Deuteronomy Chapter 1
The Torah Overview
The first five books of the Bible are collectively called The Torah, meaning “instruction” or “law.” They establish the foundation of God’s revelation, Israel’s history, and the covenant relationship between God and His chosen people. These five books are also called the Pentateuch in Greek, meaning “five scrolls.” Each book serves a distinct purpose in God’s redemptive plan.
Genesis: The Book of Beginnings – It records the creation of the world, the fall of man, the flood, and the patriarchal history of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. It reveals the beginnings of God’s covenant promises and the nation through which the Messiah would come.
Exodus: The Birth of the Nation – It chronicles Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, the giving of the Law, and the establishment of the tabernacle. Israel is formally organized as a theocratic nation under God.
Leviticus: The Law of the Nation – It sets forth the holiness of God and His requirements for worship, sacrifice, and priestly service. The theme is sanctification, showing how sinful man may approach a holy God.
Numbers: The Wilderness Wanderings – It recounts Israel’s journey through the wilderness, marked by rebellion, unbelief, and divine discipline. Yet through it all, God’s faithfulness never wavers.
Deuteronomy: The Laws Reviewed – It is the final book of the Torah, serving as a bridge between the first four books (given outside the Promised Land) and the next seven historical books (written inside the Promised Land). Deuteronomy reviews and reaffirms the Law for a new generation about to enter Canaan.
The Book of Deuteronomy contains the Shema, the Great Commandment: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy more than from any other Old Testament book, confirming its centrality in both Old and New Testament theology. It also includes the Song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32), a prophetic declaration of God’s faithfulness and Israel’s future.
Deuteronomy 1:1
“These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.”
The Hebrew title of the book is “Elleh haddebarim” (אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים), meaning “These are the words.” This follows the Hebrew custom of naming a book by its opening words. The English title Deuteronomy comes from the Septuagint’s translation of Deuteronomy 17:18, referring to “this repetition of the law.” The Greek phrase deuteronomion combines deutero (“second”) and nomion (“law”), meaning “the second law.” This was rendered Deuteronomium in Jerome’s Latin Vulgate. The phrase does not indicate a new law, but a repetition and reaffirmation of the same divine law given at Sinai.
The geographical references in verse 1 are uncertain, but it is clear that Israel was camped east of the Jordan River, across from Jericho, in the plains of Moab. The people stood on the threshold of the Promised Land, receiving Moses’ final words before crossing over.
The Words of Moses
“These are the words which Moses spake unto all Israel…” — Moses, more than a national leader, was a prophet, lawgiver, and mediator of God’s covenant. Though God had called Abraham a prophet (Genesis 20:7), Israel as a nation did not yet exist in Abraham’s day. Moses thus stands as Israel’s first and greatest prophet. Scripture affirms this, saying, “But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deuteronomy 34:10). Through Moses, God revealed His law, His covenant, and His standard of holiness. All subsequent prophets ministered in the shadow of Moses’ revelation until Christ Himself came, the One who fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17).
The New Testament frequently references Moses, more than any other Old Testament figure, testifying to his foundational role in redemptive history. Deuteronomy, therefore, is not merely a book of statutes but a collection of passionate sermons from the greatest of prophets, exhorting Israel to faithfulness and obedience.
The phrase “all Israel” appears at least twelve times throughout Deuteronomy, emphasizing national unity under God’s covenant. The people had been delivered from Egypt by divine power and had entered into a solemn covenant relationship at Sinai. Unlike other nations, Israel’s national “constitution” was not man-made, but divine—God’s Word itself governed them.
The Context of Deuteronomy
Moses spoke “on this side of the Jordan” (east of the Jordan). Israel had come through a long and arduous wilderness journey from Egypt, made longer by their unbelief and rebellion. The adult generation that departed Egypt had perished in the wilderness; this new generation stood ready to inherit the promises.
Deuteronomy was a second giving of the Law to a new generation. Most of those hearing Moses now were either children or not yet born when God gave the Law at Mount Sinai forty years earlier. Moses, nearing death, reviewed the Law to prepare them to live faithfully in the Land of Promise.
The Book of Deuteronomy is both a sermon and a covenant renewal document. It contains exhortation, warning, and blessing. Moses’ heart was heavy, knowing he would not enter Canaan because of his disobedience at Meribah (Numbers 20:1–13). Yet it was also full of zeal, as he passionately pleaded with Israel to obey the Lord, so that they might receive life and blessing.
As Moses declared later, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
This message of reminding and preparing carries forward into the New Testament. The Apostle Peter echoed the same principle: “For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth” (2 Peter 1:12).
Deuteronomy and the Temptation of Christ
Deuteronomy was also the book Jesus most often quoted during His temptation in the wilderness. This shows its power as a source of preparation and spiritual defense.
