Hear, O Israel: you are to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,
verse value 5672
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 68 letters. The shortest word is "hear" (שְׁמַ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·Jordan" (אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "fortified" (וּבְצֻרֹ֖ת). The root גדול appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "today" (root יום, 168x in Deuteronomy); "to·go·in" (root בוא, 106x in Deuteronomy); "hear" (root שמע, 92x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 4 words.
Onkelos
Hear, O Israel: you are crossing the Jordan this day, to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you — great cities, fortified up to the height of the heavens.
Rashi
גדלים ועצמים ממך [NATIONS] GREATER AND MIGHTIER THAN THYSELF — Ye are mighty but they are still mightier than you (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:24).
Ibn Ezra
"You are crossing today" — [this means] at this time; or its meaning is: it is reckoned that you are crossing today.
Or HaChaim
שמע ישראל אתה עובר היום את הירדן, "Hear, O Israel: you are going to cross the river Jordan this day." The word שמע in this context means "pay attention to this statement." What did Moses want the Israelites to pay attention to, seeing this was not the date on which they would cross the Jordan, something which was quite clear to them? Moses wanted to draw a line between them and himself. Whereas on this day he knew that he would not cross the Jordan, they knew that they were slated to cross the Jordan. By saying אתה, "you," Moses implied "you and not I." According to Devarim Rabbah 3,11 Moses phrased this line so that the Israelites would understand that they should plead with G'd on his behalf to permit him to cross the river Jordan. Moses was afraid the Israelites would not get the hint; therefore he emphasised the word היום, "this day," meaning that the difference between them was only on that day, i.e. that they would cross now whereas he would not. There would, however, come a time when he too would be allowed to cross the Jordan as we learned in the Zohar volume two page 120 on the verse כימי צאתך מארץ מצרים (Michah 7,15). We deduce from that verse that Moses will lead the Israelites into the Holy Land at the time discussed by the prophet.
Chizkuni
אתה עובר היום, “you are crossing this day;” this is not to be understood literally, but means: “in the immediate future.”An alternate interpretation of these words: “you are being considered as if crossing the Jordan already on this day.”
a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard say: "Who can stand before the sons of Anak?"
verse value 4358
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 52 letters. The shortest word is "who?" (מִ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "people·great" (עַֽם־גָּד֥וֹל, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: sons·of, sons·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "people·great" (עַֽם־גָּד֥וֹל), "stand·up" (יִתְיַצֵּ֔ב), "Anak" (עֲנָֽק). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "face" (root פנים, 127x in Deuteronomy); "sons·of" (root בן, 119x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Anakites', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 10 words. Full calculation: עַֽם־גָּד֥וֹל [people·great] (153) + וָרָ֖ם [and·tall] (246) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + עֲנָקִ֑ים [Anakites] (270) + אֲשֶׁ֨ר [that] (501) + אַתָּ֤ה [you] (406) + יָדַ֙עְתָּ֙ [you·knew] (484) + וְאַתָּ֣ה [and·you] (412) + שָׁמַ֔עְתָּ [you·heard] (810) + מִ֣י [who?] (50) + יִתְיַצֵּ֔ב [stand·up] (512) + לִפְנֵ֖י [face] (170) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + עֲנָֽק [Anak] (220) = 4358.
Onkelos
A great and mighty people, the children of giants, whom you know and of whom you have heard: who can stand before the children of giants?
Or HaChaim
עם גדול ורם בני ענקים, "a people great and tall the sons of giants." If the Israelites were aware of the nature of these people as is evident from the words אשר ידעת, "whom you know," what was the point in Moses mentioning their attributes? Why did he say twice אתה…ואתה? It would have sufficed to write אתה ידעת ושמעת. The answer is that Moses addressed two groups of people. The first and numerically by far the largest group were the עם בני ישראל. The second group who comprised only Joshua and Caleb were the spiritual elite of the people, especially Joshua who was to be the leader of the people, ready to rule over them. Moses began to address the elite, especially Joshua saying to him: אתה ידעת", "you know (from personal experience)," as he had specific knowledge of the people of Canaan having spied out the land some 38 years earlier. As to the multitude of Israelites, Moses said ואתה שמעת "and you have heard about it."
Know therefore this day, that Hashem your God is He who goes over before you as a devouring fire; He will destroy them, and He will bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as Hashem has spoken to you.
verse value 4796 — יְהֹוָ֨ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 92 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֨ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (כִּי֩, 2 letters) and the longest is "he·the·one·crossing" (הֽוּא־הָעֹבֵ֤ר, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 190: before·you, before·you. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "he·the·one·crossing" (הֽוּא־הָעֹבֵ֤ר), "he·shall·destroy·them" (יַשְׁמִידֵ֛ם), "he·shall·subdue·them" (יַכְנִיעֵ֖ם). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "just·as" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'before·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 7 words.
Onkelos
Know therefore this day that Hashem your God — it is He who goes before you; His Word is a consuming fire. He will destroy them, and He will drive them away before you; and you shall dispossess them and destroy them swiftly, as Hashem has spoken to you.
Ramban
HE WILL DESTROY THEM, AND HE WILL BRING THEM DOWN. The meaning thereof is that “He will bring them down and He will destroy them” [because, obviously, they could be destroyed after having been brought down, but not vice versa]. The expression ‘yachni’eim’ (He will bring them down) denotes “humiliation,” as in the usage, Seest thou how Ahab ‘nichna’ (humbleth himself) before Me?; if then perchance their uncircumcised heart ‘yikana’ (be humbled), and so all [similar expressions]. And the purport thereof is that these peoples were very frightened of Israel. With a trembling heart, low spirit and feebleness of hands they went out [against them in battle], as it is stated, And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, that were by the sea, heard how the Eternal had dried up the waters of the Jordan etc. that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. It is possible that the expression He will destroy them alludes to the nations greater and mightier than thyself — and He will bring them down refers to the sons of the Anakim, for despite all their might and height, their hearts were more humbled than [those of] the rest of the people and they did not go into battle at all, but were hiding in the mountains and in the fortified cities, as it is said, And Joshua came at that time, and cut off the Anakim from the hill-country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill-country of Judah, and from all the hill-country of Israel; ‘with’ their cities Joshua utterly destroyed them, that is to say he destroyed them “in” their cities [indicating that the Anakim never entered the battlefield]. Similarly, it is said, And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron etc. and they smote Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.
Ibn Ezra
"A consuming fire" — with swiftness; therefore it says "quickly."
Or HaChaim
וידעת היום, "and you know as of this day, etc." Moses emphasises the word "this day" to remind the people that they will not acquire this knowledge only after the conquest but they know as a fact already now that G'd will pass ahead of them, etc. It was important that the people should acknowledge this as fact prior to it actually having happened.
Rabbeinu Bahya
אש אוכלה, “consuming fire.” The meaning is: “like consuming fire.” The reason for the simile is that fire consumes instantly. This is why Moses adds: “you will dispossess them quickly and destroy them.”
Rashbam
והאבדתם מהר, all the battles you will fight will result in your speedy victory, without your having to exert yourself, nor will you have to lay siege for a long period. In spite of all this, you will not be able to drive out all the inhabitants of the land in short order as the result would be a vacuum and the free roaming beasts would take over the part of the land which you could not populate immediately. (compare Deut. 7,22) This is the reason why I will not let you conduct wars immediately against all the Canaanite tribes. The words לא תוכל, are in the nature of a warning, just as in Deuteronomy 17,15 where the Torah warns against appointing a king who is not born of Jewish parents, or as in Deuteronomy 12,17 לא תוכל לאכול בשעריך, where the Torah forbids the eating in your homes instead of in Jerusalem of certain gifts vowed to G’d by you.
Do not speak in your heart, after that Hashem your God has thrust them out from before you, saying: "For my righteousness Hashem has brought me in to possess this land"; whereas for the wickedness of these nations Hashem does drive them out from before you.
verse value 6508 — יְהֹוָה֩ = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 97 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֩) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "them" (אֹתָ֥ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "do·not·say" (אַל־תֹּאמַ֣ר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem, Hashem. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "do·not·say" (אַל־תֹּאמַ֣ר), "when·he·thrusts" (בַּהֲדֹ֣ף), "my·righteousness" (בְּצִדְקָתִי֙). The root יהוה appears 3 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy); "the·land" (root ארץ, 193x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root רשעה ("wickedness") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 6 words.
Onkelos
Do not say in your heart, when Hashem your God has thrust them away from before you: 'It is on account of my merit that Hashem has brought me in to possess this land' — for it is on account of the sins of these nations that Hashem is driving them away from before you.
Rashi
אל תאמר בלבבך SAY NOT IN THY HEART, “My righteousness and the wickedness of these nations brought it about that I possess the land;
Ramban
SPEAK NOT THOU IN THY HEART. After cautioning that you should not think ‘my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth.’ but instead you are to know that the power over the vanquished was given to you by G-d, and that [the victory over] their mighty ones and fortified cities that you will have conquered [was made possible by] G-d in His Glory Who did it for you in a generally known miracle from Him, he further warned them, “Do not think that G-d did all this for you because of your righteousness; rather, He has done so for you only because of the wickedness of these nations.” Now this is a cause for the destruction of these nations, but he gave no reason for Israel’s possession of the Land. Therefore he reverted and explained, Not for thy righteousness that you will be righteous in conduct, nor even because of the upright heart that you will have, but only because of the wickedness of these nations will they be destroyed, and because of [His] oath to your fathers will you possess the Land, for your sin cannot annul the gift He gave to your fathers since He gave it to them by an oath. And Rashi wrote: “Speak not thou in thy heart — my righteousness and the wickedness of these nations caused me [to possess the Land]. Not for thy righteousness.” But this is not correct. Now one should ask, “Has he not said, But because the Eternal loved you, thus establishing that they are beloved on high, and, [as we know], G-d loves only those who are good, for the wicked and him that loveth violence His soul hateth, and if so, [it is justifiable that] they come to possess the Land also for their [own] righteousness [so, how can he say here Not for thy righteousness, etc.]?” The answer is that there he speaks of Israel in general, and here he reproves that particular generation that has been rebellious against the Eternal from the day they were in the wilderness.
