דברים 9

1 שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן לָבֹא לָרֶשֶׁת גּוֹיִם גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִמֶּךָּ עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וּבְצֻרֹת בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃

Sh'ma ·Hear obey·, Israel [God prevails]! You are to pass over the Jordan [Descender] today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to the sky,

2 עַֽם־גָּדוֹל וָרָם בְּנֵי עֲנָקִים אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ וְאַתָּה שָׁמַעְתָּ מִי יִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי עֲנָֽק׃

a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have sh'ma ·heard obeyed· it said, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?”

3 וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם כִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הֽוּא־הָעֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹֽכְלָה הוּא יַשְׁמִידֵם וְהוּא יַכְנִיעֵם לְפָנֶיךָ וְהֽוֹרַשְׁתָּם וְהַֽאֲבַדְתָּם מַהֵר כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה לָֽךְ׃

Know therefore today, that Adonai your God is he who goes over before you as a devouring fire. He will destroy them, and he will bring them down before you. So you shall drive them out, and make them perish quickly, as Adonai has spoken to you.

4 אַל־תֹּאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ בַּהֲדֹף יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹתָם ׀ מִלְּפָנֶיךָ לֵאמֹר בְּצִדְקָתִי הֱבִיאַנִי יְהֹוָה לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּבְרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה יְהֹוָה מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃

Don’t say in your heart, after Adonai your God has thrust them out from before you, saying, “For my righteousness Adonai has brought me in to possess this land;” because Adonai drives them out before you because of the wickedness of these nations.

5 לֹא בְצִדְקָתְךָ וּבְיֹשֶׁר לְבָבְךָ אַתָּה בָא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת־אַרְצָם כִּי בְּרִשְׁעַת ׀ הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן הָקִים אֶת־הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהֹוָה לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב׃

Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Adonai your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which Adonai swore to your fathers, to Abraham [Father of a multitude], to Isaac [Laughter], and to Jacob [Supplanter].

6 וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי לֹא בְצִדְקָֽתְךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת לְרִשְׁתָּהּ כִּי עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹרֶף אָֽתָּה׃

Know therefore, that Adonai your God does not give you this good land to possess for your righteousness; for you are a stiff-necked people.

7 זְכֹר אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח אֵת אֲשֶׁר־הִקְצַפְתָּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּמִּדְבָּר לְמִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר־יָצָאתָ ׀ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַד־בֹּֽאֲכֶם עַד־הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם עִם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

Remember, and don’t forget, how you provoked Adonai your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day that you left the land of Egypt [Abode of slavery], until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against Adonai.

8 וּבְחֹרֵב הִקְצַפְתֶּם אֶת־יְהֹוָה וַיִּתְאַנַּף יְהֹוָה בָּכֶם לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶֽם׃

Also in Horeb [Desert] you provoked Adonai to wrath, and Adonai was angry with you to destroy you.

9 בַּעֲלֹתִי הָהָרָה לָקַחַת לוּחֹת הָֽאֲבָנִים לוּחֹת הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַת יְהֹוָה עִמָּכֶם וָאֵשֵׁב בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתִֽיתִי׃

When I had gone up onto the mountain to receive the stone tablets, even the tablets of the covenant which Adonai made with you, then I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water.

10 וַיִּתֵּן יְהֹוָה אֵלַי אֶת־שְׁנֵי לוּחֹת הָֽאֲבָנִים כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים וַעֲלֵיהֶם כְּֽכׇל־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ בְּיוֹם הַקָּהָֽל׃

Adonai delivered to me the two stone tablets written with God’s finger. On them were all the words which Adonai spoke with you on the mountain out of the middle of the fire in the day of the assembly.

11 וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה נָתַן יְהֹוָה אֵלַי אֶת־שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת הָאֲבָנִים לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִֽית׃

It came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Adonai gave me the two stone tablets, even the tablets of the covenant.

12 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי קוּם רֵד מַהֵר מִזֶּה כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרָיִם סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם עָשׂוּ לָהֶם מַסֵּכָֽה׃

Adonai said to me, “Arise, get down quickly from here; for your people whom you have brought out of Egypt [Abode of slavery] have corrupted themselves. They have quickly turned aside out of the way which I enjoined them. They have made a molten image for themselves!”

13 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר רָאִיתִי אֶת־הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹרֶף הֽוּא׃

Furthermore Adonai spoke to me, saying, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

14 הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם וְאֶמְחֶה אֶת־שְׁמָם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה אֽוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי־עָצוּם וָרָב מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

Leave me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under the sky; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.”

15 וָאֵפֶן וָֽאֵרֵד מִן־הָהָר וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וּשְׁנֵי לוּחֹת הַבְּרִית עַל שְׁתֵּי יָדָֽי׃

So I turned and came down from the mountain, and the mountain was burning with fire. The two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.

