1Hear, Israel: you are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky.2The people are strong and tall – Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: ‘Who can stand up against the Anakites?’3But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.4After the Lord your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.’ No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you.5It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.6Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.
The golden calf
7Remember this and never forget how you aroused the anger of the Lord your God in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the Lord.8At Horeb you aroused the Lord’s wrath so that he was angry enough to destroy you.9When I went up on the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant that the Lord had made with you, I stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.10The Lord gave me two stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God. On them were all the commandments the Lord proclaimed to you on the mountain out of the fire, on the day of the assembly.11At the end of the forty days and forty nights, the Lord gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant.12Then the Lord told me, ‘Go down from here at once, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned away quickly from what I commanded them and have made an idol for themselves.’13And the Lord said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and they are a stiff-necked people indeed!14Let me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make you into a nation stronger and more numerous than they.’15So I turned and went down from the mountain while it was ablaze with fire. And the two tablets of the covenant were in my hands.16When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the Lord your God; you had made for yourselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the Lord had commanded you.17So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them to pieces before your eyes.18Then once again I fell prostrate before the Lord for forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water, because of all the sin you had committed, doing what was evil in the Lord’s sight and so arousing his anger.19I feared the anger and wrath of the Lord, for he was angry enough with you to destroy you. But again the Lord listened to me.20And the Lord was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I prayed for Aaron too.21Also I took that sinful thing of yours, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust and threw the dust into a stream that flowed down the mountain.22You also made the Lord angry at Taberah, at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah.23And when the Lord sent you out from Kadesh Barnea, he said, ‘Go up and take possession of the land I have given you.’ But you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God. You did not trust him or obey him.24You have been rebellious against the Lord ever since I have known you.25I lay prostrate before the Lord those forty days and forty nights because the Lord had said he would destroy you.26I prayed to the Lord and said, ‘Sovereign Lord, do not destroy your people, your own inheritance that you redeemed by your great power and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.27Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Overlook the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin.28Otherwise, the country from which you brought us will say, “Because the Lord was not able to take them into the land he had promised them, and because he hated them, he brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.”29But they are your people, your inheritance that you brought out by your great power and your outstretched arm.’
1Israel, listen to me. You are now about to go across the River Jordan. You will take over the land of the nations that live there. Those nations are greater and stronger than you are. Their large cities have walls that reach up to the sky.2The people who live there are Anakites. They are strong and tall. You know all about them. You have heard people say, ‘Who can stand up against the Anakites?’3But today you can be sure the LORD your God will go over there ahead of you. He is like a fire that will burn them up. He’ll destroy them. He’ll bring them under your control. You will drive them out. You will put an end to them quickly, just as the LORD has promised you.4The LORD your God will drive them out to make room for you. When he does, don’t say to yourself, ‘The LORD has done it because I am godly. That’s why he brought me here to take over this land.’ That isn’t true. The LORD is going to drive out those nations to make room for you because they are very evil.5You are not going in to take over their land because you have done what is right or honest. It’s because those nations are so evil. That’s why the LORD your God will drive them out to make room for you. He will do what he said he would do. He made a promise to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.6The LORD your God is giving you this good land to take as your own. But you must understand that it isn’t because you are a godly nation. In fact, you are stubborn.
Israel worshipped the golden calf
7Here is something you must remember. Never forget it. You made the LORD your God angry in the desert. You refused to obey him from the day you left Egypt until you arrived here.8At Mount Horeb you made the LORD angry enough to destroy you.9I went up the mountain. I went there to receive the tablets of the covenant law. They were made out of stone. It was the covenant the LORD had made with you. I stayed on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. I didn’t eat any food or drink any water.10The LORD gave me two stone tablets. The words on them were written by the finger of God. All the commandments the LORD gave you were written on the tablets. He announced them to you out of the fire on the mountain. He wrote them on the day you gathered together there.11The 40 days and 40 nights came to an end. Then the LORD gave me the two stone tablets. They were the tablets of the covenant law.12The LORD told me, ‘Go down from here right away. The people you brought out of Egypt have become very sinful. They have quickly turned away from what I commanded them. They have made a statue of a god for themselves.’13The LORD also said to me, ‘I have seen these people. They are so stubborn!14Do not try to stop me. I am going to destroy them. I will wipe them out from the earth. Then I will make you into a great nation. Your people will be stronger than they were. There will be more of you than there were of them.’15So I turned and went down the mountain. It was blazing with fire. I was carrying the two tablets of the covenant law.16When I looked, I saw that you had sinned against the LORD your God. You had made for yourselves a metal statue of a god. It looked like a calf. You had quickly turned away from the path the LORD had commanded you to follow.17So I threw the two tablets out of my hands. You watched them break into pieces.18Then once again I fell down flat in front of the LORD with my face towards the ground. I lay there for 40 days and 40 nights. I didn’t eat any food or drink any water. You had committed a terrible sin. You had done an evil thing in the LORD’s sight. You had made him angry.19I was afraid of the LORD’s great anger. He was so angry with you he wanted to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me again.20And he was so angry with Aaron he wanted to destroy him too. But at that time I prayed for Aaron.21I also got that sinful calf you had made. I burned it in the fire. I crushed it and ground it into fine powder. Then I threw the powder into a stream that was flowing down the mountain.22You also made the LORD angry at Taberah, Massah and Kibroth Hattaavah.23The LORD sent you out from Kadesh Barnea. He said, ‘Go up and take over the land I have given you.’ But you refused to do what the LORD your God had commanded you to do. You didn’t trust him or obey him.24You have been refusing to obey the LORD as long as I’ve known you.25I lay down in front of the LORD with my face towards the ground for 40 days and 40 nights. I did it because the LORD had said he would destroy you.26I prayed to him. ‘LORD and King,’ I said, ‘don’t destroy your people. They belong to you. You set them free by your great power. You used your mighty hand to bring them out of Egypt.27Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Forgive the Israelites for being so stubborn. Don’t judge them for the evil and sinful things they’ve done.28If you do, the Egyptians will say, “The LORD wasn’t able to take them into the land he had promised to give them. He hated them. So he brought them out of Egypt to put them to death in the desert.”29But they are your people. They belong to you. You used your great power to bring them out of Egypt. You reached out your mighty arm and saved them.’
Die Gabe des Landes: Ergebnis von Gottes, nicht von Israels Treue
1Höre, Israel! Du gehst heute über den Jordan, um hineinzuziehen, ⟨das Land von⟩ Nationen in Besitz zu nehmen, ⟨die⟩ größer und stärker ⟨sind⟩ als du, Städte, groß und bis an den Himmel befestigt, (Ex 32:1; Nu 33:51; De 4:1; De 4:38; De 7:1; Jos 1:11)2ein großes und hochgewachsenes Volk, die Söhne der Enakiter, die du kennst und von denen du gehört hast: Wer kann vor den Söhnen Enak bestehen? (De 1:28; Jos 11:21; Am 2:9)3So erkenne denn heute, dass der HERR, dein Gott, es ist, der vor dir her hinübergeht als ein verzehrendes Feuer. Er selbst wird sie vernichten und er selbst wird sie vor dir demütigen. Und du wirst sie vertreiben und sie schnell umkommen lassen, so wie der HERR zu dir geredet hat. (Ex 23:23; De 4:24; De 7:1; De 7:22; De 20:1; Jos 3:11; Jos 11:8; Jos 14:12; Jud 4:14)4Wenn der HERR, dein Gott, sie vor dir hinausstößt, sprich nicht in deinem Herzen: Wegen meiner Gerechtigkeit hat der HERR mich ⟨hierher⟩ gebracht, um dieses Land in Besitz zu nehmen. Denn wegen der Gottlosigkeit dieser Nationen wird der HERR sie vor dir vertreiben. (Ge 15:16; Le 18:24; De 18:12; Ro 10:6)5Nicht wegen deiner Gerechtigkeit und der Aufrichtigkeit deines Herzens kommst du hinein, um ihr Land in Besitz zu nehmen. Sondern wegen der Gottlosigkeit dieser Nationen vertreibt der HERR, dein Gott, sie vor dir und damit er das Wort aufrechterhält, das der HERR deinen Vätern, Abraham, Isaak und Jakob, geschworen hat. (Ge 15:16; Le 18:24; De 1:8; De 18:12; Eze 36:22)6So erkenne denn, dass nicht wegen deiner Gerechtigkeit der HERR, dein Gott, dir dieses gute Land gibt, es in Besitz zu nehmen! Denn ein halsstarriges Volk bist du. (De 3:18; De 9:24; De 10:16; Ps 78:8)
Bundesbruch und Bundeserneuerung am Horeb
7Denke daran, vergiss nicht, wie du den HERRN, deinen Gott, in der Wüste erzürnt hast! Von dem Tag an, als du aus dem Land Ägypten herausgezogen bist, bis ihr an diesen Ort kamt, seid ihr widerspenstig gegen den HERRN gewesen. (De 31:27; Ps 78:40; Jer 44:9; Eze 20:13)8Und am Horeb erzürntet ihr den HERRN, und der HERR ergrimmte über euch, sodass er euch vernichten wollte. (De 1:6; De 9:19; Ps 106:19; Heb 12:21)9Als ich auf den Berg gestiegen war, um die steinernen Tafeln zu empfangen, die Tafeln des Bundes, den der HERR mit euch geschlossen hatte, da blieb ich vierzig Tage und vierzig Nächte auf dem Berg – Brot aß ich nicht, und Wasser trank ich nicht –, (Lu 4:1)10und der HERR gab mir die beiden steinernen Tafeln, beschrieben mit dem Finger Gottes. Auf ihnen standen all die Worte[1], die der HERR auf dem Berg mitten aus dem Feuer mit euch geredet hatte am Tag der Versammlung. (De 4:12; De 10:4)11Und es geschah am Ende der vierzig Tage und vierzig Nächte, da gab mir der HERR die beiden steinernen Tafeln, die Tafeln des Bundes. (Ex 31:18)12Und der HERR sprach zu mir: Mache dich auf, steig schnell von hier hinab! Denn dein Volk, das du aus Ägypten herausgeführt hast, hat sich versündigt. Sie sind schnell von dem Weg abgewichen, den ich ihnen geboten habe; sie haben sich ein gegossenes Bild gemacht. (Ex 13:3; De 9:26)13Und der HERR sprach zu mir und sagte: Ich habe dieses Volk gesehen, und siehe, ein halsstarriges Volk ist es.14Lass mich[2], dass ich sie vernichte und ihren Namen unter dem Himmel auslösche! Dich aber will ich zu einer Nation machen, stärker und größer als sie. (De 32:26; Isa 48:19)15Da wandte ich mich und stieg vom Berg herab, die zwei Tafeln des Bundes in meinen beiden Händen, der Berg aber brannte mit Feuer. (De 5:23)16Und ich sah, und siehe, ihr hattet gegen den HERRN, euren Gott, gesündigt. Ihr hattet euch ein gegossenes Kalb gemacht. Ihr wart schnell von dem Weg abgewichen, den der HERR euch geboten hatte.17Da fasste ich die beiden Tafeln und warf sie aus meinen beiden Händen und zerbrach sie vor euren Augen.18Und ich warf mich vor dem HERRN nieder wie das erste Mal vierzig Tage und vierzig Nächte – Brot aß ich nicht, und Wasser trank ich nicht – wegen all eurer Sünden, die ihr begangen hattet, indem ihr tatet, was in den Augen des HERRN böse war, ihn zu reizen. (Ezr 10:6; Lu 4:1)19Denn ich fürchtete mich vor dem Zorn und dem Grimm, mit dem der HERR über euch erzürnt war, sodass er euch vernichten wollte. Und der HERR erhörte mich auch dieses Mal. (Ex 33:17; Nu 11:2; De 10:10; Ps 106:19; Heb 12:21)20Auch über Aaron zürnte der HERR sehr, sodass er ihn vernichten wollte. Und ich bat zu jener Zeit auch für Aaron.21Euer Sündenwerk[3] aber, das ihr gemacht hattet, das Kalb, nahm ich, verbrannte es mit Feuer und zerstieß es, indem ich es völlig zermalmte, bis es zu feinem Staub wurde. Und ich warf seinen Staub in den Bach, der vom Berg herabfließt. – (1Ki 15:13; 2Ch 34:7)22Auch bei Tabera und bei Massa und bei Kibrot-Hattaawa[4] erzürntet ihr den HERRN. – (Ex 17:2; Nu 11:1; Nu 11:4; De 33:8)23Und als der HERR euch aus Kadesch-Barnea sandte und sprach: Zieht hinauf und nehmt das Land in Besitz, das ich euch gegeben habe! – da wart ihr widerspenstig gegen den Befehl des HERRN, eures Gottes, und ihr glaubtet ihm nicht und gehorchtet seiner Stimme nicht. (Nu 14:1; De 1:2; Heb 3:9)24Widerspenstige seid ihr gegen den HERRN gewesen von dem Tag an, da ich euch kenne. (Nu 32:14; Isa 48:8; Jer 4:17; Eze 20:8; Ac 7:51)25Und ich warf mich vor dem HERRN nieder die vierzig Tage und die vierzig Nächte, die ich dalag[5]. Denn der HERR hatte gesagt, dass er euch vernichten wollte. (Ex 34:28)26Und ich betete zum HERRN und sprach: Herr, HERR! Vernichte nicht dein Volk und dein Erbteil, das du durch deine Größe erlöst, das du mit starker Hand aus Ägypten herausgeführt hast! (Nu 14:13; De 9:12; Ps 57:1; Ps 74:2)27Denke an deine Knechte, Abraham, Isaak und Jakob! Kehre dich nicht an die Verstocktheit dieses Volkes und an seine Gottlosigkeit und an seine Sünde, (Le 26:42; Ps 130:3)28damit das Land, aus dem du uns herausgeführt hast, nicht sagt: Weil der HERR nicht imstande war, sie in das Land zu bringen, von dem er zu ihnen geredet hatte, und weil er sie hasste, hat er sie herausgeführt, um sie in der Wüste sterben zu lassen! (Nu 14:16; De 1:27; De 32:27; Jos 7:9; Eze 20:9)29Sie sind ja dein Volk und dein Erbteil, das du herausgeführt hast mit deiner großen Kraft und mit deinem ausgestreckten Arm. (Ex 6:6; Ex 19:5; Ex 33:13; De 9:12; De 32:9; 1Ki 8:51; Ne 1:10; Isa 11:11; Isa 64:8)