Israel Has Been Given Canaan because of God’s Mercy
9 Listen, Israel, you’re about to cross the Jordan River. You’ll be forcing out nations that are larger and stronger than you, with big cities that have sky-high walls. 2 Their people are tall and strong. They’re descendants of Anak. You know all about them. You’ve also heard it said, “Who can oppose the descendants of Anak?” 3 Realize today that Yahweh your Elohim is the one who is going ahead of you like Esh Oklah. He will wipe them out and will use you to crush their power. You will take possession of their land and will quickly destroy them as Yahweh promised you.
4 When Yahweh your Elohim expels these people in front of you, don’t say to yourselves, “Because we’ve been living right, Yahweh brought us here to take possession of this land.” No, it’s because these nations are so wicked that Yahweh is forcing them out of your way. 5 It’s not because you’ve been living right or because you’re so honest that you’re entering to take possession of their land. It’s because these people are so wicked that Yahweh your Elohim is forcing them out of your way. It’s also because Yahweh wants to confirm the promise he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6 So understand this: It’s not because you’ve been living right that Yahweh your Elohim is giving you this good land to possess. You are impossible to deal with!
7 Never forget how you made Yahweh your Elohim angry in the desert. You’ve rebelled against Yahweh from the day you left Egypt until you came here. 8 Even at Mount Horeb you made Yahweh so angry that Yahweh wanted to destroy you. 9 When I went up on the mountain to get the stone tablets, the tablets of the promise that Yahweh made to you, I stayed on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights without food or water. 10 Then Yahweh gave me the two stone tablets inscribed by Elohim himself. On them were written all the words that Yahweh spoke to you from the fire on the mountain on the day of the assembly.
11 At the end of the 40 days and 40 nights, Yahweh gave me the two stone tablets with his promise on them. 12 Yahweh told me, “Leave right away. Your people whom you brought out of Egypt have ruined everything. They’ve quickly turned from the way I commanded them to live. They’ve made an idol for themselves.”
13 Yahweh also said to me, “I’ve seen these people, and they are impossible to deal with. 14 Leave me alone! I’ll destroy them and wipe their name off the earth. Then I’ll make you into a nation larger and stronger than they are.”
15 So I turned and went down the mountain while it was still burning with fire. I was carrying the two tablets with the promise on them. 16 Then I saw that you had sinned against Yahweh your Elohim. You had made a statue of a calf for yourselves. You had quickly turned from the way Yahweh commanded you to live. 17 I took the two tablets, threw them down, and smashed them in front of you.
18 Once again I threw myself down in front of Yahweh. I went without food and water for 40 days and 40 nights because of the sin you committed. You did what Yahweh considered evil and made him furious. 19 I was terrified of Yahweh’s anger and fury. He was so angry he wanted to destroy you. But once more Yahweh listened to me.
20 Yahweh also became very angry with Aaron and wanted to destroy him. But at that time I prayed for Aaron, too.
21 I took that sinful calf you made and burned it. I crushed it, grinding it thoroughly until it was as fine as powder. Then I threw the powder into the river that flowed down the mountain.
22 You also made Yahweh angry at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth Hattaavah.
23 When Yahweh sent you from Kadesh Barnea, he said, “Go and take possession of the land I’m giving you.” But you rebelled against the word of Yahweh your Elohim. You didn’t believe him or obey him. 24 You’ve rebelled against Yahweh as long as I’ve known you.
25 I threw myself down in front of Yahweh for 40 days and 40 nights because Yahweh said he would destroy you. 26 I prayed to Yahweh and said, “Adonay Yahweh, don’t destroy your people. They belong to you. You saved them by your great power and used your mighty hand to bring them out of Egypt. 27 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Disregard the stubbornness, wickedness, and sin of these people. 28 Otherwise, the country we left will say, “Yahweh wasn’t able to bring them to the land he promised them. He hated them. That’s why he brought them out—to let them die in the desert.” 29 They are your people. They belong to you. You used your great strength and powerful arm to bring them out of Egypt.