16 וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַיהֹוָה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם עֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה סַרְתֶּם מַהֵר מִן־הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּה יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶֽם׃

I looked, and behold, you had sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)· against Adonai your God. You had made yourselves a molten calf. You had turned aside quickly out of the way which Adonai had enjoined you.

17 וָאֶתְפֹּשׂ בִּשְׁנֵי הַלֻּחֹת וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵם מֵעַל שְׁתֵּי יָדָי וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵם לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

I took hold of the two tablets, and threw them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes.

18 וָֽאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה כָּרִאשֹׁנָה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתִיתִי עַל כׇּל־חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר חֲטָאתֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לְהַכְעִיסֽוֹ׃

I fell down before Adonai, as at the first, forty days and forty nights. I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your habitual sins ·missing the marks· which you sinned ·deviated (from the standard goal)·, in doing that which was evil in Adonai’s sight, to provoke him to anger.

19 כִּי יָגֹרְתִּי מִפְּנֵי הָאַף וְהַחֵמָה אֲשֶׁר קָצַף יְהֹוָה עֲלֵיכֶם לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהֹוָה אֵלַי גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַהִֽוא׃

I was terrified that because of how angry Adonai was at you, of how heatedly displeased he was, that he would destroy you. But Adonai sh'ma ·heard obeyed· me that time too.

20 וּֽבְאַהֲרֹן הִתְאַנַּף יְהֹוָה מְאֹד לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ וָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּל גַּם־בְּעַד אַהֲרֹן בָּעֵת הַהִֽוא׃

Adonai was angry enough with Aaron [Light-bringer] to destroy him. I prayed for Aaron [Light-bringer] also at the same time.

21 וְֽאֶת־חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר־עֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת־הָעֵגֶל לָקַחְתִּי וָאֶשְׂרֹף אֹתוֹ ׀ בָּאֵשׁ וָאֶכֹּת אֹתוֹ טָחוֹן הֵיטֵב עַד אֲשֶׁר־דַּק לְעָפָר וָֽאַשְׁלִךְ אֶת־עֲפָרוֹ אֶל־הַנַּחַל הַיֹּרֵד מִן־הָהָֽר׃

I took your habitual sin ·missing the mark·, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire, and crushed it, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the brook that descended out of the mountain.

22 וּבְתַבְעֵרָה וּבְמַסָּה וּבְקִבְרֹת הַֽתַּאֲוָה מַקְצִפִים הֱיִיתֶם אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה׃

At Taberah, and at Massah [Testing], and at Kibroth Hattaavah, you provoked Adonai to wrath.

23 וּבִשְׁלֹחַ יְהֹוָה אֶתְכֶם מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ לֵאמֹר עֲלוּ וּרְשׁוּ אֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם וַתַּמְרוּ אֶת־פִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְלֹא הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם לוֹ וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקֹלֽוֹ׃

When Adonai sent you from Kadesh Barnea [Consecrated Son-inconstant], saying, “Go up and possess the land which I have given you,” you rebelled against the order of Adonai your God, and you didn’t trust him, nor sh'ma ·hear obey· his voice.

24 מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם עִם־יְהֹוָה מִיּוֹם דַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶֽם׃

You have been rebellious against Adonai from the day that I knew you.

25 וָֽאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה אֵת אַרְבָּעִים הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־אַרְבָּעִים הַלַּיְלָה אֲשֶׁר הִתְנַפָּלְתִּי כִּֽי־אָמַר יְהֹוָה לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶֽם׃

So I fell down before Adonai the forty days and forty nights that I fell down, because Adonai had said he would destroy you.

26 וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶל־יְהֹוָה וָאֹמַר אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה אַל־תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ בְּגׇדְלֶךָ אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּיָד חֲזָקָֽה׃

I prayed to Adonai, and said, “'Adonay Adonai [Lord Yahweh], don’t destroy your people and your inheritance, that you have redeemed through your greatness, that you have brought out of Egypt [Abode of slavery] with a mighty hand.

27 זְכֹר לַעֲבָדֶיךָ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹב אַל־תֵּפֶן אֶל־קְשִׁי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאֶל־רִשְׁעוֹ וְאֶל־חַטָּאתֽוֹ׃

Remember your servants, Abraham [Father of a multitude], Isaac [Laughter], and Jacob [Supplanter]. Don’t look at the stubbornness of this people, nor at their ethical wickedness, nor at their habitual sin ·missing the mark·,

28 פֶּן־יֹאמְרוּ הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָנוּ מִשָּׁם מִבְּלִי יְכֹלֶת יְהֹוָה לַהֲבִיאָם אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּר לָהֶם וּמִשִּׂנְאָתוֹ אוֹתָם הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲמִתָם בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

lest the land you brought us out from say, ‘Because Adonai was not able to bring them into the land which he promised to them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’

29 וְהֵם עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתֶךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדֹל וּבִֽזְרֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָֽה׃

Yet they are your people and your inheritance, which you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.”