New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Deuteronomy 1
1
These are the words Moses spoke to all of the people of Israel. At that time, they were in the desert east of the Jordan River. It's in the Arabah Valley across from Suph. They were between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth and Dizahab.
Reference
📍 Locations
2
It takes 11 days to go from Mount Horeb to Kadesh Barnea if you travel on the Mount Seir road.
Reference
📍 Mount Seir 1
3
It was now the 40th year since the people of Israel had left Egypt. On the first day of the 11th month, Moses spoke to them. He told them everything the Lord had commanded him to tell them.
Reference
Word
Numbers 33:38
4
They had already won the battle over Sihon. Sihon was the king of the Amorites. He had ruled in Heshbon. Israel had also won the battle over Og at Edrei. Og was the king of Bashan. He had ruled in Ashtaroth.
Reference
📍 Ashtaroth
Kingdom
Nehemiah 9:22
5
The people were east of the Jordan River in the territory of Moab. There Moses began to explain the law. Here is what he said.
6
The Lord our God spoke to us at Mount Horeb. He said, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain.
Reference
7
Take your tents down. Go into the hill country of the Amorites. Go to all of the people who are their neighbors. Go to the people who live in the Arabah Valley. Travel to the mountains and the western hills. Go to the people in the Negev Desert and along the coast. Travel to the land of Canaan and to Lebanon. Go as far as the great Euphrates River.
Reference
📍 Locations
8
"I have given you all of that land. Go in and take it as your own. I took an oath. I promised I would give the land to your fathers. I promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I also said I would give it to their children after them."
Reference
10
The Lord your God has increased your numbers. Today you are as many as the stars in the sky.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 32:13
Genesis 22:17
Genesis 15:5
Genesis 28:14
Nehemiah 9:23
Exodus 12:37
Numbers 1:46
References God
Deuteronomy 10:22
Deuteronomy 28:62
11
The Lord is the God of your people. May he increase your numbers a thousand times. May he bless you, just as he promised he would.
Reference
Blessing
Genesis 22:17
Genesis 26:4
Numbers 6:27
Genesis 49:25
Numbers 22:12
Parallel theme
Exodus 32:13
Genesis 15:5
References God
2 Samuel 24:3
References Lord
Psalm 115:14
1 Chronicles 21:3
12
But I can't handle your problems and troubles all by myself. I can't settle your arguments.
Reference
13
"So choose some wise men from each of your tribes. They must understand how to give good advice. The people must have respect for them. I will appoint those men to have authority over you."
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 18:21
14
You answered me, "Your suggestion is good."
15
So I took the leading men of your tribes who were wise and respected. I appointed them to have authority over you. I made them commanders of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. I appointed them to be officials over the tribes.
Reference
16
Here is what I commanded your judges at that time. I said, "Listen to your people's cases when they argue with one another. Judge them fairly. It doesn't matter whether the case is between fellow Israelites or between an Israelite and an outsider.
Reference
17
When you judge them, treat everyone the same. Listen to those who are important and those who are not. Don't be afraid of any man. God is the highest judge. Bring me any case that is too hard for you. I'll listen to it."
Reference
Judgment
Exodus 18:26
Deuteronomy 16:19
Proverbs 24:23
Leviticus 19:15
2 Chronicles 19:6
Exodus 18:22
Parallel theme
James 2:9
Proverbs 29:25
References God
1 Thessalonians 2:4
Deuteronomy 10:17
18
At that time I told you everything you should do.
19
The Lord our God commanded us to start out from Mount Horeb. So we did. We went toward the hill country of the Amorites. We traveled all through the huge and terrible desert you saw. Finally, we reached Kadesh Barnea.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 1:2
Deuteronomy 8:15
Deuteronomy 32:10
Numbers 13:26
Numbers 10:12
References Lord
Jeremiah 2:6
20
Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites. The Lord our God is giving it to us.
21
The Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take it. Do what the Lord says. He's the God of your people. Don't be afraid. Don't lose hope."