When tempted to turn stones into bread, Jesus replied with Deuteronomy 8:3 —
“Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” (Matthew 4:4)When tempted to test God’s protection, Jesus answered with Deuteronomy 6:16 —
“You shall not tempt the Lord your God.” (Matthew 4:7)When tempted to worship Satan for worldly power, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13 —
“You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him.” (Matthew 4:10)
This reveals how deeply the words of Moses shaped the mind of Christ. Just as Israel was tested forty years in the wilderness, Jesus was tested forty days, yet without sin. Deuteronomy, therefore, not only instructed Israel but also strengthened the Messiah Himself.
As one scholar observed, “Deuteronomy is one of the greatest books of the Old Testament. Its influence on the domestic and personal religion of all ages has not been surpassed by any other book in the Bible. It is quoted over eighty times in the New Testament and thus belongs to a small group of four Old Testament books—Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, and Deuteronomy—to which the early Christians made frequent reference.”
(Deuteronomy 1:2–4) The Journey from Mount Horeb to Kadesh Barnea
“It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea. Now it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spoke to the children of Israel according to all that the LORD had given him as commandments to them, after he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth in Edrei.”
a. Kadesh Barnea
Kadesh Barnea was the infamous site of Israel’s rebellion in Numbers 13–14, where they refused to trust God’s promise to bring them into the Promised Land. There the twelve spies were sent to scout the land of Canaan, but ten returned with a fearful and faithless report, saying, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” (Numbers 13:31). Only Joshua and Caleb believed God’s word. Yet the people sided with the majority and murmured against Moses, saying, “Let us select a leader and return to Egypt” (Numbers 14:4). As a result of their unbelief, God decreed that the adult generation that came out of Egypt would wander until that generation perished in the wilderness.
b. It is eleven days’ journey from Horeb by way of Mount Seir to Kadesh Barnea
The distance from Mount Horeb (another name for Mount Sinai) to Kadesh Barnea was only an eleven-day journey. However, because of unbelief and rebellion, Israel turned that short journey into forty years of wandering. The journey that could have taken days took decades, not because of geography, but because of the hardness of their hearts.
From Kadesh Barnea—the threshold of promise—to Kadesh Barnea again forty years later, Israel had come full circle. The same opportunity awaited them, but now they stood as a new generation of faith rather than fear. The previous generation had to die out before God’s promises could move forward. As it is written, “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest’” (Psalm 95:11).
This wandering was not a waste to God, but a refining. He took forty years to remove Egypt from their hearts, though it took only three days to remove them from Egypt’s land. Stephen later observed, “Our fathers would not obey, but rejected [Moses], and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt” (Acts 7:39). The Lord used time and testing to shape a new people who would trust Him.
c. After he had killed Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan
The mention of Sihon and Og recalls the victories recorded in Numbers 21:21–35. These two Amorite kings were formidable enemies east of the Jordan. Israel’s triumph over them demonstrated God’s power and faithfulness to this new generation. The same people who once feared to face the Canaanites now trusted God and saw Him deliver their enemies into their hand. Their earlier fear of being “crushed” by Canaanite armies had been replaced with the confidence of faith.
When Israel finally trusted the Lord, victory followed. The blessings of obedience and faith were immediate. The battle was the Lord’s, as He promised, and these victories served as a prelude to the conquest of Canaan itself. God was waiting for His people to be ready to receive what He had already prepared.
(Deuteronomy 1:3) The Time of Moses’ Address
“And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them.”
This precise date situates Moses’ address just one month before his death and before Israel’s crossing of the Jordan under Joshua’s leadership. The people had been wandering for forty years, and now they stood on the edge of fulfillment. Moses spoke as one who had faithfully carried the Word of God to Israel for an entire generation.
The text emphasizes that Moses spoke “according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment.” His words were not his own opinions but divine revelation. The authority of Deuteronomy rests in YHWH (יהוה)—rendered in English as Jehovah, Yahveh, or YeHoVaH. This is the covenant name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush: “And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you”’” (Exodus 3:14).
In the Old Testament, this name stressed the personal and covenantal nature of God. However, by the post-exilic period, Jews had developed a superstition that forbade pronouncing this sacred name, substituting “Adonai” (Lord) instead. Though well-intentioned, this practice caused a tragic distancing from the personal relationship the name represented.
In the New Testament era, believers now know God even more intimately through Jesus Christ, who said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). The personal revelation of God as YHWH finds its ultimate fulfillment in the Father-Son relationship: “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17). Through Christ, we address God as “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15). Thus, the authority behind Moses’ message was the same personal covenant God who later revealed Himself fully in Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1–2).
(Deuteronomy 1:4) The Historical Context of Victory
“After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei.”
This verse completes the historical backdrop for Moses’ first address. These victories occurred during Israel’s approach to the Promised Land, as recorded in Numbers 21:21–35 and Deuteronomy 2:26–3:11. Both Sihon and Og were powerful rulers east of the Jordan River. Their defeat proved that God was able to overcome any opposition and that He had not abandoned His people.
For the generation that stood before Moses, these recent triumphs were tangible proof that the Lord would also give them victory over the nations of Canaan. God was demonstrating that faith leads to conquest, not defeat.
(Deuteronomy 1:5) Moses the Expositor
“On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount.”
a. On this side of the Jordan
The location again emphasizes that Moses delivered his message east of the Jordan River, in Moab, just before the conquest. This was his final preparation for the people before they crossed under Joshua’s command. Moses knew that before Israel could possess the land, they must possess understanding of God’s Word.
b. Moses began to explain this law
Here Moses takes on the role of an expositor of Scripture. The Hebrew verb translated “declare” or “explain” is ba’ar (בָּאַר), which literally means “to make plain,” “to dig,” or “to mine.” It conveys the idea of uncovering something precious beneath the surface. This is the only place in the Torah where the word appears in this way (compare Deuteronomy 27:8, “write very plainly,” and Habakkuk 2:2, “make it plain”). Moses was “digging deeply” into the Law, expounding its meaning, and applying it to a new generation who had not personally stood at Mount Sinai.
The word “Law” is Torah (תּוֹרָה), meaning “instruction” or “teaching.” It is not merely a legal code but divine instruction in how to walk with God. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). Moses’ teaching ministry here is not unlike that of a pastor explaining God’s Word to prepare his people for the next stage of obedience.
The journey from Horeb to Kadesh Barnea was about two hundred miles, but the journey from Egypt to obedience took forty years. The Lord was patient in bringing His people from deliverance to maturity. Moses’ exposition here served to ready them both intellectually and spiritually for the inheritance ahead.
(Deuteronomy 1:6–8) The Command to Move On from Mount Horeb
“The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb, saying: You have dwelt long enough at this mountain. Turn and take your journey, and go to the mountains of the Amorites, to all the neighboring places in the plain, in the mountains and in the lowland, in the South and on the seacoast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the River Euphrates. See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them and their descendants after them.”
a. The LORD our God spoke to us in Horeb
This command recalls the moment in Numbers 10 when the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle and Israel departed from Mount Sinai. Horeb and Sinai are interchangeable names for the same mountain, the place where the Lord gave His covenant to Israel. Here, however, Moses records divine details not found in Numbers 10.
The phrase “The LORD our God” (Yehovah Eloheinu) sets the tone for Moses’ address and occurs nearly fifty times in Deuteronomy. It emphasizes covenant relationship and divine leadership. God was not a distant deity but the personal covenant Lord of Israel’s history, leading His people by command, provision, and promise. When the revelation at Sinai was complete and the covenant ratified, God immediately directed His people to Canaan.
b. You have dwelt long enough at this mountain
After one year at Mount Sinai, it was time to move forward. God did not redeem Israel from Egypt so they could camp forever beneath the mountain of the Law. The purpose of Sinai was instruction and covenant—not settlement. “You have dwelt long enough” reveals divine impatience with spiritual stagnation. They had learned what was necessary; now obedience was required.
This principle holds equally for believers today. There is a time for learning the foundations of faith, but we must not linger indefinitely in spiritual infancy. Galatians 3:24–25 declares, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Hebrews 12:18–24 contrasts Mount Sinai, representing the Law and fear, with Mount Zion, representing grace and fellowship with Christ. God never intended His people to live their spiritual lives camped at Sinai; He calls us to move forward in faith to possess the life of promise found in Christ.
The same warning applies to the church: spiritual comfort zones can become prisons of disobedience. When God says, “Move on,” it is time to trust His leading, even when the journey ahead appears uncertain.
c. Turn and take your journey... See, I have set the land before you
The command was accompanied by a vision of promise. God had set the land before them; all that remained was obedience. The Promised Land extended far beyond Israel’s later historical boundaries, reaching “as far as the great river, the River Euphrates.” Though David and Solomon’s kingdoms briefly extended influence that far (2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Kings 4:21), Israel never fully possessed it. Yet God’s covenant promise was clear and unconditional.
Verse 8 reinforces that this promise originated with the patriarchs: “See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them and to their descendants after them.” This covenantal oath, recorded in Genesis 15:18–21, Genesis 26:3–5, and Genesis 35:12, was gracious and permanent. Once God sealed His promise with an oath, it could not be revoked (Psalm 110:4; Romans 11:29).
The word “possess” appears eighteen times in Deuteronomy (1:8, 21, 39; 2:24; etc.), stressing that the land must be received through faithful conquest. Though God had given it, Israel had to claim it by obedience. Deuteronomy uses the word “land” nearly two hundred times, showing its centrality to God’s covenant plan.
Spiritually, the principle endures. God sets before every believer a “Promised Land” of inheritance in Christ—spiritual maturity, victory over sin, and fruitful service. These blessings are ours in promise, but they must be possessed in faith.
(Deuteronomy 1:9–18) When Moses Appointed Judges among Israel
“And I spoke to you at that time, saying: I alone am not able to bear you. The LORD your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as the stars of heaven in multitude. May the LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times more numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you! How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints? Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. And you answered me and said, ‘The thing which you have told us to do is good.’ So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes. Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the stranger who is with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s. The case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’ And I commanded you at that time all the things which you should do.”
a. I alone am not able to bear you
Moses recalls his crisis of leadership from Numbers 11. When the people complained about manna, Moses felt overwhelmed, saying, “I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me” (Numbers 11:14). In response, God commanded him to appoint seventy elders to share the load. These men were not political officials but spiritual leaders, appointed to bear the burden of the people’s welfare and to stand beside Moses.
Their ministry was threefold:
To stand with Moses in solidarity (Numbers 11:16).
To share the same Spirit as Moses (Numbers 11:17).
To bear the burden of leadership with him (Numbers 11:17).
This act was an early foreshadowing of biblical eldership within the church—a plurality of godly leaders sharing responsibility under divine authority.
b. Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men
Moses instructed the tribes to nominate men of integrity, discernment, and wisdom. Leadership in God’s community is not based on charisma, wealth, or tribal favoritism, but on proven character and godly understanding. The people’s approval confirmed Moses’ decision: “The thing which you have told us to do is good.”
Moses then appointed these men as “leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens.” This hierarchical structure ensured order, accountability, and accessibility in governance. Each leader handled matters appropriate to his level, while only the most difficult cases were brought to Moses.
c. Judge righteously... for the judgment is God’s
Moses commanded the newly appointed judges to render justice impartially: “You shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.” True justice recognizes no social status. Partiality, whether toward the rich or poor, is an affront to God’s holiness. As Leviticus 19:15 says, “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”
This principle carried into the New Testament: “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24). God alone is the ultimate Judge; human judges are merely His instruments. Therefore, they were to fear God, not man.
When difficult cases arose, Moses himself would hear them. This ensured that divine principles governed even the most complex matters. Deuteronomy 1:17–18 thus establishes the foundation for godly civil order and leadership accountability.
B. Moses Remembers When, in Unbelief, Israel Refused to Enter the Promised Land
(Deuteronomy 1:19–21) Moses Remembers His Exhortation to Israel at Kadesh Barnea
“So we departed from Horeb, and went through all that great and terrible wilderness which you saw on the way to the mountains of the Amorites, as the LORD our God had commanded us. Then we came to Kadesh Barnea. And I said to you, ‘You have come to the mountains of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us. Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the LORD God of your fathers has spoken to you; do not fear or be discouraged.’”
a. “Look, the LORD your God has set the land before you; go up and possess it”
After departing from Horeb, Israel crossed “that great and terrible wilderness” — an arid, desolate expanse characterized by harsh terrain and scarce resources. The people had witnessed God’s provision through manna, water, and guidance by the pillar of cloud and fire. Having seen His faithfulness through every obstacle, they now stood on the threshold of the Promised Land.
Moses reminded them that “the LORD your God has set the land before you.” The command was not merely to look but to go up and possess it. The land had already been given by divine decree; faith was the only remaining requirement. Just as salvation is freely offered yet must be received by faith, the inheritance of Canaan was theirs in promise but had to be claimed in obedience.
b. “Do not fear or be discouraged”
This was Israel’s defining moment. Barely a year had passed since leaving Egypt, and the people were poised to fulfill the promise first made to Abraham more than four centuries earlier. God’s exhortation revealed both His generosity and His awareness of their weakness. Fear and discouragement were the twin enemies of faith, and Moses urged them to resist both.
Faith and fear cannot coexist. The same God who delivered them from Egypt, parted the Red Sea, and sustained them in the wilderness now called them to trust Him once more. This remains the pattern of faith for believers today: past deliverances build confidence for present obedience.
(Deuteronomy 1:22–23) Moses Remembers Israel’s Suggestion to Send Forth Spies
“And every one of you came near to me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, and let them search out the land for us, and bring back word to us of the way by which we should go up, and of the cities into which we shall come.’ The plan pleased me well; so I took twelve of your men, one man from each tribe.”
a. “Let us send men before us”
The suggestion to send spies came from the people, not from God. They desired reconnaissance to evaluate the land’s accessibility and strength, even though the Lord had already guaranteed victory. Their request revealed a subtle but dangerous lack of trust in God’s word.
God had already declared that the land was good and that victory was assured. To seek verification was, in essence, to doubt divine testimony. Moses, looking back with regret, understood this act as the first step in a tragic chain of unbelief.
b. “The plan pleased me well”
Moses initially approved their suggestion, likely believing it to be a prudent military step. Yet hindsight revealed its folly. What began as a seemingly wise precaution became the seed of rebellion. When ten of the twelve spies returned with a fearful report, the people’s faith collapsed.
The narrative in Numbers 13:2 records God saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan.” However, Deuteronomy clarifies that the initiative originated with the people. God merely permitted it, commanding Moses to send twelve representatives—one from each tribe—so the entire nation would share in the responsibility. This ensured that unbelief could not be blamed on any one group.
c. God’s Sovereign Allowance
God sometimes permits human plans to proceed so that the consequences of unbelief may be fully exposed. By allowing Israel’s request, He revealed the depth of their distrust and set the stage for a new generation who would walk by faith, not fear.
(Deuteronomy 1:24–25) Moses Remembers the Journey and Report of the Spies
“And they departed and went up into the mountains, and came to the Valley of Eshcol, and spied it out. They also took some of the fruit of the land in their hands and brought it down to us; and they brought back word to us, saying, ‘It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us.’”
a. “They brought back word to us”
The twelve spies traveled northward into the hill country of Canaan and reached the Valley of Eshcol—literally, “the Valley of the Cluster.” There they cut down a massive cluster of grapes, so large it had to be carried on a pole between two men (Numbers 13:23). The region near Hebron, known even today for its fertile vineyards, testified to the richness of the land God had promised.
Upon returning, all twelve spies confirmed one truth: “It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us.” Even the faithless spies did not dispute the quality of the land. Their failure was not in observing the land but in evaluating it apart from faith.
b. “It is a good land which the LORD our God is giving us”
The phrase “a good land” appears ten times in Deuteronomy (1:25, 35; 3:25; 4:21–22; 6:18; 8:7, 10; 9:6; 11:17). Moses used it repeatedly to remind Israel of God’s generous provision. The goodness of the land was never in question; the issue was whether Israel would believe that God was able to deliver it into their hands.
The spies’ initial report was positive, but fear soon poisoned faith. Their later words—“The people who dwell in the land are strong... there we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the Nephilim)” (Numbers 13:28–33)—spread panic among the people. The mention of “Nephilim,” legendary giants of pre-flood renown, terrified them. Rather than focusing on God’s power, they fixated on human obstacles.
c. Moses’ Silence on the Evil Report
In this Deuteronomy passage, Moses omits the unbelieving spies’ negative report. It is as though the memory was too painful to recount. He chose instead to highlight the goodness of the land and the faithfulness of God, not the failure of the people. Moses’ selective memory underscores a spiritual principle: godly leadership focuses on divine promises, not human failures.
d. Application
The episode at Kadesh Barnea stands as a timeless warning. When God opens a door of opportunity, unbelief can close it. Israel’s failure to enter Canaan resulted in forty years of wandering. Likewise, believers today can forfeit spiritual blessings through fear, hesitation, and disobedience. As Hebrews reminds us, “So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:19).
Faith always moves forward; unbelief always looks back.
(Deuteronomy 1:26–33) Moses Remembers Israel’s Unbelieving Rejection of the Promised Land
“Nevertheless you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; and you complained in your tents, and said, ‘Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where can we go up? Our brethren have discouraged our hearts, saying, “The people are greater and taller than we; the cities are great and fortified up to heaven; moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.”’ Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them. The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went until you came to this place.’ Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God, who went in the way before you to search out a place for you to pitch your tents, to show you the way you should go, in the fire by night and in the cloud by day.”
a. “Nevertheless” — The Haunting Word of Rebellion
The word “Nevertheless” carries a chilling tone in this passage. It was the very word used by the ten unbelieving spies when they contradicted their own testimony in Numbers 13:28: “Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large.” The spies admitted that God’s promise was true—the land was indeed good and fruitful—but they refused to believe that the same God who delivered them from Egypt could also give them victory in Canaan.
The tragic irony is that they affirmed God’s truth with their lips but denied it in their hearts. Their “nevertheless” was a declaration of unbelief: “Despite everything we have seen God do, we do not trust Him for what lies ahead.”
This attitude is not confined to ancient Israel. Many Christians echo the same “nevertheless” today—acknowledging God’s faithfulness in the past yet hesitating to trust Him for future challenges. Such unbelief limits spiritual progress and robs believers of promised victory.
b. “You would not go up, but rebelled... and you complained in your tents”
Israel’s unbelief did not express itself through open defiance but through murmuring in their tents. Their rebellion was rooted in the heart. They whispered among themselves, spreading doubt and despair: “Because the LORD hates us, He has brought us out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites.”
What a grievous distortion of truth! The same God who redeemed them from bondage with mighty signs and wonders was now accused of hatred. This shows how unbelief corrupts one’s perception of God’s character.
Even today, many professing believers misinterpret God’s discipline or delay as evidence of His displeasure. Yet Scripture declares, “Whom the LORD loves He chastens” (Hebrews 12:6). Israel’s sin was not merely fear—it was the refusal to believe in God’s love and goodness.
i. The Root Problem: Not Persuaded of God’s Love
They could not trust a God they did not believe loved them. Their view of God’s intentions was poisoned by suspicion. Christians, too, must be firmly persuaded of God’s love if they are to walk confidently in faith.
The Apostle Paul writes, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). The cross of Christ is the unchangeable proof of God’s love. No circumstance, trial, or delay should ever cause a believer to question it.
We do not wait for God to meet every desire before we trust Him—that is the selfish attitude of spiritual immaturity. Mature faith rests in the knowledge that God’s love is unchanging, even when His ways are not fully understood.
c. “The LORD your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you”
Moses’ appeal to the people was grounded in remembrance: “according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes.” The same God who crushed Pharaoh’s armies and split the Red Sea had promised to fight for them again. The past was a guarantee of the future.
