Bible Commentaries
Deuteronomy 9

Introduction

Deuteronomy 5-11. Moses’ Second Address.— This contains laws ( Deuteronomy 5:6-21) and (mainly) exhortation based on the fundamental conception of Yahweh’ s uniqueness. This discourse had probably an independent origin, but it is exceedingly homogeneous, and conforms throughout with the type of composition characteristic of D. Many of the best scholars, including Driver, regard Deuteronomy 5-26 with Deuteronomy 28 as one continuous composition, not improbably (they think) the original D code.

Deuteronomy 6-11. Consists of a lengthy homily based on the first commandment ( Deuteronomy 5:6). Israel is to worship and serve Yahweh alone.

Verses 1-7

Deuteronomy 9:1-7 a. Israel’ s victory over the Canaanites due to the wickedness of their foes and Yahweh’ s promise.

Deuteronomy 9:6 . stiffnecked: lit. hard, i.e. obstinate, of neck ( Exodus 32:9). The figure is that of an animal which refuses to take the yoke.

Deuteronomy 9:7 a. provokedst . . . to wrath: Deuteronomy 4:25 * where a Heb. verb of different meaning is similarly translated.

Verses 7-28

Deuteronomy 9:7 b– Deuteronomy 10:11 (or Deuteronomy 10:9). Narrative of the legislation on Mount Horeb; for the purpose apparently of illustrating Deuteronomy 9:7 a. This historical survey suddenly thrust into a hortatory context closely resembles Deuteronomy 1-3, and is thought by Horst and Bertholet to be by the same author. They agree with Steuernagel (who, however, says its closest affinities are with Deuteronomy 5) in holding it to be an interpolation here. But surely the history in this section is didactic and therefore hortatory. Deuteronomy 10:6 f . is, however, evidently an editorial addition. The narrative in Deuteronomy 9:7 b, ff. follows JE ( Exodus 24:12 f; Exodus 32:10; Exodus 32:15; Exodus 32:19; Exodus 34:1).

Deuteronomy 9:9 . tables of stone: Exodus 24:12 *.— covenant: Deuteronomy 4:13 *.

Deuteronomy 9:9-11 . forty days: Exodus 24:18 * (E).— I did . . . water: so Exodus 34:28, but the latter refers to Moses’ third ascent of the mountain, not the first.

Deuteronomy 9:10 is perhaps a marginal gloss. Deuteronomy 9:10 a essentially = Deuteronomy 9:11 b.— finger of God: not of Yahweh; so the Divine finger ( Exodus 31:18 *).

Deuteronomy 9:12 . molten image: Exodus 32:4 ( cf. graven image, Deuteronomy 4:16, etc.).

Deuteronomy 9:13 repeats substance of Deuteronomy 9:12; Bertholet, therefore, rejects it.

Deuteronomy 9:14 f . See Exodus 32:10; Exodus 32:15; Exodus 32:19.

Deuteronomy 9:18 . I fell down: better, “ I lay me down.”— as at the first: as regards time (forty days) and accompanying action (fasting, Deuteronomy 9:9). Moses spent forty days on the mountain waiting to receive the tables (J) and another forty days making intercession.

Deuteronomy 9:19 . that time also: when besides did Yahweh listen to Moses’ intercession? All the incidents of Moses’ life are not recorded.

Deuteronomy 9:20 . Not mentioned in Ex.

Deuteronomy 9:21 . sin: that by which they sinned (see Amos 8:14, Micah 1:5). Exodus 32:20 adds that Moses made the people drink the water of the wady.

Deuteronomy 9:25 . A continuation and in part a repetition of Deuteronomy 9:18. Though in vocabulary and matter Deuteronomy 9:26-29 resembles Exodus 32:11-13 (the first intercession) the occasion is different, the latter belonging to the time before the first descent ( Deuteronomy 9:15 = Exodus 32:15).

Deuteronomy 9:28 . Cf. Exodus 32:12, Numbers 14:16.