Sforno
אל תאמר בלבבך בהדוף, when you see that you enjoy victory against all odds, so that you realise this victory has to be credited to your enjoying a heavenly assist, do not commit a terrible error. בצדקתי הביאני...לרשת, that G’d did all this on account of your being a model of righteousness, and that furthermore the speed with which all this occurred was on account of ברשעת הגויים האלה ה' מורישם מפניך, that the Lord dispossessed them on account of their wickedness, because He wanted His retribution against these people to be orchestrated by your destroying them. This would be the very opposite of what David prayed for when he thought G’d was punishing him. He prayed that the judgment should not be executed by man but that he preferred to be punished by G;d directly, not by one of His surrogates, especially one of his peers. (Samuel II 24,14)
Or HaChaim
אל תאמר בלבבו, "Do not say in your heart, etc." We can appreciate that the Israelites were not to credit their own righteousness as the reason they dispossessed the inhabitants of the land of Canaan and therefore Moses had to warn them not to do so. However, why were they not to credit their possession of the land to the sins of the Canaanites when the Torah itself gives this as the reason in verse 5? Perhaps Moses was afraid that the Israelites would think that they were only forbidden to take exclusive credit for conquering the land by ascribing it to their righteousness. However, as long as they would acknowledge that both their own righteousness coupled with the wickedness of the local inhabitants had led to those inhabitants being expelled or killed, this would be acceptable, Moses said that no thought of their own righteousness was acceptable under any circumstances.
Tur HaArokh
אל תאמר בלבבך, “do not say, even in your heart, etc.” Rashi says that the meaning of the verse is that you may be tempted when you observe how G’d puts all these people to flight before you to credit your success to a combination of your righteousness and their wickedness. Moses warns you not to credit anything to your righteousness, but that only their wickedness caused them to lose their land. Nachmanides does not agree with this interpretation, i.e. that the Israelites’ righteousness did not have any bearing on their success. Moses is telling the people that whether righteous in deed, or even righteous in their hearts, this could not have been a reason for G’d to dispossess another nation of their heritage. It was only their wickedness that is due to their suffering the fate that will unfold in another few weeks after Moses’ death. He underlines...
Rashbam
אל תאמר בלבבך, when G’d chases out ה' אלוקיך אותם מלפניך, that there are two reasons which resulted in my inheriting this land. 1) the wickedness of the former inhabitants which led to G’d expelling them, so that 2) my righteousness 'בצדקתי הביאני ה gave me the edge over other nations desirous of taking over that land so that G’d brought me here instead of them. The fact is that ברשעת הגוים האלה ה' מורישם, G’d dispossessed these nations on account of their wickedness, but לא בצדקתך וביושר לבבך, definitely not on account of your righteousness and your upright hearts. For I want you to remember 'זכור אל תשכח את אשר הקצפת וגו, and not forget how you have angered G’d, etc. However, one of the two factors you cited is correct, namely the wickedness of these nations. The reason that you replaced them (and not someone else) is למען הקים לך את השבועה, in order to fulfill by means of you the oath G’d swore to your forefathers.
Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Hashem your God does drive them out from before you, and that He may establish the word which Hashem swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
verse value 8394 — יְהֹוָ֤ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 26 words, 117 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֤ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "your·righteousness" (בְצִדְקָתְךָ֗, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "uprightness" (וּבְיֹ֙שֶׁר֙), "wickedness" (בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת). The root ירש appears 2 times in this verse. 24 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'their·land', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 18 words.
Onkelos
Not on account of your merit nor the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but on account of the sins of these nations Hashem your God is driving them away from before you, and in order to fulfill the word that Hashem confirmed for your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
Rashi
לא בצדקתך אתה בא לרשת … כי ברשעת הגוים NOT FOR THY RIGHTEOUSNESS … DOST THOU GO TO POSSESS [THEIR LAND], but (כי) for the wickedness of these nations. — Here you have the word כי used in the sense of "but".
Ramban
AND THAT HE MAY ESTABLISH THE WORD WHICH THE ETERNAL SWORE UNTO THY FATHERS. The purport thereof is that He had said and they shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years. And in the fourth generation they shall come back hither.
Sforno
ולמען הקים, so that as a result of observing the commandments the nation would merit to inherit the land. We find another instance where, as a result of complying with a command by G’d to wipe out the family of Achav, G’d not only confirmed Jehu as king but extended his dynasty for four generations. (Kings II 10,30)
Or HaChaim
לא בצדקתך, "Not because of your righteousness, etc." Moses meant that the Israelites' righteousness was not a reason for allowing them to dispossess other nations. This did not mean, however, that they were not a spiritually upright generation. Moses said something similar to the people in Deut. 4,4 when he attributed their being alive to their having cleaved to G'd. Such conduct does not, however, mean that other nations were to be killed on account of the Israelites' goodness. Had there not been a covenant with the patriarchs, G'd could not have justified expelling and killing the Canaanites on account of the Israelites. At the same time, the oath sworn by G'd to the patriarchs by itself would also not have resulted in the Israelites' victory over the Canaanites if they had not been wicked. We have a Mishnah in Eydiot 2,9 which states that "although a father confers upon his son certain attributes (genes) such as handsome appearance, intelligence, etc. etc., there is a limit to the effectiveness of such transfer of parental genes after a number of generations. The Mishnah bases this statement on Isaiah 41,4 קורא הדורות מראש, "He (G'd) determines ahead of time for how long the father can transmit his genes to successive generations." Raavad comments as follows on this statement. "G'd foresees whether a generation is deserving, and if so He allows these genes to be transmitted from father to son until a deserving generation arises such as the generation of Joshua. Thus far Raavad. From this we learn that in addition to G'd's promise to the fathers it is also essential that their descendants be worthy of that promise. Accordingly, Moses told the people that their righteousness was not enough by itself to bring about their conquest of the Holy Land. In fact their righteousness did not even help the oath to Abraham to be fulfilled. The only thing it was good for was to ensure that their conduct was no impediment to the good that G'd had promised being fulfilled now. בי ברשעת הגוים…ולמען הקים…אשר נשבע, "for due to the wickedness of those nations…and in order to keep the oath which G'd swore, etc." None of these reasons would have sufficed by itself. Had the Canaanite nations not been wicked G'd would not have had a legal excuse to dispossess them. Their wickedness by itself was not reason enough to give their land to the Israelites unless the Israelites had also proved worthy to take that land. It is also possible that the meaning of the word מורישם is "He destroys them." If that is so, these people certainly had to be wicked as G'd would not decree upon them what He did in Deut. 20,16: "you must not allow a soul of theirs to remain alive."
Rabbeinu Bahya
לא בצדקתך וביושר לבבך וגו'...כי ברשעת הגוים האלה, “not due to your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart, etc.,...but due to the wickedness of these nations, etc.” This verse causes us to think that if only the Canaanites had been righteous they would not have been dispossessed, would not have been driven out of the land of Canaan. In that event, what would have happened to G’d’s oath to our patriarchs? The situation is as follows: seeing that these nations are wicked they deserve to be exiled from that land. Even if they had been righteous they would not have been allowed to remain in that land seeing the land had been assigned to them only as a פקדון, an object to be held in trust for the real owners. Ever since the time of the patriarchs the “real” owners are their descendants the Jewish people. G’d, however, is able to give these people some other land seeing that the whole earth belongs to Him. This particular land they could not hold on to seeing G’d had already promised it to someone else. Therefore, regardless of the righteousness of the inhabitants of that land they would have to be transferred elsewhere.
Tur HaArokh
לא בצדקתך, “not on account of your righteousness;” as mentioned before, be it in deed or even also in thought; the only reason these people will lose their land and lives is their confirmed wickedness. An additional reason why they lose their lands to you, and not to another nation, is the oath Hashem had sworn to your forefathers to give this land in due course to their descendants. In the event that someone might counter that we have a specific verse in the Torah stating that G’d had chosen us because we are beloved by Him, and how could this be unless we had been righteous? Surely, G’d does not love a wicked rebellious people, and if so our righteousness must have played a role in our being victorious in our assault on the Canaanites! The answer is that our sins cannot annul an oath sworn by G’d to our forefathers, seeing that He had given the gift of this land to them reinforced by an oath. Hashem does not only love the good people, so that one could claim that they had had a share in receiving this land as a reward for their goodness. Besides, Moses reminds the people that whereas previous generations of Israelites might have been good, this present generation had been rebellious from the word “go!” How could they even dream that their goodness had played a role in their receiving the gift of this land! Moses now proceeds to illustrate the point he has just made.
Rashbam
לא בצדקתך וביושר לבבך, definitely not on account of your righteousness and your upright hearts. For I want you to remember 'זכור אל תשכח את אשר הקצפת וגו, and not forget how you have angered G’d, etc. However, one of the two factors you cited is correct, namely the wickedness of these nations. The reason that you replaced them (and not someone else) is למען הקים לך את השבועה, in order to fulfill by means of you the oath G’d swore to your forefathers.
Know therefore that it is not for your righteousness that Hashem your God gives you this good land to possess it; for you are a stiffnecked people.
verse value 5182 — יְהֹוָ֣ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 62 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֣ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (כִּ֠י, 2 letters) and the longest is "people·stiff·necked" (עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 30: that, for. The root כי appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy); "not" (root לא, 214x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·possess·it', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Onkelos
Know, therefore, that it is not on account of your merit that Hashem your God is giving you this good land to possess it — for you are a stiff-necked people.
Sforno
כי עם קשה עורף אתה, being stiff-necked and righteous simultaneously is a non starter, as these two character qualities are mutually exclusive. Being stiff-necked means to follow the dictates of one’s own heart, one’s own opinions instead of accepting the yoke of the Creator’s commandments as being supreme. Such a person will reject even theories which have been proven beyond doubt if they conflict with what he deems good or convenient for himself. The simile of a “stiff-necked” person or people described someone who appears unable to turn around and face his teacher, as his neck is too stiff.
Or HaChaim
וידעת כי לא בצדקתך….זכור אל תשכח, "Know therefore that not because of your righteousness …Remember and do not forget!" What did Moses hope to accomplish by admonishing the Israelites about their having had stiff-necked wicked people amongst them in the past? Perhaps their present righteousness would suffice to let them inherit the land and even to be able to point to their righteousness as the reason for this. Moses' reason may have been that the people reflected that even at the times they had been rebellious this did not result in their march towards the Holy Land coming to a halt. They had explained this anomaly to themselves by reasoning that G'd had to fulfil His oath to the patriarchs. Moses therefore wanted to make it plain that their own righteousness was essential in bringing about fulfilment of that oath. If they were to backslide they could still forfeit the promise to inherit the land.