Moses described God’s care in deeply personal terms: “The LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son.” This metaphor conveys tender protection, strength, and fatherly love. God had not only delivered Israel from slavery, but He had sustained them through the wilderness—providing food, water, and direction. Every step of the way, He had “gone before them,” guiding them by the cloud by day and fire by night.
i. The Danger of Forgetting God’s Faithfulness
Satan’s strategy often mirrors what occurred at Kadesh Barnea. He seeks to make God’s people forget what they should remember—His past faithfulness—and remember what they should forget—their failures and fears. Forgetting God’s power leads to fear; remembering His power fuels faith.
David understood this principle when he faced Goliath: “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). Faith builds upon the memory of God’s past victories.
d. “Yet, for all that, you did not believe the LORD your God”
This is the saddest sentence in the passage. Despite overwhelming evidence of God’s presence, power, and provision, Israel refused to believe. It was not sin itself that kept them out of the Promised Land—it was unbelief. Sin could be forgiven through sacrifice, but unbelief closes the door of blessing.
i. The True Barrier to Progress
Believers often think that it is some particular sin that hinders their spiritual growth. While sin must be confessed and forsaken, the deeper issue is unbelief. Faith enables repentance and obedience; unbelief paralyzes both.
Israel’s failure at Kadesh Barnea stands as a solemn warning to all generations. The writer of Hebrews reflects on this event, saying:
“So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” (Hebrews 3:19)
The solution to unbelief is not more effort, but deeper trust. Faith grows as we meditate upon the faithfulness and love of God. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Summary of Key Lessons
Faith Obeys in Spite of Fear: Israel’s unbelief turned opportunity into tragedy. God’s promises require trust, not inspection.
Unbelief Distorts God’s Character: They accused God of hatred when He had only shown love.
Memory Strengthens Faith: Forgetting past victories leads to future defeat.
The Real Barrier Is Unbelief: Sin can be cleansed, but doubt of God’s goodness prevents obedience.
The Fear and Exaggeration of Israel’s Unbelief
a. Exaggeration Born from Fear
When the spies returned from Canaan, fear distorted their perception of reality. They declared that the cities were “great and fortified up to heaven” (Deuteronomy 1:28), an obvious exaggeration born of panic. In their terror, they magnified the strength of their enemies and minimized the power of their God. Fear always enlarges the enemy and shrinks faith.
The spies’ report described the land’s inhabitants as “greater and taller than we” and mentioned the dreaded Anakim—descendants of a race of giants that caused the people’s hearts to melt. The reference to Anakim (literally “long-necked ones”) connected directly to the Nephilim mentioned in Numbers 13:32–33:
“There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”
This fearsome description paralyzed Israel. Though the land was indeed good and fruitful, their faith collapsed at the mention of these giants. In unbelief, they concluded that both they and God were incapable of victory.
b. Post-Flood Nephilim and the Ancient Giants
Scripture traces the presence of giant clans throughout Canaan’s early history, confirming that the spies’ fears had a real—though exaggerated—basis. The descendants of the Nephilim after the Flood appear under various names:
Rephaim – powerful ancient giants of Canaan (Genesis 14–15).
Emim – a strong people who once inhabited Moab (Deuteronomy 2:10–11).
Zamzummim – a giant race defeated by the Ammonites (Deuteronomy 2:20–21).
Horim – early inhabitants of Seir, later displaced by Esau’s descendants (Deuteronomy 2:12).
Anakim – descendants of Anak, encountered in Canaan (Numbers 13:33).
Og, King of Bashan – the last of the Rephaim, described as having a bed of iron over thirteen feet long (Deuteronomy 3:11; Joshua 12:4–5).
Goliath and his brothers – later Philistine giants from Gath (2 Samuel 21:16–22; 1 Chronicles 20:4–8).
Even Psalm 22:12, prophetically describing Messiah’s suffering, refers to “the strong bulls of Bashan”, which many scholars interpret as a metaphorical allusion to these ancient enemies—spiritual or physical—who opposed the purposes of God.
These giant clans represented more than physical adversaries; they symbolized the enduring satanic opposition to God’s redemptive plan through the line of Israel. The fear they inspired served as a recurring test of faith across generations.
c. The Stratagems of Satan in History
Israel’s confrontation with the Anakim fits within a broader pattern of satanic opposition against God’s covenant people. Throughout Scripture, Satan repeatedly sought to thwart the line through which the Messiah would come.
Corruption of Adam’s line – The pre-flood rebellion of the “sons of God” in Genesis 6, producing the Nephilim, was Satan’s attempt to pollute the human bloodline.
Attacks on Abraham’s seed – Pharaoh’s abduction of Sarah (Genesis 12; 20) and the famine in Canaan (Genesis 50) were designed to destroy the covenant line.
Pharaoh’s decree – The mass killing of Hebrew males (Exodus 1) and his pursuit at the Red Sea (Exodus 14) were direct assaults against the promised deliverer.
Canaan’s corruption – The giants’ occupation of the land was a satanic attempt to fill the Promised Land with monstrous hybrid bloodlines before Israel’s arrival (Genesis 12:6).
Attacks on David’s line – Jehoram’s slaughter of his brothers (2 Chronicles 21), Athaliah’s massacre of the royal seed (2 Chronicles 22), and Haman’s genocidal plot in Esther 3 were all aimed at preventing the birth of the Messiah.
