Deuteronomy 9:1

1 Hear, Yisra'el: you are to pass over the Yarden this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to the sky,

Deuteronomy 9:1 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:1

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, ( Deuteronomy 1:3 ) , and it was not until the tenth day of the first month of the next year that the people passed over Jordan, ( Joshua 4:19 ) which was about two months after this:

to go in and possess nations greater and mightier than thyself;
the seven nations named ( Deuteronomy 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, ( Deuteronomy 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, ( Deuteronomy 9:3 ) .

Deuteronomy 9:1 In-Context

1 Hear, Yisra'el: you are to pass over the Yarden this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to the sky,

2 a people great and tall, the sons of the `Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say, Who can stand before the sons of `Anak?

3 Know therefore this day, that the LORD your God is he who goes over before you as a devouring fire; he will destroy them, and he will bring them down before you: so shall you drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as the LORD has spoken to you.

4 Don't speak in your heart, after that the LORD your God has thrust them out from before you, saying, For my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land; whereas for the wickedness of these nations the LORD does drive them out from before you.

5 Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya`akov.