Teks -- Deuteronomy 9:1 (NET)

Theological Justification of the Conquest

9:1 Listen, Israel: Today you are about to cross the Jordan so you can dispossess the nations there, people greater and stronger than you who live in large cities with extremely high fortifications.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Deu 9:1 - Hear, O Israel

This seems to be a new discourse, delivered at some distance of time from the former, probably on the next sabbath-day.

Wesley: Deu 9:1 - This day

That is, shortly, within a little time, the word day being often put for time.

Wesley: Deu 9:1 - Nations

That is, the land of those nations.

Wesley: Deu 9:1 - Mightier than thyself

This he adds, that they might not trust to their own strength, but rely upon God's help for the destroying them, and, after the work was done, might ascribe the glory of it to God alone, and not to themselves.

JFB: Deu 9:1 - this day

Means this time. The Israelites had reached the confines of the promised land, but were obliged, to their great mortification, to return. But now they certainly were to enter it. No obstacle could prevent their possession; neither the fortified defenses of the towns, nor the resistance of the gigantic inhabitants of whom they had received from the spies so formidable a description.

JFB: Deu 9:1 - cities great and fenced up to heaven

Oriental cities generally cover a much greater space than those in Europe; for the houses often stand apart with gardens and fields intervening. They are almost all surrounded with walls built of burnt or sun-dried bricks, about forty feet in height. All classes in the East, but especially the nomad tribes, in their ignorance of engineering and artillery, would have abandoned in despair the idea of an assault on a walled town, which to-day would be demolished in a few hours.

Clarke: Deu 9:1 - Thou art to pass over Jordan this day

Thou art to pass over Jordan this day - היום haiyom , this time; they had come thirty-eight years before this nearly to the verge of the promised land, but were not permitted at that day or time to pass over, because of their rebellions; but this time they shall certainly pass over. This was spoken about the eleventh month of the fortieth year of their journeying, and it was on the first month of the following year they passed over; and during this interim Moses died.

Calvin: Deu 9:1 - Thou art to pass over Jordan this day

1.Thou art to pass over Jordan this day The whole of this passage contains an eulogy on the gratuitous liberality of God, whereby He had bound the people to Himself unto the obedience of the Law. But this (as we have already seen) ought to have been a most pressing stimulus to incite the people, and altogether to ravish them to the worship and love of God, to whom they were under so great obligation. The design of Moses, then, was to shew that the Israelites, for no merit of their own, but by the signal bounty of God, would be heirs of the land of Canaan; and that this entirely flowed from the covenant and their gratuitous adoption; in order that, on their part, they should persevere in the faithful observation of the covenant, and so should be the more disposed to honor Him. For it would be too disgraceful that they, whom God had prevented by His grace, should not meet Him, as it were, by voluntarily submitting to His dominion. Moreover, lest they should arrogate anything to themselves, he commends the greatness of God’s power, in that they could not be victorious over so many nations, unless by the miraculous aid of heaven. With this view, he states that these nations excelled not only in greatness and multitude, but also in military valor. He adds that their cities were great and impregnable; and, finally, that in them were the children of the giants, formidable from their enormous stature. For Anak (as is related in Jos 15:0 ²⁴⁶) was a celebrated giant, whose descendants were called Anakim. And, to take away all doubt about this, he cites themselves as witnesses, that they were so terrified by their appearance as to wish to turn back again. We now understand the object of all these details, viz., that God’s glory may shine forth in the victories and success of the people. The words “whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard,” have reference to the spies; ²⁴⁷ for these giants had not yet become openly known to the people; but he transfers the case of a few to them all, because, by the account the spies had given, terror had invaded the whole camp, as though they had actually come into conflict with them. Since, then, they had been persuaded of their inferiority to their enemies, and utterly disheartened by the report they received, Moses convicts them on their own evidence, lest, perchance, they might hereafter assume to themselves the praise which was due to God alone. But we are taught in these words, that such is the ingratitude of mankind, that they obscure, as much as they can, God’s bounties, and never yield, except when driven to conviction.

TSK: Deu 9:1 - to pass // this day // nations // cities

to pass : Deu 3:18, Deu 11:31, Deu 27:2; Jos 1:11, Jos 3:6, Jos 3:14, Jos 3:16, Jos 4:5, Jos 4:19

this day : The Hebrew hyyom , ""this day,""frequently denotes, as here, this time. They had come, 38 years before this, nearly to the verge of the promised land, but were not permitted, because of their unbelief and rebellion, at that day or time, to enter; but this time they shall certainly pass over. This was spoken in the eleventh month of the fortieth year of their journeying; and it was on the first month of the following year they passed over, and during this interval Moses died.

nations : Deu 4:38, Deu 7:1, Deu 11:23

cities : Deu 1:28; Num 13:22, Num 13:28-33

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Deu 9:1 - This day // Greater and mightier than thyself // Fenced up to heaven

This day i.e. shortly, within a little time, the word day being oft put for time , as Joh 8:56 1Co 4:5 Rev 16:14 , within two months; for Moses spake this on the first day of the eleventh month, Deu 1:3 , and they passed over Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, Jos 4:19 . Nations i.e. the land of those nations; for that only they were to possess, but as for the nations or people they were not to possess, but to destroy them. Thus they are said to inherit Gad , Jer 49:1 , i.e. the country and cities of Gad, as it is there explained.

Greater and mightier than thyself: this he adds, partly that they might not be surprised when they find them to be such; partly that they might not trust to their own strength, but wholly rely upon God’ s help, for the destroying of them, and, after the work was done, might ascribe the praise and glory of it to God alone, and not to themselves.

Fenced up to heaven as the spies reported, Deu 1:28 . See on Gen 11:4 .

Haydock: Deu 9:1 - This day // Sky

This day, very soon, (Menochius) within the space of a month. (Calmet) ---

Sky: an hyperbole to denote their surprising height. (Worthington)

Gill: Deu 9:1 - Hear, O Israel // thou art to pass over Jordan this day // to go in and possess nations greater and mightier than thyself // cities great and fenced up to heaven

Hear, O Israel,.... A pause being made after the delivery of the preceding discourse; or perhaps what follows might be delivered at another time, at some little distance; and which being of moment and importance to the glory of God, and that Israel might have a true notion of their duty, they are called upon to listen with attention to what was now about to be said:

thou art to pass over Jordan this day; not precisely that very day, but in a short time after this; for it was on the first day of the eleventh month that Moses began the repetition of the laws he was now going on with, Deu 1:3, and it was not until the tenth day of the first month of the next year that the people passed over Jordan, Jos 4:19 which was about two months after this:

to go in and possess nations greater and mightier than thyself; the seven nations named Deu 7:1 where the same characters are given of them:

cities great and fenced up to heaven; as they were said to be by the spies, Deu 1:28, and were no doubt both large and strongly fortified, and not to be easily taken by the Israelites, had not the Lord been with them, Deu 9:3.