Deuteronomy 9:16-26

16 And I looked, and behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made you a molten calf. Ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you.

17 And I took the two tablets, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes.

18 And I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights as at the first; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sins which ye sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger.

19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.

20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron so as to have destroyed him, and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burned it with fire and stamped it and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust; and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

22 "And at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibrothhattaavah ye provoked the LORD to wrath.

23 Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, `Go up and possess the land which I have given you,' then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed Him not nor hearkened to His voice.

24 Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.

25 "Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first, because the LORD had said He would destroy you.

26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said: `O Lord GOD, destroy not Thy people and Thine inheritance whom Thou hast redeemed through Thy greatness, whom Thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Deuteronomy 9:16-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 9

In this chapter the Israelites are assured of the ejection of the Canaanites, though so great and mighty, to make room for them, De 9:1-3, and they are cautioned not to attribute this to their own righteousness, but to the wickedness of the nations which deserved to be so treated, and to the faithfulness of God in performing his promise made to their fathers, De 9:4-6, and that it might appear that it could not be owing to their righteousness, it is affirmed and proved that they had been a rebellious and provoking people from their coming out of Egypt to that time, as was evident from their idolatry at Horeb; a particular account of which is given, and of the displeasure of the Lord at it, De 9:7-21, and of their murmurings, with which they provoked the Lord at other places, De 9:22-24, and the chapter is closed with an account of the prayer of Moses for them at Horeb, to avert the wrath of God from them for their making and worshipping the golden calf, De 9:25-29.