Saadia's Tafsir on Devarim 9 (Parashat Eikev)

Devarim 9:1

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן לָבֹא לָרֶשֶׁת גּוֹיִם גְּדֹלִים וַעֲצֻמִים מִמֶּךָּ--עָרִים גְּדֹלֹת וּבְצֻרֹת בַּשָּׁמָיִם

. . . .

Know, O Israel, that you are crossing the Jordan this day, to enter and possess nations more numerous and stronger than you, in great fortified towns that reach close to the sky.

Devarim 9:2

עַם-גָּדוֹל וָרָם בְּנֵי עֲנָקִים אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ וְאַתָּה שָׁמַעְתָּ--מִי יִתְיַצֵּב לִפְנֵי בְּנֵי עֲנָק

. . .

A great and tall people, sons of the mighty — as you have known and heard: who can stand before the mighty?

Devarim 9:3

וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם כִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא-הָעֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה--הוּא יַשְׁמִידֵם וְהוּא יַכְנִיעֵם לְפָנֶיךָ וְהוֹרַשְׁתָּם וְהַאֲבַדְתָּם מַהֵר כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה לָךְ

. . . . .

And know from this day that the Lord your God — His light passes before you like a consuming fire — He shall destroy them and rout them before you; and you shall dispossess them and annihilate them swiftly, as God has promised you.

Devarim 9:4

אַל-תֹּאמַר בִּלְבָבְךָ בַּהֲדֹף יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֹתָם מִלְּפָנֶיךָ לֵאמֹר בְּצִדְקָתִי הֱבִיאַנִי יְהוָה לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת-הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת וּבְרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה יְהוָה מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָ

. . . . .

And do not say in your heart, when God your Lord has driven them out from before you: 'It is because of my righteousness that God has brought me in to possess this land' — and 'because of the wickedness of those nations God has dispossessed them from before you.'

Devarim 9:5

לֹא בְצִדְקָתְךָ וּבְיֹשֶׁר לְבָבְךָ אַתָּה בָא לָרֶשֶׁת אֶת-אַרְצָם כִּי בְּרִשְׁעַת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ מוֹרִישָׁם מִפָּנֶיךָ וּלְמַעַן הָקִים אֶת-הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהוָה לַאֲבֹתֶיךָ לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב

. . . . . . .

Rather, it is not by your righteousness alone, nor the soundness of your heart, that you are going to possess their land; but rather, together with the wickedness of those nations, the Lord your God is dispossessing them from before you — and so that He may fulfil the word which He spoke to your fathers: Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.

Devarim 9:6

וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי לֹא בְצִדְקָתְךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת--לְרִשְׁתָּהּ כִּי עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף אָתָּה

. . .

Know, then, that it is not by your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess it — for you are a stiff-necked people.

Devarim 9:7

זְכֹר אַל-תִּשְׁכַּח אֵת אֲשֶׁר-הִקְצַפְתָּ אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּמִּדְבָּר לְמִן-הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר-יָצָאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם עַד-בֹּאֲכֶם עַד-הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם עִם-יְהוָה

. . . .

Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God in the wilderness; from the day you went out of Egypt until you came to this place, you have not ceased defying God.

Devarim 9:8

וּבְחֹרֵב הִקְצַפְתֶּם אֶת-יְהוָה וַיִּתְאַנַּף יְהוָה בָּכֶם לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם

. .

And at Horeb you provoked God, and God was greatly angered with you, and came near to destroying you.

Devarim 9:9

בַּעֲלֹתִי הָהָרָה לָקַחַת לוּחֹת הָאֲבָנִים לוּחֹת הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר-כָּרַת יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם וָאֵשֵׁב בָּהָר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה--לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתִיתִי

. . . . . .

When I went up the mountain to receive the two tablets of gems — the tablets of the testimony — which God had covenanted with you, I stayed there forty days and forty nights; I ate no food and drank no water.

Devarim 9:10

וַיִּתֵּן יְהוָה אֵלַי אֶת-שְׁנֵי לוּחֹת הָאֲבָנִים--כְּתֻבִים בְּאֶצְבַּע אֱלֹהִים וַעֲלֵיהֶם כְּכָל-הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ--בְּיוֹם הַקָּהָל

. . .

Until God delivered to me the two tablets of gems, written by the power of God, and upon them the like of all the words which God had spoken to you on the mountain, from the midst of the fire, on the day of the assembly.

Devarim 9:11

וַיְהִי מִקֵּץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה נָתַן יְהוָה אֵלַי אֶת-שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת הָאֲבָנִים--לֻחוֹת הַבְּרִית

.

And it was after forty days and forty nights that He delivered them to me.

Devarim 9:12

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי קוּם רֵד מַהֵר מִזֶּה--כִּי שִׁחֵת עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרָיִם סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם--עָשׂוּ לָהֶם מַסֵּכָה

. . . . .

And God said to me: 'Arise, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt; they have turned aside quickly from the way which I commanded them, and have made for themselves a molten image.'

Devarim 9:13

וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹר רָאִיתִי אֶת-הָעָם הַזֶּה וְהִנֵּה עַם-קְשֵׁה-עֹרֶף הוּא

. .

Then He said to me: 'I have known that these people are stiff-necked.'

Devarim 9:14

הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי וְאַשְׁמִידֵם וְאֶמְחֶה אֶת-שְׁמָם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי-עָצוּם וָרָב מִמֶּנּוּ

. . . .

'And if you hold back from interceding for them, I shall destroy them and blot out their names from beneath the sky, and make of you a nation more numerous and stronger than they.'

Devarim 9:15

וָאֵפֶן וָאֵרֵד מִן-הָהָר וְהָהָר בֹּעֵר בָּאֵשׁ וּשְׁנֵי לוּחֹת הַבְּרִית עַל שְׁתֵּי יָדָי

. .