Reference
22
Then all of you came to me. You said, "Let's send some men ahead of us. They can check out the land for us and bring back a report. They can suggest to us which way to go. They can tell us about the towns we'll come to."
23
That seemed like a good idea to me. So I chose 12 of you. I picked one man from each tribe.
24
They left and went up into the hill country. There they came to the Valley of Eshcol. They checked it out.
25
They got some of the fruit of that land. They brought it down to us and gave us their report. They said, "The Lord our God is giving us a good land."
26
But you wouldn't go up. You refused to obey the command of the Lord your God.
27
You spoke against him in your tents. You said, "The Lord hates us. That's why he brought us out of Egypt to hand us over to the Amorites. He wanted to destroy us.
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 19:21
References Egypt
Numbers 21:5
References Lord
Deuteronomy 9:28
Psalm 106:25
Numbers 14:3
Exodus 16:8
Exodus 16:3
Matthew 25:24
28
Where can we go? The men who checked out the land have made us lose hope. They say, 'The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large. They have walls that reach up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.' "
Reference
29
Then I said to you, "Don't be terrified. Don't be afraid of them.
30
The Lord your God will go ahead of you. He will fight for you. With your own eyes you saw how he fought for you in Egypt.
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 8:37
References God
Nehemiah 4:20
Romans 8:31
Deuteronomy 3:22
Psalm 46:11
Joshua 10:42
2 Chronicles 32:8
References Lord
Exodus 14:14
31
"You also saw how the Lord your God brought you through the desert. He carried you everywhere you went, just as a father carries his son. And now you have arrived here."
Reference
33
He went ahead of you on your journey. He was in the fire at night and in the cloud during the day. He found places for you to camp. He showed you the way you should go.
Reference
34
The Lord heard what you said. So he became angry. He took an oath and made a promise. He said,
35
"I promised to give this good land to your people long ago. But not one of you evil men who are alive today will see it.
36
"Only Caleb will see the land. He is the son of Jephunneh. I will give him and his children after him the land he walked on. He followed me with his whole heart."
Reference
37
Because of you, the Lord became angry with me also. He said, "You will not enter the land either.
Reference
38
But Joshua, the son of Nun, is your helper. Joshua will enter the land. Help him to be brave. Give him hope. He will lead Israel to take the land as their own.
Reference
39
"You said your little ones would be taken prisoner. But they will enter the land. They do not know right from wrong yet. But I will give them the land. They will take it as their own.
Reference
40
As for you, turn around. Start out toward the desert. Go along the road that leads to the Red Sea."
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 14:25
41
Then you replied, "We have sinned against the Lord. We will go up and fight. We'll do just as the Lord our God has commanded us." So all of you got your swords and put them on. You thought it would be easy to go up into the hill country.
42
But the Lord spoke to me. He said, "Tell them, 'Do not go up and fight. I will not be with you. Your enemies will win the battle over you.' "
43
So I told you what the Lord said. But you wouldn't listen. You refused to obey his command. You were so filled with pride that you marched up into the hill country.
Reference
References Lord
Numbers 14:44
44
The Amorites who lived in those hills came out and attacked you. Like large numbers of bees they chased you. They beat you down from Seir all the way to Hormah.
Reference
45
You came back and sobbed in front of the Lord. But he didn't pay any attention to your sobs. He wouldn't listen to you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 12:17
Chapter Summary
Deuteronomy chapter 1 contains the final speeches of Moses to the children of Israel. The people have gathered on the east side of the Jordan in the land of Moab, preparing to enter Canaan, and Moses is reminding them of the events that transpired since they had set out from Mount Sinai. Much of the chapter deals with the failure of the previous generation to trust God when the time came to enter the Promised Land.
It begins with Moses stating the location and circumstances in which he delivers this address. Israel was situated in the wilderness near the Red Sea, having passed through all the places where the children of Israel had lain camp during their journey through the desert. The distance from Mount Horeb to Kadesh-barnea was not great enough to require several years to cover. God had told them to abandon Mount Horeb and head towards the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants.