Remember, forget you not, how you made Hashem your God wroth in the wilderness; from the day that you went forth out of the land of Egypt, until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against Hashem.
verse value 6548
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 90 letters. The shortest word is "remember!" (זְכֹר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·you·provoked·to·anger" (אֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־הִקְצַ֛פְתָּ, 10 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "do·not·forget" (אַל־תִּשְׁכַּ֔ח), "that·you·provoked·to·anger" (אֵ֧ת אֲשֶׁר־הִקְצַ֛פְתָּ), "that·you·went·out" (אֲשֶׁר־יָצָ֣אתָ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy); "land" (root ארץ, 193x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'wilderness', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 10 words.
Onkelos
Remember, do not forget, how you provoked anger before Hashem your God in the wilderness; from the day that you went out from the land of Egypt until you arrived at this place, you have been rebellious before Hashem.
Ibn Ezra
The lamed of "from the day" is superfluous, and likewise are many similar cases. "In the wilderness" — after they had journeyed from Horeb.
Sforno
זכור אל תשכח, Moses adds proof to his characterising the Jewish people as being stiff-necked by reminding them of how many times during his stewardship of the nation they had angered G’d, so that it reminds one of a dog which returns to his own excrement finding it attractive. This happened again and again although each time they had been subjected to disciplining by G’d, and they learned more about His greatness on each occasion.
Chizkuni
אשר הקצפת במדבר, “how you made the Lord your G-d angry in the desert;” this occurred already immediately after the people had broken camp after over 11 months at Mount Sinai. (Ibn Ezra)
Also in Horeb you made Hashem wroth, and Hashem was angered with you so as to destroy you.
verse value 2845 — יְהֹוָ֛ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·you" (בָּכֶ֖ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "you·provoked·to·anger" (הִקְצַפְתֶּ֖ם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "you·provoked·to·anger" (הִקְצַפְתֶּ֖ם), "and·he·was·angry" (וַיִּתְאַנַּ֧ף). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "to·destroy" (root שמד, 29x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּבְחֹרֵ֥ב [Horeb] (218) + הִקְצַפְתֶּ֖ם [you·provoked·to·anger] (715) + אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה [Hashem] (427) + וַיִּתְאַנַּ֧ף [and·he·was·angry] (547) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + בָּכֶ֖ם [in·you] (62) + לְהַשְׁמִ֥יד [to·destroy] (389) + אֶתְכֶֽם [you] (461) = 2845.
Onkelos
And at Horeb you provoked anger before Hashem, and there was wrath from before Hashem against you, to destroy you.
Ramban
ALSO IN HOREB YE MADE THE ETERNAL ANGRY. Before even beginning to explain to them the Torah, he [Moses] reproved them for the sins which caused them evil and which were not forgiven: he mentioned the affairs of the spies, and the waters of Meribah. Afterwards he explained the Ten Commandments and the section of the Unity of G-d [Sh’ma], and he admonished them with many exhortations against idolatry; he cautioned them concerning the commandments in general, and he said that they [the commandments] are all good and, in consequence of [observing them] all the good will come to them, and then he commences to explain the individual commandments. But before he mentioned any of the commandments specifically he returned to reprove them and to visit upon them all their iniquities which they had committed from the time they received the Torah and henceforth. But the complaints they made before the Giving of the Torah — when they were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea, and the people murmured at Marah, and in Alush — he did not mention to them, because, from the time that they received the Torah, they were more obligated to hearken to the voice of G-d Who made a covenant with them. Therefore, he began here, Also in Horeb ye made the Eternal angry, and he mentioned to them the affair of the [golden] calf, which I have already explained.
Sforno
ובחורב הקצפתם, Moses underlines the serious nature of this negative characteristic known as “stiff-necked,” by reminding the people that even at Mount Sinai when G’d had already decided to wipe them out, (verse 14 our chapter) G’d had justified this by referring to their stiff-necked nature. He had not decreed death for them on account of a specific and horrific sin, but on account of their attitude which bode ill for the future, indicated that such a people was not capable of becoming true penitents.
Tur HaArokh
ובחורב הקצפתם, “already at Mount Sinai you angered, etc.” Nachmanides writes that at the beginning of the Book of Deuteronomy, before embarking on elaborating on a substantial part of the Torah, Moses had taken the people to task for collectively committed sins that had not yet been forgiven, such as the sin of the spies and the sin at the מי מריבה, the waters of strife. Following that, he had explained the Ten Commandments in somewhat greater detail. He had especially dwelled on the unique nature of G’d the Creator, and guardian of Israel, and on the eternal bond between Him and the Jewish people. Moses issued specific warnings regarding all manner of idolatry, and he issued general warnings regarding observance of the Torah’s command-ments. Now he begins to zero in on specific commandments, but before beginning to single them out individually he once more recalls the people’s sins committed by them even after they had received the Torah in an act of revelation by Hashem. He did not admonish them on the various acts of insubordination in and around the sea prior to their receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai. The reason is that ever since their acceptance of the Torah at Mount Sinai their obligation to keep the commandments had become far greater than before they had entered into a covenant with Hashem. This is why he now prefaces his words by saying: ”already while at the Mountain you angered G’d.”
When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which Hashem made with you, then I remained in the mount forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water.
verse value 7311 — יְהֹוָ֖ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 94 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "forty" (וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 444: tablets, tablets. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "when·I·went·up" (בַּעֲלֹתִ֣י), "and·I·stayed" (וָאֵשֵׁ֣ב). The root הר appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "not" (root לא, 214x in Deuteronomy); "day" (root יום, 168x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 12 words.
Onkelos
When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets — the tablets of the covenant that Hashem made with you — I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water.
Rashi
ואשב בהר — The verb ישב here means only "staying" (not "sitting"; it means: I stayed on the mountain) (Megillah 21a).
Chizkuni
בעלותי ההרה, “while I ascended the Mountain.” This occurred on the first day of the week, the seventh day of the month of Sivan. [That is, Moses ascended Mount Sinai on the day following the Revelation which was on the Sabbath, the sixth of Sivan. Ed.] ואשב בהר ארבעים וארבעים לילה, “I remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights. This was from the day after the Sabbath of the revelation until dawn of the Friday on the 17th day of Sivan.
Daat Zkenim
לוחות אבנים, “Tablets hewn of stone.” Anyone who does not make his jaws hard as stone in order to study Torah, will not truly merit the Torah. Or; most death penalties decreed by the Torah involve the stoning of the victim. Still another interpretation: the Jewish people received the Tablets through the merit of Yaakov who has been described as אבן ישראל משם רועה, “from thence the shepherd, stone of Israel.” (Genesis 49,24) A further interpretation; it is due to the merit of the Temple.” Rabbi Shimon says it is because of the merit of the King Messiah. He bases himself on a verse in the Book of Daniel: 2,34, חזה הוית עד די אתגזרת אבן די לא בידין, “as you watched a stone was hewn without hands;” (compare Tanchuma, section 10 on our portion)
And Hashem delivered to me the two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which Hashem spoke with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
verse value 5141 — יְהֹוָ֜ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֗י, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·the·words" (כְּֽכׇל־הַדְּבָרִ֡ים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 466: and·he·gave, midst. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "written" (כְּתֻבִ֖ים), "finger" (בְּאֶצְבַּ֣ע), "and·upon" (וַעֲלֵיהֶ֗ם). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root שנ ("two") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 11 words.
Onkelos
And Hashem gave me the two stone tablets, written by the finger of Hashem, and on them were all the words that Hashem spoke with you on the mountain from amid the fire, on the day of the assembly.
Rashi
לוחת TABLETS — This word is written without a ו before the ת, so that it may be read לוחת (a singular form), to indicate that both of them were alike (Midrash Tanchuma, Eikev 10; cf. Rashi on Exodus 31:18 and Note thereon).
Ibn Ezra
"With His finger" — this has already been explained.
Or HaChaim
כתבים באצבע אלוקים, "written with the finger of G'd." We need to understand what is meant by ועליהם, "and upon them." I have explained in Exodus 31,18 that the words: "written with the finger of G'd" mean that G'd's finger was pointed at the place on the Tablets where the particular letter was to be inscribed and that in this fashion the letter appeared engraved and this is the meaning of חרות על הלוחות, "engraved on the Tablets." Our verse tells us that whereas the area of the outline of the letter on the Tablets remained engraved, the hollow projected a light which emanated from the finger of G'd and appeared on the surface of the Tablets so that the letters appeared as if written on the Tablets though in fact they were engraved. This is what Moses meant when he spoke of ועליהם ככל הדברים אשר דבר השם, "and upon them like all the words G'd had said." The letter כ describes the result of G'd's engraving the Tablets, i.e. that the letters appeared visible as light on the surface of the Tablets.
Targum Yonatan
and the Lord gave to me the two tables of marble inscribed by the finger of the Lord, and upon which was written according to all the words which the Lord spake with you on the mount from the midst of the fire in the day of the assembling of the congregation.
And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Hashem gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
verse value 3979 — יְהֹוָ֜ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 60 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "end" (מִקֵּץ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "forty" (וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים, 7 letters). The root ארבע appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "gave" (root נתן, 176x in Deuteronomy); "and·it·came·to·pass" (root היה, 170x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root קץ ("end") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'night', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 8 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֗י [and·it·came·to·pass] (31) + מִקֵּץ֙ [end] (230) + אַרְבָּעִ֣ים [forty] (323) + י֔וֹם [day] (56) + וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים [forty] (329) + לָ֑יְלָה [night] (75) + נָתַ֨ן [gave] (500) + יְהֹוָ֜ה [Hashem] (26) + אֵלַ֗י [to·me] (41) + אֶת־שְׁנֵ֛י [two] (761) + לֻחֹ֥ת [tablets] (438) + הָאֲבָנִ֖ים [stone] (108) + לֻח֥וֹת [tablets] (444) + הַבְּרִֽית [covenant] (617) = 3979.
Onkelos
And it came to pass, at the end of forty days and forty nights, that Hashem gave me the two stone tablets — the tablets of the covenant.
Ibn Ezra
"At the end of" — [meaning] the end, or the beginning, of the forty [days]. The proof is that on the very day the tablets were given to Moses, the calf was made.
Chizkuni
ויהי מקץ ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה, “it was at the end of forty days and forty nights;” these forty nights had expired at dawn on the Friday of the seventeenth day in Sivan.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ויהי מקץ ארבעים יום וגו'...נתן ה' אלי, “it was at the end of forty days,...that the Lord gave to me the two Tablets of stone, etc.” We learn from this verse that on the very day that Moses received the Tablets the golden calf was made. Previously Moses had mentioned only: “G’d gave to me the two Tablets (verse 10), without mentioning a date. This is why here he repeats the receipt of the Tablets adding the date. This is also what Isaiah 17,11 meant when he said: “on the day that You plant you see it grow...but the branches wither away.” The word תשגשגי used for “growing” by the prophet is related to סיגים, “refuse, garbage.” This was a reference to the sin of the golden calf. Targum Yonathan there also translates Isaiah in that sense.
Daat Zkenim
שני לוחות, “two Tablets;” they symbolised bride and groom, as well as the two respective groomsmen and bridesmaids, as well as heaven and earth, the written and oral law, the physical world and the spiritual world. Rabbi Chanina points out that the word luchot, is written defectively, both letters ו, being missing. This is to teach that each Tablet is considered as equally important as is its partner.
And Hashem said to me: "Arise, go down quickly from here; for your people that you have brought forth out of Egypt have dealt corruptly; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image."
verse value 5715 — יְהֹוָ֜ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 75 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "go·down" (רֵ֤ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·Egypt" (מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "go·down" (רֵ֤ד), "from·here" (מִזֶּ֔ה), "they·turned·aside" (סָ֣רוּ). The root מהר appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "for" (root כי, 164x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root מסכה ("molten·image") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'from·Egypt', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 8 words.
Onkelos
And Hashem said to me: Rise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you brought out from Egypt have acted corruptly; they have turned aside quickly from the way that I commanded them — they have made themselves a molten image.
Targum Yonatan
the Lord said to me, Arise, go down quickly from hence, for the people who are called by thy name, whom I led forth from the land of Mizraim, have corrupted their way; {Onq., Nf. MT; they have soon gone aside from the way that I commanded them on Sinai, saying, Make not to you a likeness or image; for they have made for themselves a molten (form).}.
Furthermore Hashem spoke to me, saying: "I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people;
verse value 2692 — יְהֹוָ֖ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "people·stiff·necked" (עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף, 8 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "I·have·seen" (רָאִ֙יתִי֙). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 144x in Deuteronomy); "the·people" (root עם, 123x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root הנה ("behold") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·say', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֥אמֶר [and·he·said] (257) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + אֵלַ֣י [to·me] (41) + לֵאמֹ֑ר [to·say] (271) + רָאִ֙יתִי֙ [I·have·seen] (621) + אֶת־הָעָ֣ם [the·people] (516) + הַזֶּ֔ה [this] (17) + וְהִנֵּ֥ה [behold] (66) + עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף [people·stiff·necked] (865) + הֽוּא [it] (12) = 2692.
Onkelos
And Hashem said to me, saying: It is revealed before Me concerning this people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.
let Me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they."
verse value 4318
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "let·me·alone" (הֶ֤רֶף, 3 letters) and the longest is "a·nation·mighty" (לְגוֹי־עָצ֥וּם, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "let·me·alone" (הֶ֤רֶף), "and·I·will·destroy·them" (וְאַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם), "and·I·will·blot·out" (וְאֶמְחֶ֣ה). The root מן appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·will·make" (root עשה, 163x in Deuteronomy); "their·name" (root שם, 101x in Deuteronomy); "from" (root מן, 44x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root מחה ("and·I·will·blot·out") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heaven', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: הֶ֤רֶף [let·me·alone] (285) + מִמֶּ֙נִּי֙ [from] (140) + וְאַשְׁמִידֵ֔ם [and·I·will·destroy·them] (401) + וְאֶמְחֶ֣ה [and·I·will·blot·out] (60) + אֶת־שְׁמָ֔ם [their·name] (781) + מִתַּ֖חַת [from·beneath] (848) + הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם [heaven] (395) + וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂה֙ [and·I·will·make] (382) + אֽוֹתְךָ֔ [you] (427) + לְגוֹי־עָצ֥וּם [a·nation·mighty] (255) + וָרָ֖ב [and·much] (208) + מִמֶּֽנּוּ [from] (136) = 4318.
Onkelos
Withdraw your prayer from before Me, and I will destroy them and blot out their name from under the heavens, and I will make you into a nation mightier and more numerous than they.
So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire; and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.
verse value 3700
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 44 letters. Verse gematria: 3700 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "upon" (עַ֖ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "from·the·mountain" (מִן־הָהָ֔ר, 5 letters). The root הר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "upon" (root על, 87x in Deuteronomy); "my·hands" (root יד, 83x in Deuteronomy); "from·the·mountain" (root הר, 47x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'fire', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וָאֵ֗פֶן [and·I·turned] (137) + וָֽאֵרֵד֙ [and·I·went·down] (211) + מִן־הָהָ֔ר [from·the·mountain] (300) + וְהָהָ֖ר [mountain] (216) + בֹּעֵ֣ר [burning] (272) + בָּאֵ֑שׁ [fire] (303) + וּשְׁנֵי֙ [two] (366) + לוּחֹ֣ת [tablets] (444) + הַבְּרִ֔ית [covenant] (617) + עַ֖ל [upon] (100) + שְׁתֵּ֥י [two] (710) + יָדָֽי [my·hands] (24) = 3700.
Onkelos
So I turned and came down from the mountain, while the mountain was burning with fire; and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands.
Ramban
SO I TURNED AND CAME DOWN FROM THE MOUNT. I have already explained in its place that before Moses came down from the mountain [and burned the calf] he prayed for them, and, as a result of his prayer, it was said to him, And the Eternal repented of the evil which He said He would do unto His people. Now, however, he did not mention it because he wanted to give them a [general] review of the great burden and suffering that he undertook for their sake — that they caused him to break the Tablets, to pray for them forty days and forty nights, and also to pray on behalf of Aaron because G-d was very angry with him. Afterwards he mentioned the first supplication with which he [immediately] before he came down from the mountain besought the face of the Eternal his G-d not to destroy them.
Sforno
וההר בוער באש, so that you actually committed the sin (golden calf) while the “King” i.e. the presence of the Shechinah, was actually still in your immediate vicinity.
Chizkuni
ואפן וארד מן ההר, I turned around and descended from the Mountain,” on the same day, the seventeenth day in Tammuz.
Tur HaArokh
ואפן וארד מן ההר, “I turned and descended from the Mountain;” Nachmanides writes that he has already explained that Moses had prayed on behalf on the people before beginning his descent from the Mountain, as we know from Exodus At the conclusion of that particular prayer G’d had already assured him that He had reconsidered His original intent to wipe out the whole nation. Moses, at this time, does not even refer to that prayer as he is intent on describing the 40 days of continuous pleading on behalf of the people, and even on behalf of Aaron, that he had spent on his return to the Mountain after he had shattered the Tablets 9,17, ואתפוש בשני הלוחות, “I grasped the two Tablets;” this too is part of the admonition, i.e. Moses described that he was unable to refrain from smashing the Tablets. He mentioned this as he wants to elaborate on the second set of Tablets, and what had occasioned the need for such a second set. It is also possible that he hinted at the favour he had done for the people at that time when he had risked immediate death by destroying G’d’s handiwork deliberately. He had done so for the sake of the people, as our sages explain in Shemot Rabbah 46 it is better to be convicted of infidelity while still only betrothed, than to be convicted after already being properly married. As long as the people had not received the Tablets, the final step in the nuptials between G’d and the people begun on the day of the revelation had not yet been taken.
And I looked, and, behold, you had sinned against Hashem your God; you had made you a molten calf; you had turned aside quickly out of the way which Hashem had commanded you.
verse value 4385 — יְהֹוָ֖ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to" (לָכֶ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "your·God" (אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "and·I·saw" (וָאֵ֗רֶא), "you·made" (עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם), "calf" (עֵ֖גֶל). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy); "you·made" (root עשה, 163x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'molten·image', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Onkelos
And I looked, and behold, you had sinned before Hashem your God; you had made yourselves a molten calf — you had turned aside quickly from the way that Hashem had commanded you.
Daat Zkenim
וארא והנה חטאת, “and behold, I saw you had sinned;” what precisely did Moses see? He observed that the letters engraved on the Tablets had flown off. This is why I grabbed the remains and smashed them before your eyes. This can be illustrated by a parable. A Roman or Greek officer was walking along the path, holding the king’s seal in his hands. When he was about to enter a certain country he had to cross a river and in the process the king’s seal with his authorisation fell into the water and when retrieved proved to have become illegible. What did he do? He tore up the paper and smashed the seal as they were no longer of any use to him. Moses’ situation when descending from Mount Sinai was similar to that of that officer, and that is why he smashed the Tablets. וארא, “I saw;” another parable will illustrate what Moses meant. Moses saw the golden calf the people had made and as a result he broke the Tablets. Imagine a king who had become engaged to be married to a certain lady, having told her that he would send her the marriage certificate, ketuvah¸ after a certain period of time, using his best man as the messenger. By the time the document had been written and he had found his best man, he found out that the lady was not worthy to become his wife. What did he do? He tore up the marriage certificate. His reasoning was that it was in that lady’s interest instead of becoming an unfaithful wife after the marriage ceremony, to remain unmarried when her conduct was subject to a lesser penalty. The same happened with the relationship between G–d and Israel at that time. Israel had become betrothed to G–d at time of the revelation at Mount Sinai. The Tablets were meant to be the marriage document that He would give His people forty days later. When Moses saw how corrupt they had become in the interval, he decided that it was in their best interest to tear up the marriage document, i.e. the Tablets, so as to make their legal status less serious than if they had committed adultery after the wedding ceremony. (Tanchuma, section 11)
And I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them before your eyes.
verse value 3642
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "from·upon" (מֵעַ֖ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "before·your·eyes" (לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "and·I·gripped" (וָאֶתְפֹּשׂ֙), "two" (בִּשְׁנֵ֣י), "and·I·flung·them" (וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵ֔ם). The root שנים appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "from·upon" (root על, 87x in Deuteronomy); "my·hands" (root יד, 83x in Deuteronomy); "before·your·eyes" (root עין, 60x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root תפש ("and·I·gripped") in Deuteronomy. First appearance of the root שלך ("and·I·flung·them") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'my·hands', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 2 words. Full calculation: וָאֶתְפֹּשׂ֙ [and·I·gripped] (787) + בִּשְׁנֵ֣י [two] (362) + הַלֻּחֹ֔ת [tablets] (443) + וָֽאַשְׁלִכֵ֔ם [and·I·flung·them] (397) + מֵעַ֖ל [from·upon] (140) + שְׁתֵּ֣י [two] (710) + יָדָ֑י [my·hands] (24) + וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵ֖ם [and·I·smashed·them] (549) + לְעֵינֵיכֶֽם [before·your·eyes] (230) = 3642.
Onkelos
I grasped the two tablets, and cast them down from my two hands, and shattered them before your eyes.
Ramban
AND I TOOK HOLD OF THE TWO TABLETS. This is also meant to be part of the chastisements. He is saying: “your sin was greater than could be borne, to the point that when I saw you being merry before the calf I could not restrain [my anger] and I broke the Tablets.” He had to mention this because he wanted them to realize the significance of the second Tablets, as he will explain [in the section that follows]. Possibly he is alluding further to the favor he did them when he endangered his own life by breaking the Tablets of G-d for their sake, as our Rabbis have said: “It is better that you [Israel] be judged like an [unchaste] unmarried woman and not like an [adulterous] wife.”
Or HaChaim
ואתפש בשני הלחות ואשלכם, "and I took hold of the two Tablets and I flung them, etc." Why did Moses have to mention that "he took hold" of something which was already in his hands? Perhaps as long as the Israelites had not yet been guilty of sin the Tablets were suspended in the air slightly above Moses' hands so that he could not actually touch them. This may be what is meant when we were told in verse 16: "and the two Tablets of the covenant "were above my two hands." Moses had not said that the two Tablets were "in his hands." They seemed to carry themselves. Once Moses espied the golden calf, the Tablets lost their holiness so that Moses had to "take hold of them" with his hands.
Chizkuni
ואשברם לעיניכם, “I smashed them in front of your eyes.” I did this in order not to make you guilty of transgressing the law written thereon. It was written on them that you are not to have other deities, and you had made a golden calf for yourselves.!”.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ואתפוש בשני הלוחות ואשליחם מעל שתי ידי , “I took hold of the two Tablets and threw them from my two hands.” Nachmanides writes that Moses describes that he placed his life in jeopardy smashing G’d’s Tablets for the benefit of the people. He considered it as preferable that the people committed infidelity while not married than to their being married at the time (if they had already received the Tablets).
Tur HaArokh
ואתפוש בשני הלוחות, “I grasped the two Tablets;” this too is part of the admonition, i.e. Moses described that he was unable to refrain from smashing the Tablets. He mentioned this as he wants to elaborate on the second set of Tablets, and what had occasioned the need for such a second set. It is also possible that he hinted at the favour he had done for the people at that time when he had risked immediate death by destroying G’d’s handiwork deliberately. He had done so for the sake of the people, as our sages explain in Shemot Rabbah 46 it is better to be convicted of infidelity while still only betrothed, than to be convicted after already being properly married. As long as the people had not received the Tablets, the final step in the nuptials between G’d and the people begun on the day of the revelation had not yet been taken.
Rashbam
ואשברם, for I had run out of strength to hold on to them. I have explained this on Exodus 32,19.
Daat Zkenim
ואשליכם מעל שתי ידי, “I cast them out of my two hands;” this is what Kohelet 3,5 had in mind when he wrote: עת להשליך אבנים, “there is an appropriate time for throwing stones.” (instead of gathering them in)” He referred to the first set of Tablets. When he continued with: עת כנוס אבנים, “an appropriate time for gathering in stones,” he referred to the second set of Tablets.
And I fell down before Hashem, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; I did neither eat bread nor drink water; because of all your sin which you sinned, in doing that which was evil in the sight of Hashem, to provoke Him.
verse value 6976 — יְהֹוָ֜ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 23 words, 103 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "all·your·sin" (כׇּל־חַטַּאתְכֶם֙, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 31: not, not. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "as·the·first" (כָּרִאשֹׁנָ֗ה), "all·your·sin" (כׇּל־חַטַּאתְכֶם֙). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "not" (root לא, 214x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root נפל ("and·I·prostrated·myself") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·drank', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 9 words.
Onkelos
I then prostrated myself before Hashem, as I had done the first time, forty days and forty nights; I ate no bread and drank no water — on account of all your sins that you had committed, doing what is evil before Hashem, to provoke anger before Him.
Rashi
ואתנפל לפני ה׳ כראשנה ארבעים יום AND I FELL DOWN BEFORE THE LORD, AS AT THE FIRST, FORTY DAYS, as it is said (Exodus 32:30) “And now I will go up to the Lord, perhaps I may atone [for your sin]”. At that ascent, which was the second I made, I tarried there forty days — consequently these terminated on the twenty-ninth of Ab, since he had ascended on the eighteenth of Tammuz. On that same day in Ab He became reconciled with Israel and said to Moses (Exodus 34:1) “Hew thee out two tablets”. He stayed there another forty days; consequently these terminated on the Day of Atonement (the tenth of Tishri). On that same day, the Holy One, blessed be He, was gladly reconciled (i.e. completely reconciled) with Israel and said to Moses, I have forgiven according to thy word. On this account it was appointed for pardon and forgiveness. And whence do we know that He was reconciled with them with complete goodwill? Because it is stated in respect to the forty days of the last tablets (in respect to third period of forty days) (Deuteronomy 10:10), “And I stayed in the mountain according to the first days”! What was the case with the first days? They were passed in God’s goodwill! (for they had not yet committed the sin of worshipping the golden calf). So, too, the last forty days were in God’s goodwill! You must now say (admit) that the intervening forty days were passed in God’s anger (Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 31; cf. Rashi on Exodus 18:13).
Ibn Ezra
"And I fell prostrate" — this is what he said [earlier]: "I will now go up to Hashem." The meaning of "and I fell prostrate" is: falling upon his face to the ground.
Chizkuni
ואתנפל לפני ה' כראשונה ארבעים יום וארבעים לילה. I prostrated myself before the Lord, as previously, for forty days and forty nights. This verse does not refer to Rashi’s commentary here that G-d responded to Moses with the words: סלחתי כדברך, “I have forgiven, in accordance with your words.” This phrase occurs in Scriptures only once, after the Sin of the Spies and the subsequent rebellion of the people. But the verse here alludes to Moses’ second period of isolation to obtain forgiveness after the sin of the golden calf.(Exodus 32,30.) That quote is Rashi’s own words, for on the seventeenth of Tammus during the first year of the Exodus Moses returned up to the Mountain in order to obtain forgiveness for the sin of the golden calf. The spies had not been dispatched until the twenty ninth day of Sivan in the second year of their wanderings. כראשונה, “as originally;” this word does not refer to the word: “I prostrated myself;” it could not have done, as he had not previously asked G-d to forgive the sin of the golden calf. It simply refers to a period of forty days and forty nights. Moses makes the point that he had had to stay on the Mountain without food or drink twice on two separate occasions. This had occurred the first time when he had ascended the Mountain of the seventh day of Sivan in order to obtain the first set of commandments. The second 40-day period to secure the forgiveness for the sin of the golden calf commenced on the eighteenth day of Tammus, and he returned at the beginning of the twenty ninth day of the month of Av. During those 40 days he did not ascend the mountain but prayed in his own tent, the one he had erected outside the camp, [as G-d had made Himself inaccessible to prayer inside the confines of the camp, as I have explained in my commentary on Exodus 32,11].
Rabbeinu Bahya
ואתנפל לפני ה' כראשונה ארבעים יום, “I threw myself down before the Lord as the first time, forty days;” The meaning of the word ואתנפל is that he fell on his face on the ground. Our sages derived from this wording the mode of our prayers which includes three positions, i.e. standing, sitting, and prostrating oneself. Moses mentioned all three of these positions when he referred to his sojourn on Mount Sinai. In verse 9 he referred to “sitting” on the mountain; in Deut. 10,10 he refers to his standing on the mountain, whereas in our verse he mentions prostrating himself. A Midrashic approach based on Midrash Tehillim 90,1: Rabbi Berechyah said that Moses did not leave a single corner of the celestial regions in which he did not pray for the Jewish people. We derive this from the words ואתנפל לפני ה' כראשונה , “in the presence of the Lord,” i.e. wherever His presence extended. A kabbalistic approach: The reflexive form ואתנפל means that Moses offered two prayers. During a period of forty days he addressed a prayer to Hashem without informing us of the contents of that prayer. However, his words in verse 18: “because of your entire sin which you committed to do what is evil in the eyes of the Lord to make Him angry,” reveal that the second prayer concerned the fundamental sin committed by the people, a sin equivalent to cutting themselves off from G’d. It was this sin which caused anger to the attribute Hashem, not just to the attribute of Justice. The prayer Moses mentions in verse 26 was addressed to the attribute of Justice seeing Moses describes part of it as his saying: ”ado-nay elo-him,” i.e. (the attribute of Justice) do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance, etc.” This was the same prayer he had mentioned in Exodus 32,11 beginning with the words למה יחרה אפך בעמך, “to what purpose will Your anger be aroused against Your people?”
Daat Zkenim
ואתנפל לפני ה' כראשונה, “I threw myself down before the Lord as I had done the first time;” Moses refers to the first time he had thrown himself down after G–d had told him to desist from pleading so that He could proceed with wiping out the Jewish nation; (Deut. 9,14) He remained in that position until G–d had conceded that He would not wipe out the nation. This was reported as having taken place in Exodus 32,14, where we read וינחם ה' על הרעה, “the Lord renounced the evil,” i.e. punishment He had intended to subject the people to. He had not, at that stage, forgiven, any part of their sin. Now, Moses explains that he faced the problem of obtaining forgiveness for his people. He did so out of fear and dread. (verse 19) As a result of his persistence, G–d decided to pardon the sin which He had originally meant to punish with destruction of the people.
