Deuteronomy 1:37

37. Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes] The Heb. order is more emphatic, also with me was Jehovah angry—hith’annaph, peculiar in the Pent. to D, and to its passages in the Pl. address, here, Deu_4:21, Deu_9:8; Deu_9:20—for your sakes, bigelalekem. So in different terms Deu_3:26, was angry, yith‘abber, for your sakes, lema‘anekem; and Deu_4:21, hith’annaph and ’al dibrêkem.

Thou also shalt not go in thither] Heb. even thou or for thy part thou, etc.

Further Note to Deu_1:36-38. Because Moses has just been described as seeking to turn the people from their sin, Deu_1:29 ff., and it is therefore unreasonable to include him in their punishment; because Deu_1:37-38 needlessly anticipate Deu_3:26; Deu_3:28 and Deu_4:21; and because Deu_1:39 in whole or part follows suitably on Deu_1:36; therefore Deu_1:37-38 are taken by many (Dillm., W. R. Smith, Steuern., Berth, etc.) as a later addition to the text. And indeed the beginning of Deu_1:39 shows that the original has been disturbed by an editorial hand (see below). Steuern. would also omit Deu_1:36 on the ground that Kaleb has not been previously mentioned in this survey. But Kaleb is mentioned in JE on which this survey otherwise depends. In whatever way these textual questions may be decided, the parallel passages Deu_3:26 ff. and Deu_4:21 confirm the fact of a D tradition or statement that Jehovah was angry with Moses for the people’s sake. This can only mean, their guilt was great enough to include the very leader who had done his best to dissuade them from their disaffection! Now neither JE nor P gives any hint of so remarkable a judgement. On the contrary, P accounts for the exclusion of Moses by his own sin in striking the rock at Ḳadesh 37 years after this disaffection of Israel, Num_21:10 ff; Num_27:13 f.; Deu_32:50 f. The most reasonable explanation of such discrepancies is that they are discrepancies not of fact but or opinion. The earliest tradition, JE, merely held the facts that Kaleb survived and that Moses died on the eve of the possession of the Promised Land. The problem, which arose from this contrast of fortune, the deuteronomic writers solved by the statement that Moses was included in the guilt of the people when, startled by the report of the spies, they refused to invade Canaan from the S. in the second year of the wandering; and this agrees with the deuteronomic principle of the ethical solidarity of Israel. But the later priestly writer or writers, under the influence of the idea, first emphasized in the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel (Jer_31:29 f., Ezekiel 18), that every man died because of his own sin, found a solution for the problem in Moses’ own guilt in presumptuously striking the rock at Ḳadesh, 37 years later. In this double engagement, from two different standpoints, with so difficult a problem, note the strong evidence that the survival of Kaleb and the death of Moses before Israel’s entrance to the Land were regarded as irremoveable elements of the early tradition.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 1:37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.

Ver. 37. The Lord was angry with me.] The saint’s afflictions proceed oft from love displeased, from love offended. "Fury is not in God." {Isa 27:4}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1:37 God was angry with me because of you: In his frustration against rebellious Israel, Moses had disobeyed God by striking the rock rather than merely speaking to it (Num 20:10-13).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes--This statement seems to indicate that it was on this occasion Moses was condemned to share the fate of the people. But we know that it was several years afterwards that Moses betrayed an unhappy spirit of distrust at the waters of strife (Psa 106:32-33). This verse must be considered therefore as a parenthesis.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 37. The Lord was angry with me] See on Clarke "Nu 20:12", &c., where a particular account is given of the sin of Moses.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(37) Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes.—Here, again, Moses combines his own rejection. an event of the fortieth year of the exodus, with the rejection of the people in the second year. The reason was the same—unbelief. “Because ye believed me not” was the reason given to Moses in Num_20:12. “Ye did not believe the Lord your God” is the reason for the rejection of the people, given above in Deu_1:32. As the spies presumed to investigate the route and order of the conquest, a matter of Divine guidance, so Moses presumed to alter the prescribed order for the miracle in Kadesh. Like transgressions incurred like penalties. The fault for which the people had suffered could not be overlooked in the leader. (See also Notes on Deu_3:23-28; Deu_32:49.) This and Deu_1:38 should be taken as a parenthesis.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes,.... Not at the same time, though, as some think, at the same place, near thirty eight years afterwards, they provoking him to speak unadvisedly with his lips; see Num 20:10,

saying, thou shalt not go in thither: into the land of Canaan; and though he greatly importuned it, he could not prevail; see Deu 3:25.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The sentence on Moses was not passed when the people rebelled during their first encampment at Kadesh, but some 37 years later, when they had re-assembled in the same neighborhood at Meribah (see the Num 20:13 note). He alludes to it here as having happened not many months previously, bearing on the facts which were for his purpose in pricking the conscience of the people.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Neither, &c. Hebrew simply, "The Lord was also angry with me on your account," &c. Moses had been so long witness to the rebellions of the Hebrews, that at last he gave way to a certain diffidence, when he was ordered by God to give them water out of the rock. He was afraid the Lord would not bear any longer with their repeated acts of ingratitude, nor work a miracle on this occasion, chap. iii. 26., and Numbers xx. 12. (Haydock) --- He had also consented to the sending of the 12 spies imprudently. (Du Hamel) (Ver. 23.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

