25 Thus I fell down H5307 before H6440 the LORD H3068 forty H705 days H3117 and forty H705 nights, H3915 as I fell down H5307 at the first; because the LORD H3068 had said H559 he would destroy H8045 you.
26 I prayed H6419 therefore unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 O Lord H136 GOD, H3069 destroy H7843 not thy people H5971 and thine inheritance, H5159 which thou hast redeemed H6299 through thy greatness, H1433 which thou hast brought forth H3318 out of Egypt H4714 with a mighty H2389 hand. H3027
27 Remember H2142 thy servants, H5650 Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Jacob; H3290 look H6437 not unto the stubbornness H7190 of this people, H5971 nor to their wickedness, H7562 nor to their sin: H2403
28 Lest the land H776 whence thou broughtest us out H3318 say, H559 Because the LORD H3068 was not able H3201 to bring H935 them into the land H776 which he promised H1696 them, and because he hated H8135 them, he hath brought them out H3318 to slay H4191 them in the wilderness. H4057
29 Yet they are thy people H5971 and thine inheritance, H5159 which thou broughtest out H3318 by thy mighty H1419 power H3581 and by thy stretched out H5186 arm. H2220
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 9
Commentary on Deuteronomy 9 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 9
The design of Moses in this chapter is to convince the people of Israel of their utter unworthiness to receive from God those great favours that were now to be conferred upon them, writing this, as it were, in capital letters at the head of their charter, "Not for your sake, be it known unto you,' Eze. 36:32.
Deu 9:1-6
The call to attention (v. 1), Hear, O Israel, intimates that this was a new discourse, delivered at some distance of time after the former, probably the next sabbath day.
Deu 9:7-29
That they might have no pretence to think that God brought them to Canaan for their righteousness, Moses here shows them what a miracle of mercy it was that they had not long ere this been destroyed in the wilderness: "Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God (v. 7); so far from purchasing his favour, thou hast many a time laid thyself open to his displeasure.' Their fathers' provocations are here charged upon them; for, if God had dealt with their fathers according to their deserts, this generation would never have been, much less would they have entered Canaan. We are apt to forget our provocations, especially when the smart of the rod is over, and have need to be often put in mind of them, that we may never entertain any conceit of our own righteousness. Paul argues from the guilt which all mankind is under to prove that we cannot be justified before God by our own works, Rom. 3:19, 20. If our works condemn us, they will not justify us. Observe,
Now let them lay all this together, and it will appear that whatever favour God should hereafter show them, in subduing their enemies and putting them in possession of the land of Canaan, it was not for their righteousness. It is good for us often to remember against ourselves, with sorrow and shame, our former sins, and to review the records conscience keeps of them, that we may see how much we are indebted to free grace, and may humbly own that we never merited at God's hand any thing but wrath and the curse.