Deuteronomy 9:28

28 lest peradventure the dwellers of the land, out of which thou leddest us, say, The Lord might not bring them into the land which he promised to them, and he hated them; therefore he led them out that he should slay them in (the) wilderness; (lest the inhabitants of the land, out of which thou hast led us, shall say, The Lord could not bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath led them out so that he could kill them in the wilderness;)

Deuteronomy 9:28 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 9:28

Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say
The land of Egypt, the inhabitants of it;

because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he
promised them;
the land of Canaan, the inhabitants of it being so mighty, and their cities so strongly fortified. Here Moses expresses his concern for the glory of God, and the honour of his perfections, and makes that a fourth argument why he should not destroy them:

and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the
wilderness;
out of Egypt, a plentiful country, into a wilderness where nothing was to be had; but his choice of them for his inheritance, his redemption of them out of bondage and misery, the care he took of them, and the provision he had made for them in the wilderness, clearly showed that they were not the objects of his hatred, but of his love.

Deuteronomy 9:28 In-Context

26 And I prayed him, and said, Lord God, destroy not thy people, and thine heritage, which thou again-boughtest in thy greatness, which thou leddest out of Egypt in (a) strong hand. (And I prayed to him, and said, Lord God, do not destroy thy people, and thy inheritance, whom thou hast bought back, or hast redeemed, or ransomed, by thy great power, and whom thou hast led out of Egypt with thy strong hand.)
27 Have thou mind of thy servants, of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; behold thou not the hardness of this people, and the wickedness, and the sin thereof, (Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not thou look upon the stubbornness of this people, and their wickedness, and their sin,)
28 lest peradventure the dwellers of the land, out of which thou leddest us, say, The Lord might not bring them into the land which he promised to them, and he hated them; therefore he led them out that he should slay them in (the) wilderness; (lest the inhabitants of the land, out of which thou hast led us, shall say, The Lord could not bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath led them out so that he could kill them in the wilderness;)
29 and Lord, they be thy people, and thine heritage, which thou leddest out in thy great strength, and in thine arm stretched forth. (but Lord, they be thy people, and thy inheritance, whom thou hast led out with thy great strength, and thy outstretched arm.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.