Deu 9:5 | KD | STEP | When therefore Jehovah thrust out these nations before them (הדף, as in ), the Israelites were not to say within themselves, “ By (for, on account of) my righteousness Jehovah hath brought me (led me hither) to possess this land .” The following word, וּברשׁעת, is adversative: “ but because of the wickedness of these nations ,” etc. - To impress this truth deeply upon the people, Moses repeats the thought once more in Deu 9:5. At the same time he mentions, in addition to righteousness, straightness or uprightness of heart, to indicate briefly that outward works do not constitute true righteousness, but that an upright state of heart is indispensable, and then enters more fully into the positive reasons. The wickedness of the Canaanites was no doubt a sufficient reason for destroying them , but not for giving their land to the people of Israel, since they could lay no claim to it on account of their own righteousness. The reason for giving Canaan to the Israelites was simply the promise of God, the word which the Lord had spoken to the patriarchs on oath (cf. ), and therefore nothing but the free grace of God, - not any merit on the part of the Israelites who were then living, for they were a people “of a hard neck,” i.e., a stubborn, untractable generation. With these words, which the Lord Himself had applied to Israel in ; , , Moses prepares the way for passing to the reasons for his warning against self-righteous pride, namely, the grievous sins of the Israelites against the Lord.

‏ Deuteronomy 9:5

When therefore Jehovah thrust out these nations before them (הדף, as in Deu 6:19), the Israelites were not to say within themselves, “By (for, on account of) my righteousness Jehovah hath brought me (led me hither) to possess this land.” The following word, וּברשׁעת, is adversative: “but because of the wickedness of these nations,” etc. - To impress this truth deeply upon the people, Moses repeats the thought once more in Deu 9:5. At the same time he mentions, in addition to righteousness, straightness or uprightness of heart, to indicate briefly that outward works do not constitute true righteousness, but that an upright state of heart is indispensable, and then enters more fully into the positive reasons. The wickedness of the Canaanites was no doubt a sufficient reason for destroying them, but not for giving their land to the people of Israel, since they could lay no claim to it on account of their own righteousness. The reason for giving Canaan to the Israelites was simply the promise of God, the word which the Lord had spoken to the patriarchs on oath (cf. Deu 7:8), and therefore nothing but the free grace of God, - not any merit on the part of the Israelites who were then living, for they were a people “of a hard neck,” i.e., a stubborn, untractable generation. With these words, which the Lord Himself had applied to Israel in Exo 32:9; Exo 33:3, Exo 33:5, Moses prepares the way for passing to the reasons for his warning against self-righteous pride, namely, the grievous sins of the Israelites against the Lord.