For I was in dread of the anger and hot displeasure, with which Hashem was wroth against you to destroy you. But Hashem heeded me that time also.
verse value 3545 — הָאַף֙ = 86 (Elohim)
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 66 letters. Notable word values: "the·wrath" (הָאַף֙) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·destroy" (לְהַשְׁמִ֣יד, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "I·feared" (יָגֹ֗רְתִּי), "heat" (וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ה), "he·was·angry" (קָצַ֧ף). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "for" (root כי, 164x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root חמה ("heat") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 6 words.
Onkelos
For I was afraid because of the wrath and fury with which Hashem was angry against you, to destroy you; but Hashem accepted my prayer at that time as well.
Ramban
FOR I WAS IN DREAD OF THE ANGER. He is stating that because of the anger and the fury wherewith the Eternal was angry with you at first [that He wanted] to destroy you, I stood in awe even now, for there was still [enough] of that great anger upon you to destroy you, even though G-d had already repented of the evil which He said He would do unto His people. Therefore I returned and threw myself down [in prayer] in your behalf for forty days and forty nights until He hearkened unto me that time also just as He hearkened the first time before I descended [from the mountain]. For Aaron, also, I prayed at that time when I returned there [to the mountain] because, until he had cleansed [the camp of] the calf, [Moses’ main] concern was but to turn back His wrath, lest He should destroy the [whole] people in a moment, [and hence he did not pray especially for Aaron until he returned to the mountain].
Ibn Ezra
"Also at that time" — for he had already prayed on their behalf when they were at the sea, as the proof-text states: "Why do you cry out to Me?" And again: "He cried out to Hashem, and Hashem showed him a tree."
Chizkuni
גם בפעם ההיא, “also on that occasion.” He had already prayed for them at the sea of reeds, (Exodus 14,15) at Marah (15,25) and at Massah.(Exodus 17,4)
Tur HaArokh
כי יגורתי, וגו', “for I was terrified, etc.;” on account G’d displaying His anger at you in so many ways. First I was afraid that He would destroy you utterly as He had threatened to do; my fear had not yet abated as even the anger described as קצף, is still a great threat to the object of that anger. True, that G’d had relented somewhat, and no longer wanted to wipe all of you out with one fell swoop, but if I spent forty days and nights prostrate on the Mountain praying on your behalf I did so with good reason, until at the end of that period G’d accepted my plea, finally. I also had to pray on account of Aaron. I prostrated myself on that occasion, as I could not do so before. Moses describes the gold dust of the burned golden calf as having been “thrown: into the brook at the foot of Mount Sinai,” instead of mentioning that the people had been made to drink from it as reported in Exodus He omitted this detail out of sensitivity for their feelings. He did not want them to feel like a Sotah, a wife suspected of marital infidelity. Such a woman is made to drink from the water in which the ash of the red heifer has been dissolved.
Rashbam
גם בפעם ההיא, in addition to the numerous other occasions when I prayed on your behalf.
Moreover Hashem was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him; and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.
verse value 2677 — יְהֹוָ֛ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 47 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "exceedingly" (מְאֹ֖ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·destroy·him" (לְהַשְׁמִיד֑וֹ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "Aaron" (וּֽבְאַהֲרֹ֗ן), "to·destroy·him" (לְהַשְׁמִיד֑וֹ), "also·for" (גַּם־בְּעַ֥ד). The root אהרן appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root הוא, 113x in Deuteronomy); "to·destroy·him" (root שמד, 29x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root אהרן ("Aaron") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·destroy·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּֽבְאַהֲרֹ֗ן [Aaron] (264) + הִתְאַנַּ֧ף [he·was·angry] (536) + יְהֹוָ֛ה [Hashem] (26) + מְאֹ֖ד [exceedingly] (45) + לְהַשְׁמִיד֑וֹ [to·destroy·him] (395) + וָֽאֶתְפַּלֵּ֛ל [and·I·prayed] (547) + גַּם־בְּעַ֥ד [also·for] (119) + אַהֲרֹ֖ן [Aaron] (256) + בָּעֵ֥ת [time] (472) + הַהִֽוא [that] (17) = 2677.
Onkelos
And against Aaron there was very great wrath from before Hashem, to destroy him; so I prayed on Aaron's behalf at that time as well.
Rashi
ובאהרן התאנף ה׳ AND WITH AARON THE LORD WAS ANGRY, because he listened to you. להשמידו TO DESTROY HIM — this denotes the extermination of one’s children, and so, too, it states, (Amos 2:9) “And I destroyed (ואשמיד) his fruit (offspring) from above” (Leviticus Rabbah 7:1). .(אחרי מות AND I PRAYED FOR AARON ALSO, and my prayer availed to atone half, so that only two of his sons died, and two remained alive.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ובאהרן התאנף ה' מאד להשמידו, “ and against Aaron the Lord was very angry wanting to destroy him.” Our sages in Vayikra Rabbah 10,5 explain that the word להשמיד in this verse refers to the death of Aaron’s children. They base this on Amos 2,9 ואשמיד פריו ממעל ושרשיו מתחת, “I destroyed his boughs above and his roots below.” As a result of Moses’ prayer on behalf of Aaron G’d carried out only half of His plan, allowing two of Aaron’s sons to survive. At any rate, this verse is testimony that Aaron was guilty of a great sin in connection with the golden calf, so much so that the penalty was loss of his children. Having read this, we must surely ask: “seeing that Aaron did whatever he did with the purest intentions, לשם שמים, “for the sake of heaven,” (compare author’s comments on Exodus 32,4) and even the text attributes to him only a deed which was wrong not a faulty intention, why would G’d be so angry at him? The answer is that G’d measures great people by a most severe yardstick, according to Baba Kama 50 even deviating from the straight and narrow by as little as a hair’s breadth becomes a culpable sin. That wording is based on Psalms 50,3 וסביביו נשערה מאד, “and people close around Him will be judged even by a hair.” Even though Aaron’s deed was well intentioned, he personally not having sinned in thought, he became the instrument of the Jewish people not only sinning but desecrating the Lord’s name in public. This is why when Moses confronted him he said to him: “How could you bring such a great sin upon this people?” (Exodus 32,21). We find proof of the fact that Aaron personally had not committed a sin in Deut. 33,8: ”You tested him at the waters of Merivah.” Moses also called Aaron חסיד in that same verse, i.e. he had not been guilty of any personal sin other than not speaking to the rock or reminding Moses that he was supposed to speak to the rock. I will discuss this further when discussing the verse in question in detail.
And I took your sin, the calf which you had made, and burnt it with fire, and beat it in pieces, grinding it very small, until it was as fine as dust; and I cast its dust into the brook that descended out of the mount.—
verse value 8309 — הֵיטֵ֔ב = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 91 letters. Notable word values: "thoroughly" (הֵיטֵ֔ב) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֥ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·sin" (וְֽאֶת־חַטַּאתְכֶ֞ם, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 407: it, it. 12 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "and·sin" (וְֽאֶת־חַטַּאתְכֶ֞ם), "that·you·made" (אֲשֶׁר־עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ם), "the·calf" (אֶת־הָעֵ֗גֶל). The root עפר appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that·you·made" (root עשה, 163x in Deuteronomy); "until" (root עד, 50x in Deuteronomy); "from·the·mountain" (root הר, 47x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root עפר ("dust") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'dust', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 5 words.
Onkelos
As for your sinful thing that you had made — the calf — I took it and burned it in fire, and ground it thoroughly until it became fine as dust, and I cast its dust into the stream that flows down from the mountain.
Rashi
טחון — This is a present tense of continuous action like הלוך וכלות “going on destroying”; moulant in O. F. English grinding (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 3:6).
Ramban
AND I CAST THE DUST THEREOF INTO THE BROOK THAT DESCENDED OUT OF THE MOUNT. He did not mention that he made them drink [of the water mixed with the dust of the calf] by way of humiliating them for their deeds, because he did not want to tell them that he had done to them what is done to wives suspected of adultery.
Ibn Ezra
"And your sin" — the calf is called a sin [חטאת]; therefore he added to explain and said "the calf." "And I ground it" — to dust, fine as the dust of the earth.
Or HaChaim
ואת חטאתכם…לקחתי, "and I took your sin, etc." Moses hinted that when he burned the golden calf this also resulted in his burning the "sin" itself and the power which it represented. Please compare what I have written on Exodus 32,20: "he took the calf which they had made."
Chizkuni
ואת חטאתכם, “and your sin;” the golden calf (IbnEzra) דק לעפר, fine as dust; the letter ל in this word has a semivowel, sh’va na.
Daat Zkenim
ואכות אותו טחון, ”I beat it into pieces grinding it into dust;” he ground it into dust so that no one could benefit from it.
And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, you made Hashem wroth.
verse value 3177
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "Massah" (וּבְמַסָּ֔ה, 5 letters) and the longest is "Taberah" (וּבְתַבְעֵרָה֙, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "Taberah" (וּבְתַבְעֵרָה֙), "Massah" (וּבְמַסָּ֔ה), "Kibroth" (וּבְקִבְרֹ֖ת). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "you·were" (root היה, 170x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hattaavah', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וּבְתַבְעֵרָה֙ [Taberah] (685) + וּבְמַסָּ֔ה [Massah] (113) + וּבְקִבְרֹ֖ת [Kibroth] (710) + הַֽתַּאֲוָ֑ה [hattaavah] (417) + מַקְצִפִ֥ים [provoking·anger] (360) + הֱיִיתֶ֖ם [you·were] (465) + אֶת־יְהֹוָֽה [Hashem] (427) = 3177.
Onkelos
And at the Burning, and at the Testing, and at the Graves of Craving, you were provoking anger before Hashem.
Ramban
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.
Ibn Ezra
"And at Taberah" — it is plausible that this is a place name, and they encamped there only one day; therefore they are not mentioned in the list [of stations] in "These are the journeys" [Num. 33]. It is one of the three journeys they traveled from Mount Sinai until Kibroth-hattaavah, as I explained. The reason for linking Taberah with Massah is that the people were complaining there as though testing [God], and he mentioned Taberah before Massah because at Massah nothing happened to them — and some say that Amalek came because they had tested Hashem, and therefore he mentioned the burning fire of Hashem upon them and the smiting of Amalek's rear, and he mentioned the smiting of those who craved first, as the harsher [incident]. Others say that Taberah and Massah are one place, as in [the pairing of] "from the summit of Senir and Hermon." But the correct view is what I explained.
