's actions are always righteous. He judges evil, and He honors His word. For Israel, it meant inheriting a land because of God's faithfulness, not their own goodness, which was often lacking (as the next verse points out: "you are a stiff-necked people").
Understand the original words
yosher · Hebrew Noun
Moral integrity or straightness of character; it describes a life or heart that is aligned with God's will and truth.
shaba' · Hebrew Verb
A solemn declaration or commitment made under the authority of God; it emphasizes the unchangeable nature of God’s promises to His covenant people.
This passage shows God's initial promise to Abraham, laying the foundation for the land inheritance that is being discussed in Deuteronomy. It highlights that God's action is based on His gracious promise, not Abraham's merit.
Exodus 34:6-7This verse reveals God's character as merciful and just, slow to anger but also holding the guilty accountable. It resonates with Deuteronomy 9's emphasis on God driving out nations for their wickedness while remaining faithful to His promises.
Romans 3:20Paul echoes the sentiment of Deuteronomy 9 by stating that no one will be justified in God's sight by observing the law; rather, all deeds of the law are insufficient for salvation. This reinforces that human righteousness cannot earn God's favor or land.
Ephesians 2:8-9This New Testament passage directly contrasts human effort with God's grace, stating that salvation is a gift received through faith, not earned by works. It parallels Deuteronomy 9's message that the Israelites received the land not by their own merit but by God's grace and faithfulness to His promise.
calvinDeuteronomy 9:1-6: "Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven,"
Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee.
Scito itaque hodie quod Jehova Deus tuus ipse es…
clarkeDeuteronomy 9:5: "Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."
For the wickedness of these nations - So then it was not by any sovereign act of God that these people were cast out, but for their wickedness; they had transgressed the law of their C…
God is driving out these nations, not because Israel deserves it, but as a direct fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This highlights that God's faithfulness to His ancient promises is the primary engine for His actions, even when dealing with the wickedness of others.
As the Israelites stand on the brink of entering the promised land, God, through Moses, reminds them that their conquest isn't a reward for their own merit. They are about to dispossess nations far mightier than themselves, a feat only possible through God's power, and this action is rooted in the nations' profound wickedness and God's ancient promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
As the Israelites stand on the brink of entering the promised land, God, through Moses, reminds them that their conquest isn't a reward for their own merit. They are about to dispossess nations far mightier than themselves, a feat only possible through God's power, and this action is rooted in the nations' profound wickedness and God's ancient promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
"Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the wo…" — God is driving out these nations, not because Israel deserves it, but as a direct fulfillment of His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This highlights that God's faithfulness to His ancient pro…
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Last reviewed October 2026
