Deuteronomy 1:43

43 (So) I spake this to you, and ye heard me not; but ye were adversaries to the commandment of the Lord, and swelling with pride, went up into the hill (country).

Deuteronomy 1:43 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:43

So I spake unto you
The words, the orders he had received from the Lord to deliver to them:

and ye would not hear;
so as to obey them, and act according to them:

but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord:
as before, by not going up when he would have had them gone, and now by attempting it when he forbid them:

and went presumptuously up into the hill;
that is, of themselves, in their own strength, disregarding the commandment of God, and what they were threatened with; this they endeavoured to do, for they were not able to effect it; the Amorites, perceiving them to make up the hill, came pouring down upon them in great numbers, and stopped them, and obliged them to retreat; see ( Numbers 14:45 ) .

Deuteronomy 1:43 In-Context

41 And ye answered to me, We have sinned to the Lord; we shall go up, and we shall fight, as our Lord God commanded. And when ye were arrayed with armours, and went into the hill, (And ye answered to me, and said, We have sinned against the Lord; but now we shall go up, and we shall fight, as the Lord our God commanded. And when ye were arrayed with arms, or with weapons, and were about to go up to the hill country,)

42 the Lord said to me, Say thou to them, Do not ye go up, neither fight ye, for I am not with you, lest ye fall before your enemies.

43 (So) I spake this to you, and ye heard me not; but ye were adversaries to the commandment of the Lord, and swelling with pride, went up into the hill (country).

44 Therefore Amorites went out, that dwelled in the hills, and he came against you, and pursued you, as bees be wont to pursue, and he killed you down from Seir unto Hormah. (And so the Amorites, who lived in the hills, came out, and they went against you, and pursued you, as bees be wont to pursue their prey, and they killed you at Hormah, in Seir, or in Edom.)

45 And when ye turned again, and wept before the Lord, he heard not you, neither would assent to your voice; (And when ye returned, and wept before the Lord, he would not listen to you, nor assent to your pleadings;)