Deuteronomy 9:5 It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Bible > Deuteronomy > Chapter 9 > Verse 5

◄ Deuteronomy 9:5 ►

New International Version
It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

New Living Translation
It is not because you are so good or have such integrity that you are about to occupy their land. The LORD your God will drive these nations out ahead of you only because of their wickedness, and to fulfill the oath he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

English Standard Version
Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Berean Standard Bible
It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

King James Bible
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

New King James Version
It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

New American Standard Bible
It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to take possession of their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out from before you, and in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

NASB 1995
“It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

NASB 1977
“It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Legacy Standard Bible
It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that Yahweh your God is dispossessing them before you, in order to confirm the oath which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Amplified Bible
It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out before you, and to confirm the oath which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Christian Standard Bible
You are not going to take possession of their land because of your righteousness or your integrity. Instead, the LORD your God will drive out these nations before you because of their wickedness, in order to fulfill the promise he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
You are not going to take possession of their land because of your righteousness or your integrity. Instead, the LORD your God will drive out these nations before you because of their wickedness, in order to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

American Standard Version
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thy heart, dost thou go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may establish the word which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

English Revised Version
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go in to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may establish the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
It's not because you've been living right or because you're so honest that you're entering to take possession of their land. It's because these people are so wicked that the LORD your God is forcing them out of your way. It's also because the LORD wants to confirm the promise he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Good News Translation
It is not because you are good and do what is right that the LORD is letting you take their land. He will drive them out because they are wicked and because he intends to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

International Standard Version
On the contrary, it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you to confirm what the LORD promised by an oath to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Majority Standard Bible
It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

NET Bible
It is not because of your righteousness, or even your inner uprightness, that you have come here to possess their land. Instead, because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is driving them out ahead of you in order to confirm the promise he made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

New Heart English Bible
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 the LORD does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Webster's Bible Translation
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thy heart dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations, the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD swore to thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

World English Bible
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 Yahweh your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may establish the word which Yahweh swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
[It is] not in your righteousness and in the uprightness of your heart [that] you are going in to possess their land, but in YHWH dispossessing these nations from your presence, [it is because of] their being wicked, and in order to establish the word which YHWH has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob;

Young's Literal Translation
not for thy righteousness, and for the uprightness of thy heart, art thou going in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations is Jehovah thy God dispossessing them from before thee; and in order to establish the word which Jehovah hath sworn to thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob;

Smith's Literal Translation
Not for thy justice and for the straightness of thy heart thou goest in to possess this land, but for the injustice of these nations Jehovah thy God dispossesses them from before thee, and order to lift up the word which he sware to thy fathers, to Abraham and to Isaak and to Jacob.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
For it is not for thy justices, and the uprightness of thy heart that thou shalt go in to possess their lands: but because they have done wickedly, they are destroyed at thy coming in: and that the Lord might accomplish his word, which he promised by oath to thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For it is not because of your justices or the uprightness of your heart that you will enter, so that you may possess their lands. Instead, it is because they have acted wickedly that they are destroyed upon your arrival, and so that the Lord may accomplish his word, which he promised under oath to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

New American Bible
No, it is not because of your justice or the integrity of your heart that you are going in to take possession of their land; but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD, your God, is dispossessing these nations before you and in order to fulfill the promise he made on oath to your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

New Revised Standard Version
It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to occupy their land; but because of the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God is dispossessing them before you, in order to fulfill the promise that the LORD made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
It is not because of your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, that you are going in to possess their land; but it is because of the sins of these nations the LORD your God is destroying them from before you, and that he may perform the word which he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
It was not by your righteousness and by the uprightness of your heart that you enter to inherit their land, but it is by the sins of these Gentiles LORD JEHOVAH your God destroys them from before you, and that He may establish the word that He swore to your fathers, to Abraham and to Isaac and to Yaquuv.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thy heart, dost thou go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that He may establish the word which the LORD swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Not for thy righteousness, nor for the holiness of thy heart, dost thou go in to inherit their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord will destroy them from before thee, and that he may establish the covenant, which the Lord sware to our fathers, to Abraam, and to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Assurance of Victory
…4When the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say in your heart, “Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land.” Rather, the LORD is driving out these nations before you because of their wickedness. 5It is not because of your righteousness or uprightness of heart that you are going in to possess their land, but it is because of their wickedness that the LORD your God is driving out these nations before you, to keep the promise He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 15:16
In the fourth generation your descendants will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”

Leviticus 18:24-25
Do not defile yourselves by any of these practices, for by all these things the nations I am driving out before you have defiled themselves. / Even the land has become defiled, so I am punishing it for its sin, and the land will vomit out its inhabitants.

Joshua 3:10
He continued, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that He will surely drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites.

Exodus 23:23
For My angel will go before you and bring you into the land of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hivites, and Jebusites, and I will annihilate them.

Exodus 34:11
Observe what I command you this day. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Leviticus 20:23
You must not follow the statutes of the nations I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.

Deuteronomy 18:12
For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD. And because of these detestable things, the LORD your God is driving out the nations before you.

Deuteronomy 20:18
so that they cannot teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods, and so cause you to sin against the LORD your God.

1 Kings 21:26
He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)

2 Kings 21:2
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

Romans 9:30-32
What then will we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; / but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. / Why not? Because their pursuit was not by faith, but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,

Romans 11:20
That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, / not by works, so that no one can boast.

