Deuteronomy 9:5
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Original Language Analysis
לֹ֣א
H3808
לֹ֣א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
1 of 28
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
בְצִדְקָֽתְךָ֗
Not for thy righteousness
H6666
בְצִדְקָֽתְךָ֗
Not for thy righteousness
Strong's:
H6666
Word #:
2 of 28
rightness (abstractly), subjectively (rectitude), objectively (justice), morally (virtue) or figuratively (prosperity)
בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת׀
doth drive them out
H3423
בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת׀
doth drive them out
Strong's:
H3423
Word #:
7 of 28
to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
8 of 28
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
כִּ֞י
H3588
כִּ֞י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
10 of 28
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת׀
doth drive them out
H3423
בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת׀
doth drive them out
Strong's:
H3423
Word #:
11 of 28
to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish
הַגּוֹיִ֣ם
of these nations
H1471
הַגּוֹיִ֣ם
of these nations
Strong's:
H1471
Word #:
12 of 28
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
יְהוָה֙
the LORD
H3068
יְהוָה֙
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
14 of 28
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙
thy God
H430
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙
thy God
Strong's:
H430
Word #:
15 of 28
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of
מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ
from before
H6440
מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ
from before
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
17 of 28
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
וּלְמַ֜עַן
H4616
וּלְמַ֜עַן
Strong's:
H4616
Word #:
18 of 28
properly, heed, i.e., purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
הָקִ֣ים
thee and that he may perform
H6965
הָקִ֣ים
thee and that he may perform
Strong's:
H6965
Word #:
19 of 28
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
20 of 28
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
הַדָּבָ֗ר
the word
H1697
הַדָּבָ֗ר
the word
Strong's:
H1697
Word #:
21 of 28
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
22 of 28
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
נִשְׁבַּ֤ע
sware
H7650
נִשְׁבַּ֤ע
sware
Strong's:
H7650
Word #:
23 of 28
to seven oneself, i.e., swear (as if by repeating a declaration seven times)
יְהוָה֙
the LORD
H3068
יְהוָה֙
the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
24 of 28
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ
unto thy fathers
H1
לַֽאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ
unto thy fathers
Strong's:
H1
Word #:
25 of 28
father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
Cross References
Titus 3:5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;Genesis 26:4And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;Genesis 17:8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.Genesis 12:7And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.Genesis 13:15For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.Genesis 15:7And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.Exodus 32:13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.Genesis 28:13And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;Ezekiel 20:14But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.
Historical Context
God's covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:18-21; 17:1-8) promised land and descendants. God's oath to Isaac (Genesis 26:3-5) and Jacob (Genesis 28:13-15) renewed this promise. The Egyptian sojourn and exodus fulfilled part of the promise—deliverance and multiplication. The conquest would complete it—land possession. Throughout, Israel's unfaithfulness (golden calf, rebellion, murmuring) proved their unworthiness, yet God remained faithful. This pattern anticipates the New Covenant in Christ, secured entirely by God's faithfulness, not human merit.
Questions for Reflection
- How does understanding salvation as God's gracious work (not human merit) shape your confidence and humility?
- What does God's faithfulness to centuries-old promises teach about His covenant reliability?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Moses continues: 'Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land.' The doubled negation—'not for thy righteousness... not for uprightness'—emphatically refutes any merit-based claim. Instead, two reasons are given: God's judgment on Canaanite wickedness and God's faithfulness to patriarchal promises. The phrase 'perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' grounds the conquest in covenant faithfulness spanning centuries. God's character and promises, not Israel's worthiness, drive redemptive history.