Sforno
ובתבערה ובמסה, even though you have seen with your own eyes that because you had made G’d angry the Tablets He had made Himself were shattered, and I had to pray for you and fast for 40 consecutive days and nights, you repeatedly angered G’d again at the locations I just mentioned, as if putting G’d to the test each time. ובקברת התאוה, when you demanded to eat meat.
Chizkuni
ובתבערה and at Taveyrah; this is a reference to Taveyrah, also known as kivrat hataavah, the burial ground of the greedy ones, where thousands had died for eating too much meat for too long. (Numbers 11,3.) Seeing that this place had two names, Moses mentions both of them.
Tur HaArokh
ובתבערה, ובמסה, ובקברות התאוה, Ibn Ezra says that תבערה, is the name of a place, and that the people never made camp there for longer than a single day. This is the reason why this place has not been listed in the stopovers in Parshat Massey. The reason why Moses lumped together Taveyrah and Massa, is because at both of these locations the people had been guilty of complaining and putting G’d on trial, testing Him. Before the incident at Massa nothing had happened to the people at all. Some scholar says that the attack by Amalek was triggered by the people’s conduct at Massa, and that although Amalek had attacked the rearguard or stragglers of the people, Moses described G’d’s anger as “burning,” concentrating on the more serious sins of the people.
Daat Zkenim
ובתבערה, “and at Tav-eyrah;” here Moses refers to what happened in Numbers 11,1 we read ותבער בם אש ה', “and a fire from the Lord burned among them.” It consumed the people who had grumbled without spelling out their specific complaints.” ובמסה, “and at massah u’mrivah,” compare Exodus 17,7, where Moses had called this location: מסה ומריבה, “trying and strife;” ובקברות התאוה, “and at the graves of lusting;” a reference to Numbers 11,34, where thousands died from ravenously eating too many quails.
And when Hashem sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying: "Go up and possess the land which I have given you"; then you rebelled against the commandment of Hashem your God, and you believed Him not, nor heeded His voice.
verse value 7545 — יְהֹוָ֜ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 90 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֜ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "in·him" (ל֔וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·land" (אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 106: go·up, your·God. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "when·he·sent" (וּבִשְׁלֹ֨חַ), "go·up" (עֲלוּ֙), "you·trusted" (הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם֙). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that/which" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "your·God" (root אלהים, 368x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 10 words.
Onkelos
And when Hashem sent you from Rekem-Geah, saying: Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you — you rebelled against the decree of the Word of Hashem your God, and did not believe in Him, and did not hearken to His Word.
Ibn Ezra
"You did not believe" — in the heart; "and you did not heed" — in deed. He then returns to explain the prayer that he had prayed.
Or HaChaim
ובשלוח ה׳ אתכם, "And when the Lord sent you, etc." Moses referred to Joshua and Caleb whom G'd sent to spy out the land telling them: "ascend and take possession of the land אשר אני נתתי לכם, "which I have given to you." A comparison with Numbers 13,2 shows that what G'd had said was אשר אני נתן לבני ישראל, "which I am about to give to the children of Israel." Please look at what I have written on that verse. Moses interrupted recounting what happened during the episode of the golden calf by mentioning the episode with the spies as well as the events at Kivrot Hata-avah, at Massah, and at Taverah, because he wanted to lump together all the occasions when the people had aroused G'd's anger. If he had first completed recounting what happened during the episode of the golden calf he would have created so much of a pause between one act of rebellion and the next that the psychological impact of a series of acts of disobedience which he tried to create would have been diminished.
Rabbeinu Bahya
ולא האמנתם לו, “and you did not believe Him.” This refers to the commandment to trust the Lord in your heart. ולא שמעתם בקולו, “and you did not hearken to His voice.” This refers to the action stemming from belief or non belief, as the case may be. It is possible that Moses alluded to the attribute Hashem when he said to the people: “you did not believe Him.” This is why he chose an unusual preposition, i.e. לו instead of the preposition ב which is usually associated with matters of אמונה, “faith.” Examples of the use of the preposition ב associated with the word אמונה are Exodus 14,31 ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו, or Numbers 20,12 יען לא האמנתם בי, and numerous others. If the Torah had used this preposition here, there would not have been any need to write afterwards ולא שמעתם בקולו, seeing the word בו would already have referred to “His name,” and the word וקולו implies “His name.” In order to mention G’d’s attribute of Hashem specifically, the Torah first had to write לו when referring to האמנתם. The full meaning of the verse then is: ‘you rebelled against the command of the Lord your G’d and did not believe Him, i.e. the Lord your G’d; neither did you obey the Lord your G’d.”
You have been rebellious against Hashem from the day that I knew you.—
verse value 1972
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 28 letters. The shortest word is "day" (מִיּ֖וֹם, 4 letters) and the longest is "with·Hashem" (עִם־יְהֹוָ֑ה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "day" (מִיּ֖וֹם), "my·knowing" (דַּעְתִּ֥י). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "with·Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "you·were" (root היה, 170x in Deuteronomy); "day" (root יום, 168x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·Hashem', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: מַמְרִ֥ים [rebellious] (330) + הֱיִיתֶ֖ם [you·were] (465) + עִם־יְהֹוָ֑ה [with·Hashem] (136) + מִיּ֖וֹם [day] (96) + דַּעְתִּ֥י [my·knowing] (484) + אֶתְכֶֽם [you] (461) = 1972.
Onkelos
You have been rebellious before Hashem from the day I came to know you.
So I fell down before Hashem the forty days and forty nights that I fell down; because Hashem had said He would destroy you.
verse value 4981 — יְהֹוָ֗ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 69 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·forty" (וְאֶת־אַרְבָּעִ֥ים, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 26: Hashem, Hashem. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "forty" (אֵ֣ת אַרְבָּעִ֥ים), "and·forty" (וְאֶת־אַרְבָּעִ֥ים), "night" (הַלַּ֖יְלָה). The root נפל appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "day" (root יום, 168x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'I·lay·prostrate', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: וָֽאֶתְנַפַּ֞ל [and·I·lay·prostrate] (567) + לִפְנֵ֣י [face] (170) + יְהֹוָ֗ה [Hashem] (26) + אֵ֣ת אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [forty] (724) + הַיּ֛וֹם [day] (61) + וְאֶת־אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [and·forty] (730) + הַלַּ֖יְלָה [night] (80) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + הִתְנַפָּ֑לְתִּי [I·lay·prostrate] (975) + כִּֽי־אָמַ֥ר [for/because·he·said] (271) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + לְהַשְׁמִ֥יד [to·destroy] (389) + אֶתְכֶֽם [you] (461) = 4981.
Onkelos
And I prostrated myself before Hashem for those forty days and forty nights that I lay prostrate, because Hashem had said He would destroy you.
Rashi
ואתנפל וגו׳ AND I FELL DOWN [BEFORE THE LORD … THE FORTY DAYS … WHICH I HAD FALLEN DOWN] — These are the very same forty days mentioned above (v. 18), and it mentions them a second time here, because there is written here (in the next verse) the wording of his prayer, as it is said, “O Lord God, destroy not thy people, etc.”.
Ramban
AND I FELL DOWN BEFORE THE ETERNAL. He is stating: “I had to cast myself down in prayer for you forty days and forty nights because of this great sin, for at first G-d said to destroy you, until I prayed to G-d and said ‘[O G-d Eternal], destroy not Thy people and Thine inheritance.’” This was his prayer before he came down from the mountain, and it was because of this prayer that he was answered with And the Eternal repented of the evil which He said He would do unto His people. He did not mention the prayer of the forty days and forty nights, for the measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. I have already explained the reason why the Divine Names are written both with Aleph Daleth, and Yod Hei [in Verse 26: O G-d Eternal, destroy not Thy people etc.].
Chizkuni
ואתנפל לפני ה, “I threw myself down before the Lord;” according to Rashi, these are the same forty days of which Moses had spoken already in verse 18. His proof is that he himself wrote: “the forty days and nights,” i.e. the ones referred to already.
Tur HaArokh
ואתנפל לפני ה', “I threw myself down before Hashem;” Nachmanides interprets these words as “I was forced to throw myself down on your behalf for forty days and forty nights on account of the terrible sin you had committed,” for initially, Hashem had threatened to destroy you all together, until I had completed my prayers.
Rashbam
'ואתנפל לפני ה' את ארבעים היום וגו' ואתפלל אל ה ואומר וגו', who is wise enough to understand and explain why Moses had to repeat that he had to fall on his face for forty days? Is it then the custom for the Torah to keep repeating things like ואתנפל אשר התנפלתי?. We would have expected the words ואתפלל, “I prayed,” to immediately follow the words ואתנפל, “I prostrated myself! However, there is a profound wisdom in the sequence of the words the Torah quotes Moses as saying, one that contains an admonition to his people. Moses is using the way he phrases his report of what he did during those 40 days and how he did it, by pre-empting an argument by the Jewish people that just as his prayers had been helpful when they were in the desert, similar prayers would be equally helpful once the people were in the Holy Land and they committed a major sin. The prophets in such days, they would argue, would surely be able to act as their interlocutors then just as Moses had done while he was alive. The point Moses is making here is that at this time their atonement was only in order for G’d not to be perceived as being unable to fulfill His oath of bringing Avraham’s descendants to take over the land of Canaan. In other words, Israel’s pardon was for the sake of not desecrating G’d’s Holy name. Once G’d had demonstrated that He had kept His promise, and that the people concerned had been settled in the Holy Land, as promised, His Holy name would never again be in danger of being desecrated by someone citing the arguments Moses had been able to cite while the people were still in the desert. This is why Moses repeats again the wording of his prayer. He is telling the people that if his prayer had been heard, it was only on account of an irrefutable argument he had been able to advance, namely how the Egyptians and other nations would react to the Jewish people’s annihilation. It follows, that if, G’d forbid the Jewish people, once settled in the Holy Land, would become guilty of similar misdemeanours as had the Canaanites, they would face both death and expulsion. On the contrary, if that were to happen, the gentile nations would not point to G’d’s inability to keep them there as the cause of their misfortune, but they would correctly point to the disloyalty this people had demonstrated by eschewing the laws given to them by their G’d, the One who had driven out the Canaanites. We find this all spelled out in Deuteronomy 29,23-27.