For your sakes; upon occasion of your wickedness and perverseness, by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly, Psa 106:32,33.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

37. Also the Lord was angry with me for your sakes — The occasion here referred to was during the second stay at Kadesh. Looking back over the forty years of wandering, after speaking of the rebellion of the people which excluded them from entering the land, how natural that Moses should also mention the occasion of his own exclusion. “Moses,” says Keil, “did not intend to teach the people history and chronology, but to set before them the holiness of the judgments of God.” By using the expression for your sakes we are not to understand that he seeks to exculpate himself, for in Deu_32:48-51, his sin is related. Compare Psa_106:32-33 : “They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sake: because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Lord was angry with me also for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither. This must be regarded as parenthetical, for what he here refers to in regard to himself occurred, not at the time of the rebellion at Kadesh, but at the time of the second arrival of the people at that place, many years later. This parenthetical reference to himself was probably thrown in by Moses for the purpose of preparing for what he was about to say respecting Joshua, in whom the people were to find a leader after he himself was gone. It may be noted also that Moses distinguishes between the anger of the Lord against him, and the wrath which broke forth upon the people a distinction which is aptly preserved in the Authorized Version by the words "was wroth" (pxq;) and "was angry" (pna). For your sakes; rather, because of you, on accent of you. The Hebrew word (llg) comes from a root meaning to roll, and signifies primarily a turn in events, a circumstance, an occasion or reason. Moses reminds the Israelites that the misconduct of the people was what led to God"s being angry also with him. (see Num_20:7, etc.; comp. Psa_106:32, Psa_106:33)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For your sakes - Upon occasion of your wickedness and perverseness, by which you provoked me to speak unadvisedly.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Moses continues reminding the people of Israel what the previous generation of Israelites did.

Yahweh was angry with me because of you

This refers to when Moses disobeyed what Yahweh told him to do because Moses was angry with the people of Israel. (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Nun

This is the name of Joshua's father. (See: How to Translate Names)

who stands before you

Why Joshua stands before Moses can be stated clearly. AT: "who stands before you as your servant" or "who helps you" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

Yahweh

anger

Joshua

courage

Israel

inherit

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

התאנף means HE WAS FILLED WITH ANGER.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

ALSO THE ETERNAL WAS ANGRY WITH ME, FOR YOUR SAKES. He is stating: “Behold, the sin you committed then in the affair of the spies withheld from you the good Land, and yet you continued to sin another time [i.e., at the waters of Meribah] until you prevented me as well, from crossing [the Jordan].” For Moses wanted to mention simultaneously that the punishment of all who were prevented from passing into the Land, was caused by their sins. Also in order to mention here the matter of Joshua, that he would cross over because he followed G-d wholeheartedly as did his colleague [Caleb], and, therefore, he will yet deserve to cause the second generation to inherit the Land, because Moses was punished and it was decreed upon him that he was not to cross [the Jordan]. Thus Moses mentioned the whole affair [of the spies] except for the death by plague of the spies themselves., Verse 37. Nor did he mention the slander [of the spies that the Land eateth up the inhabitants thereof], for he would not speak of the shame of individuals. Instead he reproved the multitude all of whom sinned and all of whom were punished.The meaning of the expression for your sakes [Also the Eternal was angry with me, ‘for your sakes’] is that the children of Israel strove with the Eternal etc., 20:13. [at the waters of Meribah], and all this happened because of your quarrel. Or [the expression for your sakes] may allude to the fact that the anger [of G-d] with Moses and Aaron was because — when they hit the rock twice, Verse 11. in front of the people [instead of speaking to it] and did not do as they were commanded — the people were critical of it., Verse 1 (towards end). This is the purport of His words, because ye sanctified Me not in the midst of the children of Israel, meaning that the punishment came [not because the sin itself was so grievous, but] because it happened in the midst of the children of Israel that the Glory was not sanctified before their eyes. Thus the Rabbis have also said in the Sifre: 340. “Because ye trespassed against Me. — you caused [the people] to trespass. Because ye sanctified Me not — you caused that I not be sanctified. Because ye rebelled against My commandment — you caused [the people] to rebel against My commandment.” The Rabbis [in the Sifre] thus interpreted all these expressions as transitional to Israel, [meaning, Moses and Aaron had really not sinned in the affair of the rock, but since their action was misconstrued by the people causing the people to sin, Moses and Aaron were punished]. I have already explained the subject., Verse 1 (towards end).

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.