Deuteronomy 9:6

Understand, 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.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Moses addresses the Israelites on the plains of Moab as they prepare to cross the Jordan and possess the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He speaks immediately after clarifying that their entry depends on God's covenant faithfulness, not their own merit.

The words — The Hebrew verb יָדַעְתָּ (yaḏaʿtā) commands "you will know," paired with כִּי (kî) "that" and לֹא (lōʾ) "not," to negate the idea that בְּצִדְקָתְךָ (bəṣidqāṯḵā) "your righteousness" motivates God. The participle נֹתֵן (nōṯēn) emphasizes that Yahweh אֱלֹהֶיךָ (ʾĕlōhêḵā) is actively giving the land.

The thread — The description "stiff-necked people" recurs in Exodus 32:9 and Deuteronomy 9:13 to label Israel's rebellion, while Deuteronomy 10:16 commands them to cease stiffening their necks. The text ties this pattern directly to their wilderness provocation from Egypt to the current location.

Why it lands — The verse demands acknowledgment that land possession rests solely on divine initiative, not human moral achievement. It requires readers to replace entitlement with humility by confronting their own record of rebellion.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְיָדַעְתָּ֗ve./ya.da'.Taand/ you will know כִּ֠יkithat לֹ֤אlo'not בְצִדְקָֽתְךָ֙ve./tzid.ka.te./Chain/ righteousness/ your יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahweh אֱ֠לֹהֶיךָ'E.lo.hei./khaGod/ your נֹתֵ֨ןno.Ten[is] about to giveלְךָ֜le./Khato <the>/ youאֶת־'et-<obj.>הָאָ֧רֶץha./'A.retzthe/ land הַטּוֹבָ֛הha./to.Vah<the>/ good הַזֹּ֖אתha./Zot<the>/ this לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּle./rish.Ta/hto/ take possession of/ it כִּ֥יkifor עַם־'am-[are] a people קְשֵׁה־ke.sheh-stiff of עֹ֖רֶף'O.refneck אָֽתָּה׃'A.tahyou

King James Version

Understand therefore, that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 9:13 The LORD also said to me, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
Deuteronomy 10:16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.
Exodus 32:9 The LORD also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
Deuteronomy 31:27 For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you are already rebelling against the LORD while I am still alive, how much more will you rebel after my death!
Acts 7:51 You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
Exodus 33:3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people; otherwise, I might destroy you on the way.”
Exodus 34:9 “O Lord,” he said, “if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, my Lord, please go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our iniquity and sin, and take us as Your inheritance.”
Deuteronomy 9:3 But understand that today the LORD your God goes across ahead of you as a consuming fire; He will destroy them and subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them swiftly, as the LORD has promised you.
2 Chronicles 30:8 Now do not stiffen your necks as your fathers did. Submit to the LORD and come to His sanctuary, which He has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.
2 Chronicles 36:13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. But Zedekiah stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel.