Deuteronomy 9:22

Deu 9:22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.

Ver. 22. And at Taberah.] Catalogues should be kept of our sins, and oft perused, yea, though they be pardoned, that we may renew our repentance, and keep our souls humble, supple, and soluble.

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.

Deu_9:22

And at Taberah . . . ye provoked the Lord to wrath.

Warning examples

In the histories here referred to we have examples of some of the methods of the Divine government of the world which reappear in all ages.

I. God does not always lead peoples and individuals to repentance by visitations of his goodness. He sometimes uses the rod.

1. The more a people has been blessed, etc., so much the more certainly will God visit their sins with judgment.

2. But He does not overthrow at once and without warning. Signal fires which tell of coming danger are lighted afar, showing what is coming.

3. When the people repent, then His wrath against sin passes them by. This is seen in all the incidents mentioned here.

II. Such warning examples are seen in all the history of the Church and the world.

1. The Reformation was a time of blessing. The light of knowledge and of Divine truth shone throughout Christendom. The Gospel was set on its candlestick. A reformation in social, political, and domestic life occurred in conjunction with the religious movement.

2. But Gods ways are ways of earnest effort and quiet waiting through endurance and self-sacrifice. Many would not wait. Progress was too slow for them. They would reform the world at one stroke. Discontent and murmuring broke out among some sections of the people. Then came the peasant war. Like a terrible conflagration, the flames of sedition burst out and threatened to destroy the stays of political and religious existence. Yet God had mercy, as on Israel in the wilderness. He permitted only the outermost defences to be destroyed; and there was left behind a fire-swept ruin to remind Christendom whither impatience, murmuring, discontent, and self-will lead.

3. See a hundred years later. Had the people realised with thankfulness the great blessings of freedom and the Gospel divinely given them? The prophets of the Reformation had warned men what the result of such ingratitude would be. What had been the result of a hundred years preaching of the Gospel among the peoples and their rulers? The judgment came. The Thirty Years War, with its blind passions, sent a warning column of flame heavenward. But God again had mercy, although for years Germany was like a burnt-up house. Still, the holiest was preserved, and a new time began.

4. Look a hundred years later. Through the whole of Europe a spirit of apostasy had spread. It swept through England as Deism; as scoffing in France, with accompanying libertinage. In Germany, and indeed in all Europe, the bonds of Christian life and morality were unloosed. Like a shallow but broad stream, the spiritual revolution overflowed all lands. With it came the outer overturning. Uneasiness and discontent were over all. The flame of revolt broke out in France, and Europe was enveloped. But God again, in His mercy, gave space for repentance.

III. The lessons to our time of these incidents.

1. We should have eyes to see what the signs of our time mean. If the spirit of discontent, rebellion, etc., be not repressed, whither shall it lead? Already the flames begin to appear--political incendiarism, audacity in speech, universal agitation. Men who look for no hereafter storm fully grasp at material good. How shall it be when the Divine patience ends?

2. At the beginning of Israels history those warning fire columns were seen. Fifteen hundred years later the impenitent descendants of Israel saw the temple in flames, Jerusalem destroyed, the nation a ruin.

3. Will the New Testament Zion not understand those warnings? A people remained to God even after Jerusalem fell. So will it be although the present form of Christendom passes; and the New Testament foretells such perilous times.

4. Let the individual learn the need of watchfulness. Was not that dangerous sickness a warning signal? But in mercy He spared, and life and health are yours. Let those signs be like beacon lights on your lifes voyage. Murmur not, cultivate contentment, learn to say: I shall go as God leads me, without seeking to choose for myself. (W. Grashoff.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

9:22 Shortly after Israel left Sinai, the people began to murmur against the Lord so incessantly and bitterly that he sent a fiery judgment to slay some of them at Taberah (Taberah means “place of burning”). • Even earlier, the people came to Massah, a place where they tested the Lord to see whether he could supply their need for water (Massah means “place of testing”). • At Kibroth-hattaavah, the Israelites demanded food other than manna. The Lord miraculously provided quail, with which they gorged themselves. Many of them paid for this sin of gluttony with their lives. Kibroth-hattaavah means “graves of gluttony.”

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

Verse 22. At Kibroth-hattaavah] See Clarke on Nu 11:34.

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

(22) At Taberah.—The first place mentioned after they left Sinai.

At Massah.—The last scene described before they reached it. Sinai is made the centre of provocation.

At Kibroth-hattaavah.—The first encampment named after Sinai. It is not certain that they halted at Taberah. (See Numbers 11)

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

22, 23. Other instances of Israel’s rebelliousness: Tab‘erah, ‘Burning-place,’ because fire broke out on them there, Num_11:1-3, E; Massah, ‘Proof,’ for there they put God to the proof, Exo_17:7, J; Ḳibroth-hat-ta’avah, ‘Graves of Lust,’ Num_11:31-34, J.

ye provoked, etc.] As in Deu_9:7-8.

Kadesh-barnea] See on Deu_1:19 f.

ye rebelled, etc.] As in Deu_1:26 q.v.

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.