In the New Testament, Satan continued this opposition: Joseph’s doubts about Mary (Matthew 1), Herod’s massacre of infants (Matthew 2), attempts to kill Christ at Nazareth (Luke 4), storms on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4; Luke 8), and finally the Cross itself—all were part of his futile effort to destroy the Redeemer. Revelation 12 summarizes this cosmic warfare, depicting the dragon’s rage against the “woman” (Israel) and her seed (Christ).
d. The Enigma of the Rephaim’s Land
A remarkable biblical and historical enigma links several key regions in modern geopolitics: the Golan Heights, Hebron, and the Gaza Strip. These areas correspond to the ancient strongholds where remnants of the Rephaim remained after Israel’s conquest. Joshua expelled most of them but failed to exterminate them completely (Joshua 15:14). These same regions—Hebron in Judah, Bashan in the northeast, and the coastal plains of Gaza—remain strategic and contested to this very day. The spiritual conflict underlying these locations seems to persist throughout history, underscoring the depth of the battle between God’s covenant purposes and satanic opposition.
e. Moses’ Response in Faith
In contrast to the people’s fear, Moses interpreted the same circumstances through the lens of faith. He did not deny the existence of powerful enemies, but he believed in a far greater power—God’s covenant faithfulness. The people, blinded by fear, accused God of hatred, but Moses reminded them that the Lord had carried them “as a man carries his son” (Deuteronomy 1:31).
The Israelites only needed to remember what they had already witnessed: God’s miraculous deliverance from Egypt, His provision in the wilderness, and His guiding presence in the pillar of cloud and fire. Ironically, Moses pointed out that God Himself had already “searched out” the way for them (verse 33). The Hebrew word translated “search out” (חָפַר, chaphar) is the same verb used in Numbers 13:2–25 for the spies’ reconnaissance of the land. God had already acted as the ultimate “spy” for Israel, going before them to prepare their way.
Where the people interpreted the facts through fear, Moses interpreted them through faith in the Word of God and the evidence of His past deliverance. Faith does not deny facts—it interprets them rightly.
f. The Fickleness of the Human Heart
The people’s refusal to believe, even after witnessing God’s power, reveals the instability of the human heart. A handful of “experts”—ten of the twelve spies—were enough to overturn the faith of an entire nation. This demonstrates how unbelief spreads rapidly when people elevate human opinion above divine revelation.
Moses’ retelling of this event is therefore a warning: faith must not rest on sight, emotion, or consensus, but upon the unchanging character of God. As the Apostle Paul later wrote, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)
C. Moses Remembers the Aftermath of Israel’s Rebellion at Kadesh Barnea
(Deuteronomy 1:34–40) Moses Remembers God’s Oath of Judgment against Unbelieving Israel
“And the LORD heard the sound of your words, and was angry, and took an oath, saying, ‘Surely not one of these men of this evil generation shall see that good land of which I swore to give to your fathers, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.’ The LORD was also angry with me for your sakes, saying, ‘Even you shall not go in there; Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it. Moreover your little ones and your children, who you say will be victims, who today have no knowledge of good and evil, they shall go in there; to them I will give it, and they shall possess it. But as for you, turn and take your journey into the wilderness by the Way of the Red Sea.’”
a. “Was angry, and took an oath”
When Israel’s unbelief reached its peak, God responded in righteous indignation and swore an irrevocable oath of judgment. This event is echoed in Psalm 95:11, where God declared, “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” Their sin was not one of ignorance, but of willful unbelief, despite overwhelming evidence of God’s faithfulness.
The Lord had sworn an oath to Abraham to give the land to his descendants (Deuteronomy 1:8), and His covenant promise remained unbroken. Yet He also swore here in judgment that this particular generation—an “evil generation” hardened by rebellion—would not enter that promise. This illustrates both the faithfulness and the holiness of God: His covenant cannot be annulled, but participation in its blessings depends upon obedience.
The text also underscores divine omniscience: though the people grumbled secretly “in their tents” (Deuteronomy 1:27), God heard their words. His knowledge extended beyond their public defiance to the private murmuring of their hearts.
b. “Except Caleb the son of Jephunneh”
Caleb and Joshua were the only two from that generation permitted to enter the land. Their faith distinguished them from the unbelieving multitude. Numbers 14:6–10 records that these two tore their clothes and pleaded with the people not to rebel, declaring, “If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us.”
God honored Caleb’s faithfulness with a specific inheritance: “to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he wholly followed the LORD.” This phrase, “wholly followed the LORD,” reappears in Joshua 14:8–9, where Caleb, now eighty-five years old, claimed Hebron as his inheritance. His perseverance became a model of wholehearted faith.
The contrast between Caleb and the rest of Israel demonstrates a timeless truth: faith always finds its reward, while unbelief forfeits blessing.
c. “Even you shall not go in there”
In a humbling acknowledgment, Moses includes himself among those barred from entering the Promised Land. Though his personal failure occurred later at Meribah (Numbers 20:1–13), where he struck the rock instead of speaking to it, the result was the same—he would not cross the Jordan.