Moses was reminding them that God had promised to give them this land and that they should go in possession of it. It was not a promise made for the first time, and He had vowed to give them the land of Canaan many years earlier. All they had to do was move forward and take possession of the land God had promised to give them.
He goes on to explain that it was too much for him to bear alone and that he had asked God to appoint officers over the people that would help him carry his responsibility as their leader. Moses told them that he could not bear the burden of Israel by himself, and so they had been divided into groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Officers had been chosen from the groups to help Moses and Aaron carry their burdens.
They had been told to judge between people based on what seemed right, not to show favoritism to the poor over the rich or the rich over the poor, and not to be afraid of anyone since judgment belonged to God. Cases that were too difficult for them to decide should be taken to Moses for judgment.
With this reminder, Israel set off from Horeb towards the hill country of the Amorites and reached Kadesh-barnea. Moses reminded them that this was the place where they had come close to entering the Promised Land.
Moses had told them to go up and possess the land, and they had agreed that they should send men ahead to explore Canaan. Twelve men were chosen from each tribe to go and see what kind of land it was.
The men went through the land and brought news from it, saying that it was a good land that God had promised to give them, but the people were afraid because the people who dwelt there were strong. Instead of believing the promise of God, they listened to the fearful report brought by the spies and refused to obey the command of Moses.
Moses reminded them that God had been with them even before, carrying them through the wilderness like a father carries his son. If God had done all this for them, why would they refuse to move forward because of the fear of the people living in the land?
They had complained in the tents that God had brought them out of Egypt because He hated them and would cast them off into the hands of the Amorites, and their fear had made them change their perception of God. They had forgotten that God had brought them out of Egypt and delivered them into the wilderness, but now they thought that if they went into Canaan it would destroy them.
Moses reminded them not to fear because God would go before them and fight for them as He had done in Egypt and during their journey through the wilderness. The Lord had provided for them and had led them through the cloud and fire.
Despite this reminder, they refused to believe that they would succeed and Moses told them that it was because they had seen God's works and had not believed Him.
God was angry with them and told Moses that the people who had seen His glory and miracles in Egypt would not be permitted to enter the Promised Land because they had rebelled against Him. Only Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, was to be permitted to enter the land because he had followed the Lord, and Joshua would also lead Israel into Canaan.
The children of those who had rebelled were told that they would inherit the land that their fathers had refused to take, and they would enter it once they had grown up. Moses reminded them of the anger of the Lord against him because of the people's actions and told them that Joshua would be their leader and would lead them into the land.
The chapter goes on to recount another failure of the children of Israel. After hearing of God's decree against them, the people decided that they would go up and fight, and Moses told them not to because God was not with them in this endeavor. They refused to heed his warning, and they went up into the hill country of the Amorites where they were defeated by the enemy and driven back like bees from Seir to Hormah.
The people returned and mourned before the Lord, and He told them not to present any more complaints to Him. They had remained in Kadesh for an extended period.
The chapter closes by recounting the tragic tale of God's displeasure with the people. They had failed to believe in Him when He had called them to enter the Promised Land and had refused to accept the promise He had made to give it to them. Now, when God told them that they would not be allowed to enter the land, they had rebelled against Him and tried to enter it on their own, and they were defeated.
Deuteronomy chapter 1 is significant because it serves both as a history lesson and as a warning to the new generation of children of Israel. Moses is reminding them of what happened to their fathers so that they will not do the same things and so that they will learn to place their trust in God. God had performed many great works before them and had provided for them in the wilderness, promising to lead them into the land of milk and honey. It was not the land that had prevented them from entering it, but rather their unbelief.
With all of this in mind, Moses is reminding the new generation of children of Israel that they are once again being commanded to go forth and take possession of the land of Canaan.
