Deuteronomy 9:5
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)
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This verse highlights that the Israelites aren't inheriting this land because they are inherently good, but rather because God is sovereignly acting for two key reasons: to judge the extreme wickedness of the current inhabitants and to keep His ancient promise to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It’s a powerful reminder that God's faithfulness to His word underpins everything, not our own merit.
As Israel stands on the brink of entering the Promised Land, Moses delivers a powerful message to remind them that their inheritance isn't earned. He stresses that the formidable nations before them are being driven out not because Israel is inherently righteous, but due to the extreme wickedness of those nations, and to fulfill God's ancient promise to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This context emphasizes God's faithfulness and sovereignty, directly countering any temptation for Israel to boast in their own merit.
Ever felt like you earned something good through sheer hard work? Israel was being told the exact opposite as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.
Moses lays down a crucial truth: the Israelites were NOT entering Canaan because they were good people or had done anything to deserve it.
No Self-Righteousness Allowed
The text is emphatic: 'Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart...' God wanted them to understand that their own moral standing was not the basis for this incredible gift. This wasn't a reward for their good behavior.
God's Sovereignty and Justice
Instead, two primary reasons are given:
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Imagine the weight of an oath sworn by the Almighty Himself. That's the foundation upon which Israel's future rested.
The second major reason for Israel possessing the land, directly linked to the first, is God's commitment to His promises.
A Promise Sealed by Oath
The verse states God is acting 'that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.' This wasn't a casual declaration; it was a solemn oath.
Faithfulness Through the Ages
God's faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham was the driving force. This promise was made centuries before, to the patriarchs, and God was meticulously fulfilling it. This demonstrates that God's plan is rooted in His unchanging character and His eternal purposes, not in the fluctuating obedience of His people.
God's Initiative, Our Response
While the land was a gift based on God's promise and the nations' sin, Israel still had a role. They were called to respond with obedience and faith, trusting God to fulfill His word and drive out their enemies. Their possession of the land was contingent on their faithfulness to the covenant God established.
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 reveals God's promise to Abraham that his descendants would return after four generations, not because of their own merit, but because the sin of the Amorites had not yet reached its full measure, mirroring the idea in Deuteronomy that the land was given due to the wickedness of its current inhabitants.
Romans 9:11-16Paul explains God's sovereign choice in salvation, emphasizing that it is not based on human deeds but on His mercy, echoing Deuteronomy's assertion that the Israelites received the land not for their righteousness but by God's grace and faithfulness to His promise.
Ephesians 2:8-9This New Testament passage directly states that salvation is by grace through faith and not from works, reinforcing the principle found in Deuteronomy that God's actions (giving the land) are not based on human merit but on His own gracious purposes.
Jeremiah 31:31-34The prophecy of a new covenant highlights God's initiative and faithfulness, promising forgiveness and inner transformation. This aligns with Deuteronomy's emphasis on God's faithfulness to His covenant promise to Abraham, a promise that transcends human failing.
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…
This verse highlights that the Israelites aren't inheriting this land because they are inherently good, but rather because God is sovereignly acting for two key reasons: to judge the extreme wickedness of the current inhabitants and to keep His ancient promise to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It’s a powerful reminder that God's faithfulness to His word underpins everything, not our own merit.
As Israel stands on the brink of entering the Promised Land, Moses delivers a powerful message to remind them that their inheritance isn't earned. He stresses that the formidable nations before them are being driven out not because Israel is inherently righteous, but due to the extreme wickedness of those nations, and to fulfill God's ancient promise to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This context emphasizes God's faithfulness and sovereignty, directly countering any temptation for Israel to boast in their own merit.
As Israel stands on the brink of entering the Promised Land, Moses delivers a powerful message to remind them that their inheritance isn't earned. He stresses that the formidable nations before them are being driven out not because Israel is inherently righteous, but due to the extreme wickedness of those nations, and to fulfill God's ancient promise to their forefathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This context emphasizes God's faithfulness and sovereignty, directly countering any temptation for Israel to boast in their own merit.
"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…" — This verse highlights that the Israelites aren't inheriting this land because they are inherently good, but rather because God is sovereignly acting for two key reasons: to judge the extreme wickedne…
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