So I turned and came down from the mountain, while it was ablaze with fire, and the two tablets of testimony were in my hands.

Devarim 9:16

וָאֵרֶא וְהִנֵּה חֲטָאתֶם לַיהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם--עֲשִׂיתֶם לָכֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכָה סַרְתֶּם מַהֵר--מִן-הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר-צִוָּה יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם

. . .

And I looked — and behold, you had sinned against the Lord your God; you had taken for yourselves a molten calf, and had turned aside quickly from the way He had commanded you.

Devarim 9:17

וָאֶתְפֹּשׂ בִּשְׁנֵי הַלֻּחֹת וָאַשְׁלִכֵם מֵעַל שְׁתֵּי יָדָי וָאֲשַׁבְּרֵם לְעֵינֵיכֶם

. .

And I seized the two tablets, and threw them from my hands, and broke them before your eyes.

Devarim 9:18

וָאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי יְהוָה כָּרִאשֹׁנָה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לַיְלָה--לֶחֶם לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וּמַיִם לֹא שָׁתִיתִי עַל כָּל-חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר חֲטָאתֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהוָה לְהַכְעִיסוֹ

. . . . . .

And I interceded before God as the first time — forty days and forty nights; I ate no food and I drank no water — on account of your sin which you had committed: you had done evil before God and provoked Him.

Devarim 9:19

כִּי יָגֹרְתִּי מִפְּנֵי הָאַף וְהַחֵמָה אֲשֶׁר קָצַף יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם וַיִּשְׁמַע יְהוָה אֵלַי גַּם בַּפַּעַם הַהִוא

. .

For I feared the anger and the fury with which God was wrathful against you to destroy you; and God heeded me at that time.

Devarim 9:20

וּבְאַהֲרֹן הִתְאַנַּף יְהוָה מְאֹד--לְהַשְׁמִידוֹ וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל גַּם-בְּעַד אַהֲרֹן בָּעֵת הַהִוא

. .

And against Aaron, God was greatly angered, coming near to destroying him; and I sought forgiveness for him also at that time.

Devarim 9:21

וְאֶת-חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר-עֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת-הָעֵגֶל לָקַחְתִּי וָאֶשְׂרֹף אֹתוֹ בָּאֵשׁ וָאֶכֹּת אֹתוֹ טָחוֹן הֵיטֵב עַד אֲשֶׁר-דַּק לְעָפָר וָאַשְׁלִךְ אֶת-עֲפָרוֹ אֶל-הַנַּחַל הַיֹּרֵד מִן-הָהָר

. . . . .

And as for your sin — that is, the calf which you had made — I took it and burned it with fire, and ground it fine until it was ground to dust; and I cast its dust into the stream of water that flows down from the mountain.

Devarim 9:22

וּבְתַבְעֵרָה וּבְמַסָּה וּבְקִבְרֹת הַתַּאֲוָה--מַקְצִפִים הֱיִיתֶם אֶת-יְהוָה

. .

And at the Place of Burning, and at the Place of Trial, and at the Graves of the Craving — you were continually provoking God.

Devarim 9:23

וּבִשְׁלֹחַ יְהוָה אֶתְכֶם מִקָּדֵשׁ בַּרְנֵעַ לֵאמֹר עֲלוּ וּרְשׁוּ אֶת-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם וַתַּמְרוּ אֶת-פִּי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְלֹא הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם לוֹ וְלֹא שְׁמַעְתֶּם בְּקֹלוֹ

. . . . .

And when God sent some of you from Kadesh-barnea (Raqim Barnea), saying: 'Go up and possess the land which I have given you' — you defied the command of the Lord your God, and did not believe in Him, and did not accept His command.

Devarim 9:24

מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם עִם-יְהוָה מִיּוֹם דַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם

.

And in sum, you have not ceased defying God from the day I have known you.

Devarim 9:25

וָאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֵת אַרְבָּעִים הַיּוֹם וְאֶת-אַרְבָּעִים הַלַּיְלָה--אֲשֶׁר הִתְנַפָּלְתִּי כִּי-אָמַר יְהוָה לְהַשְׁמִיד אֶתְכֶם

. . .

And I interceded before Him those forty days and forty nights, since God had willed to destroy you.

Devarim 9:26

וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶל-יְהוָה וָאֹמַר אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אַל-תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ בְּגָדְלֶךָ--אֲשֶׁר-הוֹצֵאתָ מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּיָד חֲזָקָה

. . . .

I prayed before God and said: 'O God, my Lord! Do not destroy Your people and Your chosen ones, whom You redeemed by Your greatness, and brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

Devarim 9:27

זְכֹר לַעֲבָדֶיךָ--לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב אַל-תֵּפֶן אֶל-קְשִׁי הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאֶל-רִשְׁעוֹ וְאֶל-חַטָּאתוֹ

. . .

Remember Your devoted ones — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — do not look upon the hardness of this people, nor their wickedness and their sin.

Devarim 9:28

פֶּן-יֹאמְרוּ הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָנוּ מִשָּׁם מִבְּלִי יְכֹלֶת יְהוָה לַהֲבִיאָם אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר לָהֶם וּמִשִּׂנְאָתוֹ אוֹתָם הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲמִתָם בַּמִּדְבָּר

. . . .

Lest the people of the land from which You brought us out should say: because their Lord was unable to bring them into the land which He promised them, and out of His hatred of them He brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.'

Devarim 9:29

וְהֵם עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתֶךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ בְּכֹחֲךָ הַגָּדֹל וּבִזְרֹעֲךָ הַנְּטוּיָה

. ]] .

For they are Your people and Your chosen ones, whom You brought out by Your great power and Your outstretched arm.'