The Hebrew phrase “with me also” (v. 37) emphasizes the emotional weight of this divine decree. Moses’ exclusion underscored the impartiality of God’s holiness: even His greatest servant was not above His discipline. The book of Deuteronomy later revisits this theme (Deuteronomy 3:26; 4:21), where Moses recalls, “The LORD was angry with me for your sakes.”
Moses’ inability to bring Israel into the land was not only disciplinary—it was symbolic. The Law, which Moses represented, could lead God’s people through the wilderness but could never bring them into the fullness of God’s rest. That role belonged to Joshua (Yehoshua, “The LORD saves”)—a clear foreshadowing of Yeshua (Jesus Christ), who alone brings believers into the true Promised Land of spiritual rest and victory (Hebrews 4:8–10).
d. “Joshua... he shall cause Israel to inherit it”
Joshua, Moses’ assistant since Exodus 24:13, was chosen to succeed him. God instructed Moses to encourage Joshua, for he would be the one to lead the new generation into their inheritance. Moses’ humility in commissioning his successor highlights a profound truth: the work of God never depends on one man. His purposes continue through successive generations of faithful servants.
Joshua’s leadership symbolized a transition from the Law to grace, from the wilderness of wandering to the land of promise. Just as Joshua’s name corresponds to Jesus in Hebrew, so Christ fulfills the typology—He is the one who brings believers into rest, victory, and inheritance.
e. “Moreover your little ones and your children... they shall possess it”
Israel’s chief excuse for unbelief at Kadesh Barnea was their fear for their children: “Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt? ... Our wives and children will become victims!” (Numbers 14:3). God’s response turned their excuse on its head: those very children would inherit the land, while the adults who claimed to protect them would perish in the wilderness.
God declared that the little ones—those who “had no knowledge of good and evil”—would be spared. This phrase establishes the principle of the age of accountability. According to Numbers 14:29, those twenty years old and upward were judged; those younger were permitted to live and inherit the land. This divine distinction assures us that God holds individuals accountable according to their capacity for moral understanding. Infants and young children, being innocent of deliberate unbelief, fall under God’s mercy.
As Spurgeon observed, “Anything, in fact, will serve as an excuse when the heart is bent on compromise.” The Israelites’ excuses fooled no one but themselves. God, who searches the heart, sees through every rationalization and self-justification.
(Deuteronomy 1:41–46) Moses Remembers Their Half-Hearted Repentance and Futile Invasion Attempt
“Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD; we will go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’ And when everyone of you had girded on his weapons of war, you were ready to go up into the mountain. And the LORD said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; lest you be defeated before your enemies.”’ So I spoke to you; yet you would not listen, but rebelled against the command of the LORD, and presumptuously went up into the mountain. And the Amorites who dwelt in that mountain came out against you and chased you as bees do, and drove you back from Seir to Hormah. Then you returned and wept before the LORD, but the LORD would not listen to your voice nor give ear to you. So you remained in Kadesh many days, according to the days that you spent there.”
a. “We have sinned against the LORD; we will go up and fight”
Upon hearing God’s decree of judgment, the Israelites confessed, but their repentance was shallow. Their sorrow stemmed not from a broken heart over sin, but from regret over the consequences. Determined to fix their mistake in their own strength, they decided to go up and fight, despite God’s command not to.
True repentance produces obedience; false repentance leads to self-willed action. God had withdrawn His presence, and their attempt to enter the land without Him was doomed to failure.
b. “You would not listen, but rebelled... and presumptuously went up”
Their second rebellion mirrored the first. Initially, they refused to go forward because of unbelief; now they went forward presumptuously, without faith or divine guidance. Unbelief had matured into arrogance. They presumed that human effort could reverse divine judgment, revealing that they still did not grasp the seriousness of their sin.
Their defeat by the Amorites was swift and humiliating. The enemy “chased them as bees do” —a vivid metaphor for relentless pursuit and painful defeat. Without God’s presence, their strength was as nothing.
c. “Then you returned and wept before the LORD”
Their tears came too late. God’s judgment had already been decreed. As Numbers 14:40–45 records, the Israelites’ weeping was emotional but not spiritual. They mourned the consequences of sin, not the offense itself. This was the same kind of grief later condemned in 2 Corinthians 7:10: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation... but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
The Lord refused to hear their cry, for repentance after rebellion, without a change of heart, is only remorse. Their weeping did not move the God they had scorned in unbelief.
d. The Lessons of Kadesh Barnea
God’s Omniscience: He heard their secret murmuring and judged it.
God’s Omnipotence: His oath of judgment was unbreakable, just as His oath of promise was irrevocable.
The Covenant Remains: The promise to Abraham stood firm; the unbelieving generation perished, but the covenant would continue through their children.
True Obedience Requires Faith: Both cowardly inaction and presumptuous action are forms of rebellion.
The Age of Accountability: Those who had “no knowledge of good and evil” were shown mercy—a profound insight into God’s righteousness and compassion.