And I prayed to Hashem, and said: "my Lord, Hashem, destroy not Your people and Your inheritance, that You have redeemed through Your greatness, that You have brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
verse value 5338 — יֱהֹוִ֗ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 72 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יֱהֹוִ֗ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "your·people" (עַמְּךָ֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "whom·You·brought·out" (אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתָ, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "do·not·destroy" (אַל־תַּשְׁחֵ֤ת), "You·redeemed" (פָּדִ֖יתָ), "greatness" (בְּגׇדְלֶ֑ךָ). The root יהוה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "and·I·said" (root אמר, 144x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'greatness', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 4 words.
Onkelos
And I prayed before Hashem and said: Hashem Elohim, do not destroy Your people and Your heritage, whom You have redeemed with Your power, whom You brought out from Egypt with a mighty hand.
Chizkuni
ואמר ה, Moses uses G-d’s attribute spelled with the letters aleph dalet.
Rabbeinu Bahya
אדני אלו-הים אל תשחת עמך ונחלתך, “O G’d, attribute of Justice, do not destroy Your people and your inheritance!” We discussed previously that this is a formula for the attribute of Justice. We encountered this already in Deut. 3,24 when Moses introduced his plea אתה החילות להראות with these words. I discussed this formula in connection with Exodus 20,1.
Tur HaArokh
ואמר אד-ני אלוקים...אל תשחת עמך, I said: “Lord, G’d, do not destroy, etc.” This had been Moses’ prayer before he descended from the Mountain, a prayer that had been responded to by G’d with the words: “I have reconsidered the evil that I said I would bring upon My people.” Moses did not mention the content of the prayers he offered during his forty days on the mountain after he had destroyed the golden calf, and executed the people most guilty of dancing around that calf for, in the words of Job 11,9, “its measure is longer than the earth,” [it would have been beyond the common people’s ability to comprehend. Ed.]
Targum Yonatan
And I prayed before the Lord, and said: I implore mercy before Thee, O Lord God, that Thou wouldst not destroy Thy people and Thy heritage which Thou hast redeemed by Thy power, and led forth from Mizraim by the strength of Thy mighty hand.
Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not to the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin;
verse value 3305
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "remember" (זְכֹר֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·to·its·sin" (וְאֶל־חַטָּאתֽוֹ, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "your·servants" (לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ), "do·not·turn" (אַל־תֵּ֗פֶן), "to·the·stubbornness" (אֶל־קְשִׁי֙). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "the·people" (root עם, 123x in Deuteronomy); "this" (root זה, 75x in Deuteronomy); "your·servants" (root עבד, 64x in Deuteronomy). First appearance of the root רשע ("and·to·its·wickedness") in Deuteronomy. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Jacob', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: זְכֹר֙ [remember] (227) + לַעֲבָדֶ֔יךָ [your·servants] (136) + לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם [Abraham] (278) + לְיִצְחָ֖ק [Isaac] (238) + וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב [Jacob] (218) + אַל־תֵּ֗פֶן [do·not·turn] (561) + אֶל־קְשִׁי֙ [to·the·stubbornness] (441) + הָעָ֣ם [the·people] (115) + הַזֶּ֔ה [this] (17) + וְאֶל־רִשְׁע֖וֹ [and·to·its·wickedness] (613) + וְאֶל־חַטָּאתֽוֹ [and·to·its·sin] (461) = 3305.
Onkelos
Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not turn toward the stubbornness of this people, nor toward their iniquities and their sins.
Chizkuni
אל קשי העם הזה, ”to the stubbornness of this people.” The letter ק in the word קשי, has the semi vowel sh’va na.
lest the land from which You brought us out say: Because Hashem was not able to bring them into the land which He promised to them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.
verse value 6052 — יְהֹוָ֔ה = 26 (Hashem)
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 84 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "lest·they·say" (פֶּן־יֹאמְר֗וּ, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "You·brought·us·out" (הוֹצֵאתָ֣נוּ), "ability/power" (יְכֹ֣לֶת), "to·bring·them·in" (לַהֲבִיאָ֕ם). The root ארץ appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 541x in Deuteronomy); "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "the·land" (root ארץ, 193x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Onkelos
Lest the inhabitants of the land from which You brought us out say: Because Hashem lacked the power to bring them into the land that He had spoken of to them, and because He hated them, He brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.
Ramban
BECAUSE THE ETERNAL WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING THEM INTO THE LAND WHICH HE PROMISED THEM. During the affair of the spies, Moses said, [that the nations will say] Because the Eternal was not able to bring this people into the Land which He swore unto them, therefore He hath slain them in the wilderness, meaning, they [the nations] will say that as they [the Israelites] approached and were near to the Land, and He saw that He was not able to be victorious over those nations He slew them [the Israelites] in the wilderness. But here [with reference to the calf] he [Moses] said [that the Egyptians would claim], and because He hated them, He hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness, since this hatred already existed in Egypt before He took them out from there. The purport of this was that, since at the time when the calf was made, they were still close to Egypt and far from the land of Canaan, the Egyptians would claim that even when they were still in Egypt, He realized that He lacked the power to bring them into the Land of which He spoke to them within hearing of the Egyptians. Therefore He hated them that it [His Name] should not be profaned in the sight of the nations in whose sight He made Himself known to them [the Israelites]. He brought them forth out of the land of Egypt to slay them in the wilderness in a place where their fate would not become known. This is the intent of the verse, [Why should the Egyptians speak, saying:] for evil did He bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains? meaning, that He planned this evil design against them before He brought them out from among the people of Egypt to slay them between the mountains, a place that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt. The point of these arguments was that the nations would speak of the Eternal, the G-d of Israel, [in a manner as they speak of other gods], speaking against Him [saying:] ‘As the gods of the nations of the lands,’ similar to what is stated, and now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. I have already mentioned something of this subject.
Chizkuni
ומשנאתו אותם, “or because of His hatred for them;” the letter ו at the beginning of the word ומשנאתו is to be understood as if the Torah had written: או, “or.” We have numerous occasions where the letter ו means “or,” for instance in Exodus 12,5: מן הכבשים, “or from amongst the sheep;” or in Exodus 21,17: ומכה אביו ואמו, “or if someone strikes his father or his mother,” to mention just a few.
Tur HaArokh
מבלי יכולת ה' להביאם אל הארץ, “beyond G’d’s ability to bring them to the land, etc.” Nachmanides points out that in Moses’ prayer to G’d after the debacle with the spies he uses the expression מבלתי יכולת ה' אל הארץ אשר דבר להם ומשנאתו אותם הוציאם להמיתם במדבר, instead of the words used here, i.e מבלתי יכולת ה' להביא את העם הזה אל הארץ אשר נשבע להם וישחטם במדבר.. Why, did Moses mention G’d’s oath to bring the people to the Holy Land in Numbers 14,16, whereas he did not mention a word about G’d having hated this people already in Egypt, and the orchestration of the Exodus only being a preamble to mask G’d’s inability to keep His promise? At the sin of the golden calf he only mentioned that G’d had “said” that He would bring them there? Nachmanides reminds us that the supposed argument by the nations Moses presents to G’d, must be understood in terms of how matters appear to these nations. If G’d had made the people perish after only a few weeks away from Egypt, the surviving Egyptians would have interpreted this as proof that G’d had never intended the people to get to Canaan, but had wanted to kill them where no one would be a witness to His inability, but in fact G’d had already hated the people in Egypt, and that is why He had allowed them to suffer so long. The Canaanites could not have used quite the same argument after the people had survived and prospered in the desert for a year and a half. They, and the surrounding nations, would have concluded that the Jewish G’d, though willing to bring the people to Canaan, had found out that after all this was beyond His power, and rather than have witnesses to His failure, He had killed His own people.
Daat Zkenim
ומשנאתו אותם, “and because He hated them;” they reasoned that G–d may never have had the intention of giving them the land of Canaan, but He lured them into the desert out of His hatred for them, in order to let them perish in the desert.” This concept is also found in the Book of Hoseah 2,16, where the prophet speaks of G–d saying that He will punish the idol-worshipping Israelites precisely in such a manner: הנה אנכי מפתיה והולכתי המדבר והמתיה בצמא, “I will speak to her coaxingly and lead her into the wilderness and let her die through thirst. [The author misquoted parts of verses 8 and 16 in that chapter to arrive at this comparison. Ed.
Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, that You brought out by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm."
verse value 2180
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 40 letters. The shortest word is "and·they" (וְהֵ֥ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "possession" (וְנַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Deuteronomy. Unique to this verse in Deuteronomy (hapax): "strength" (בְּכֹחֲךָ֣). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "that" (root אשר, 466x in Deuteronomy); "your·people" (root עם, 123x in Deuteronomy); "you·brought·out" (root יצא, 67x in Deuteronomy). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'possession', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 6 words. Full calculation: וְהֵ֥ם [and·they] (51) + עַמְּךָ֖ [your·people] (130) + וְנַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ [possession] (514) + אֲשֶׁ֤ר [that] (501) + הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ [you·brought·out] (502) + בְּכֹחֲךָ֣ [strength] (50) + הַגָּדֹ֔ל [the·great] (42) + וּבִֽזְרֹעֲךָ֖ [arm] (305) + הַנְּטוּיָֽה [outstretched] (85) = 2180.
Onkelos
But they are Your people and Your heritage, whom You brought out with Your great strength and with Your upraised arm.
Ibn Ezra
"Your people and Your inheritance" — by virtue of their ancestors. The meaning of "and they are Your people" — it is known that they are Your people by virtue of the fact that You brought them out with Your great power which You displayed in the world.
Rabbeinu Bahya
והם עמך ונחלתך, “seeing that they are Your people and Your inheritance.” Moses means that “You” employed these two attributes when You took them out of Egypt. If You do not forgive them, the Egyptians will interpret this as inability on Your part to carry out Your plan. They will retroactively lose all the respect they gained for You as a result of the miracles You performed for the Jewish people.
Daat Zkenim
והם עמך ונחלתך, “seeing that they (the Jewish people) are Your people and Your inheritance.” Moses was forced to remind G–d of this as G–d had said to him before He commanded him to go down from Mount Sinai with the two Tablets שחת עמך, “your people have become corrupted.” (Exodus 32,7)
Onkelos
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Or HaChaim
Chizkuni