And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the Lord to wrath. These places are not mentioned in the strict order in which the provocations were made at them; for they provoked the Lord at Massah by murmuring for water, before they provoked him at Taberah, by complaining as it should seem of their journeying; for Massah was before they came to Sinai, and Taberah after they departed from thence; though some, as Aben Ezra observes, say that Taberah is Massah; but it could not be the Massah in Rephidim, for that was on one side of Mount Sinai, and Taberah on another; though different places might be so called from their tempting the Lord at them; rather Taberah and Kibrothhattaavah seem to be the same; where the people died with the flesh in their mouths they lusted after, and were buried; since no mention is made of their removal at that time from the one place to the other, nor of Taberah in the account of their journeys, only Kibrothhattaavah; see Exo 17:7.

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Deuteronomy 9:23

deu 9:23

deu 9:23

deu 9:23Likewise when the Lord sent you from Kadeshbarnea,.... From whence the spies were sent to search the land, though previous to it they had the following order to go up and possess it; see Num 32:8.

saying, go up and possess the land which I have given you; this they were bid to do, before they desired the spies might be sent to search it first; and after they had returned and made their report, they were encouraged to go up and take possession of it:

then ye rebelled against the commandment of the Lord your God; refusing to go up into it: and ye believed him not; that he would cast out and destroy the inhabitants of it, and put them into the possession of it; which they distrusted by reason of the gigantic stature of some that dwelt in it, and their fortified cities:

nor hearkened to his voice; whether commanding or encouraging.

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

See the marginal reference. Taberah was the name of a spot in or near the station of Kibroth-hattaavah, and accordingly is not named in the list of encampments given in Num 33:16. The separate mention of the two is, however, appropriate here, for each place and each name was a memorial of an act of rebellion. The instances in this and the next verse are not given in order of occurrence. The speaker for his own purposes advances from the slighter to the more heinous proofs of guilt.

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

Burning, &c. The places called in Hebrew, "Tabera, Masa, and Kibroth Hattaavah." (Haydock) --- At the first, the murmurers were burnt; (Numbers xi. 1) at the second or at Raphidim, (Calmet) the people demanded water, and were supplied from Horeb; (Exodus xvii. 2, 7.; Menochius) though some confound this with the former place. It seems rather to refer to the temptation, or murmur of the people, on account of quails, Numbers xi. 34., and Psalm lxxvii. 18. (Calmet)

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).

22, 23. Not only at Horeb was Jehovah angry with the people, but at Taberah, where they were discontented with the divine guidance, (Num_11:1,) and at Massah, where they murmured on account of water, (Exo_17:1,) and at Kibroth-hattaavah, the graves of lust, (Num_11:4,) where they showed their loathing for the food Jehovah furnished, and longed for the abundant provisions of Egypt, and at Kadesh-barnea, where they were unbelieving, disobedient, and rebellious. Taberah, burning, is not named in the list of the encampments. It was probably near the place called Kibroth-hattaavah.

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

Vers. 22-24. Not only at Horeb, but at other places and on other occasions, had Israel provoked the Lord to wrath by their contumacy. At Taberah, by their complaining and discontent; (Num_11:1-3) at Massah, by their murmuring because of the want of water; (Exo_17:1, etc.) at Kibroth-hattaavah, by despising the manna, and lusting for flesh to eat; (Num_11:4, etc.) and at Kadesh-barnea, when on the confines of the Promised Land, they distrusted God, reproached him for having brought them there to be destroyed, and sought to return to Egypt. (Num_14:1, etc.; Deu_1:26) "The list is not arranged chronologically, but advances from the smaller to the morn serious forms of guilt: For Moses was seeking to sharpen the consciences of the people, and to impress upon them the fact that they had been rebellious against the Lord (see at ver. 7) from the very beginning, "from the day that I knew you (Keil).

Vers. 22, 23. Taberah (see Homily on Nu 11). Massah (see Homily on Ex 17). Kibroth-hattaavah. (see Homily on Nu 11) Kadesh-barnea. (see Homily on Deu_1:19-40)

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

General Information:

Moses continues to remind the people of Israel about what happened in the past.

Taberah ... Massah ... Kibroth Hattaavah

These are names of places that the people of Israel went through while they were in the wilderness. (See: How to Translate Names)

Go up

They were on low land, and the land Yahweh had told them to take was in the hills, so they had to go uphill to get to it.

rebelled against the commandment

The word "commandment" is a metonym for Yahweh himself. AT: "rebelled against Yahweh; you did not obey the commandment" (See: Metonymy)

listen to his voice

Here "his voice" means what God had said. AT: "obey what he said" (See: Metonymy)

from the day that I knew you

"from the time I began to lead you." Some translations read "from the day that he knew you," the day that Yahweh first knew them.

translationWords

wrath

send

Kadesh

rebel

command

believe

voice

know

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

And Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra wrote that the meaning of the verse, And at Taberah, and at Massah etc., is that because at Taberah the people were as murmerers, testing G-d with complaints, therefore Moses mentioned to them that “you angered G-d with the challenge of proving [His power] at Taberah just as you had already done another time at Massah and you accepted no correction.” He [Ibn Ezra] explained it well. Behold, the sin of testing G-d is a great sin and of a serious nature, as he admonished against it, Ye shall not try the Eternal your G-d, as ye tried Him in Massah; therefore he cited it to them again here. So also he briefly mentioned to them once again the sin of the spies because of the great sin it entailed, for with it he completed [this section], saying, Ye have been rebellious against the Eternal from the day I knew you. He stated from the day I knew you in order to allude to their murmurings before the Giving of the Torah.

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.