It begins with Moses stating the location and circumstances in which he delivers this address. Israel was situated in the wilderness near the Red Sea, having passed through all the places where the children of Israel had lain camp during their journey through the desert. The distance from Mount Horeb to Kadesh-barnea was not great enough to require several years to cover. God had told them to abandon Mount Horeb and head towards the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their descendants.
Moses was reminding them that God had promised to give them this land and that they should go in possession of it. It was not a promise made for the first time, and He had vowed to give them the land of Canaan many years earlier. All they had to do was move forward and take possession of the land God had promised to give them.
He goes on to explain that it was too much for him to bear alone and that he had asked God to appoint officers over the people that would help him carry his responsibility as their leader. Moses told them that he could not bear the burden of Israel by himself, and so they had been divided into groups of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Officers had been chosen from the groups to help Moses and Aaron carry their burdens.
They had been told to judge between people based on what seemed right, not to show favoritism to the poor over the rich or the rich over the poor, and not to be afraid of anyone since judgment belonged to God. Cases that were too difficult for them to decide should be taken to Moses for judgment.
With this reminder, Israel set off from Horeb towards the hill country of the Amorites and reached Kadesh-barnea. Moses reminded them that this was the place where they had come close to entering the Promised Land.
Moses had told them to go up and possess the land, and they had agreed that they should send men ahead to explore Canaan. Twelve men were chosen from each tribe to go and see what kind of land it was.
The men went through the land and brought news from it, saying that it was a good land that God had promised to give them, but the people were afraid because the people who dwelt there were strong. Instead of believing the promise of God, they listened to the fearful report brought by the spies and refused to obey the command of Moses.
Moses reminded them that God had been with them even before, carrying them through the wilderness like a father carries his son. If God had done all this for them, why would they refuse to move forward because of the fear of the people living in the land?
They had complained in the tents that God had brought them out of Egypt because He hated them and would cast them off into the hands of the Amorites, and their fear had made them change their perception of God. They had forgotten that God had brought them out of Egypt and delivered them into the wilderness, but now they thought that if they went into Canaan it would destroy them.
Moses reminded them not to fear because God would go before them and fight for them as He had done in Egypt and during their journey through the wilderness. The Lord had provided for them and had led them through the cloud and fire.
Despite this reminder, they refused to believe that they would succeed and Moses told them that it was because they had seen God's works and had not believed Him.
God was angry with them and told Moses that the people who had seen His glory and miracles in Egypt would not be permitted to enter the Promised Land because they had rebelled against Him. Only Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, was to be permitted to enter the land because he had followed the Lord, and Joshua would also lead Israel into Canaan.
The children of those who had rebelled were told that they would inherit the land that their fathers had refused to take, and they would enter it once they had grown up. Moses reminded them of the anger of the Lord against him because of the people's actions and told them that Joshua would be their leader and would lead them into the land.
The chapter goes on to recount another failure of the children of Israel. After hearing of God's decree against them, the people decided that they would go up and fight, and Moses told them not to because God was not with them in this endeavor. They refused to heed his warning, and they went up into the hill country of the Amorites where they were defeated by the enemy and driven back like bees from Seir to Hormah.
The people returned and mourned before the Lord, and He told them not to present any more complaints to Him. They had remained in Kadesh for an extended period.
The chapter closes by recounting the tragic tale of God's displeasure with the people. They had failed to believe in Him when He had called them to enter the Promised Land and had refused to accept the promise He had made to give it to them. Now, when God told them that they would not be allowed to enter the land, they had rebelled against Him and tried to enter it on their own, and they were defeated.
Deuteronomy chapter 1 is significant because it serves both as a history lesson and as a warning to the new generation of children of Israel. Moses is reminding them of what happened to their fathers so that they will not do the same things and so that they will learn to place their trust in God. God had performed many great works before them and had provided for them in the wilderness, promising to lead them into the land of milk and honey. It was not the land that had prevented them from entering it, but rather their unbelief.
With all of this in mind, Moses is reminding the new generation of children of Israel that they are once again being commanded to go forth and take possession of the land of Canaan.