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Treasury of Scripture

Not for your righteousness, or for the uprightness of your heart, do you go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you, and that he may perform the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Not for

Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

that he may

Genesis 12:7
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Genesis 13:15
For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Genesis 15:7
And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

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Deuteronomy 9

1. Moses dissuades them from the opinion of their own righteousness
7. Moses reminds them of the golden calf

Berean Study Bible

It is not for your righteousness
The Hebrew word for "righteousness" is "צְדָקָה" (tsedaqah), which implies justice, rightness, or moral virtue. In this context, God is reminding the Israelites that their moral standing or adherence to the law is not the reason for their success. This serves as a humbling reminder that human efforts and self-righteousness are insufficient for divine favor. It emphasizes the grace of God, which is a central theme throughout the Bible, underscoring that salvation and blessings are gifts from God, not earned by human merit.

or uprightness of heart
The phrase "uprightness of heart" translates from the Hebrew "יֹשֶׁר לֵבָב" (yosher levav), indicating integrity or sincerity. The heart, in Hebrew thought, is the center of will and emotion. This phrase suggests that even sincere intentions or inner moral integrity are not the basis for Israel's inheritance of the land. It highlights the biblical principle that God looks beyond human intentions and actions, focusing instead on His sovereign will and purpose.

that you are going in to possess their land
The act of "possessing" the land is significant in the Hebrew context, as it involves not just occupation but stewardship and responsibility. The land is a divine gift, a fulfillment of God's promise, and not a result of Israel's conquest or merit. This possession is a tangible expression of God's covenant faithfulness, reminding the Israelites of their role as caretakers of God's promises.

but it is because of the wickedness of these nations
The "wickedness" of the nations refers to their moral corruption and idolatry, which are well-documented in historical and archaeological records. The Canaanite practices, including child sacrifice and other abominations, were detestable to God. This phrase underscores God's justice and righteousness, as He cannot tolerate sin indefinitely. It also serves as a warning to Israel that they are not immune to judgment if they fall into similar practices.

that the LORD your God is driving them out before you
The phrase "driving them out" reflects the Hebrew verb "יָרַשׁ" (yarash), meaning to dispossess or expel. This action is attributed directly to God, emphasizing His active role in history and His sovereignty over nations. It reassures the Israelites of God's power and faithfulness, as He fulfills His promises and executes His judgment.

and to fulfill the word the LORD swore to your fathers
The "word" refers to the covenant promises made by God, highlighting His unwavering faithfulness. The Hebrew term "דָּבָר" (dabar) signifies not just a spoken word but a binding promise or decree. This fulfillment is a testament to God's reliability and the certainty of His promises, encouraging believers to trust in His unchanging nature.

to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
These patriarchs are central figures in the biblical narrative, representing the foundation of God's covenant with Israel. The mention of their names serves as a reminder of the historical and spiritual heritage of the Israelites. It connects the present generation to the past promises, reinforcing the continuity of God's plan and the importance of faithfulness across generations. This lineage underscores the idea that God's promises transcend time and are realized through His divine orchestration.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(5) Not for thy righteousness . . . dost thou go.--The pronoun is emphatic. There is no reason why thou of all others shouldest be thus honoured.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

It is not
לֹ֣א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

by your righteousness
בְצִדְקָתְךָ֗ (ḇə·ṣiḏ·qā·ṯə·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6666: Rightness, subjectively, objectively

or uprightness
וּבְיֹ֙שֶׁר֙ (ū·ḇə·yō·šer)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3476: Straightness, uprightness

of heart
לְבָ֣בְךָ֔ (lə·ḇā·ḇə·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 3824: Inner man, mind, will, heart

that you
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are going in
בָ֖א (ḇā)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

to possess
לָרֶ֣שֶׁת (lā·re·šeṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin

their land,
אַרְצָ֑ם (’ar·ṣām)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 776: Earth, land

but [it is] because
כִּ֞י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

of their wickedness
מוֹרִישָׁ֣ם (mō·w·rî·šām)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 7564: Wickedness

that the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

your God
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ (’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā)
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

will drive out
בְּרִשְׁעַ֣ת ׀ (bə·riš·‘aṯ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 3423: To occupy, to seize, to rob, to inherit, to expel, to impoverish, to ruin

these
הָאֵ֗לֶּה (hā·’êl·leh)
Article | Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

nations
הַגּוֹיִ֣ם (hag·gō·w·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts

before you,
מִפָּנֶ֔יךָ (mip·pā·ne·ḵā)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

to
וּלְמַ֜עַן (ū·lə·ma·‘an)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 4616: Purpose -- intent

keep
הָקִ֣ים (hā·qîm)
Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

the promise
הַדָּבָ֗ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

He
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

swore
נִשְׁבַּ֤ע (niš·ba‘)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7650: To seven oneself, swear

to your fathers,
לַאֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ (la·’ă·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

to Abraham,
לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם (lə·’aḇ·rā·hām)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 85: Abraham -- 'exalted father', the father of the Jewish nation

Isaac,
לְיִצְחָ֖ק (lə·yiṣ·ḥāq)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3327: Isaac -- 'he laughs', son of Abraham and Sarah

and Jacob.
וּֽלְיַעֲקֹֽב׃ (ū·lə·ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

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OT Law: Deuteronomy 9:5 Not for your righteousness (Deut. De Du)