Your Daily Pesuk July 18, 2018

Parashat Devarim / פרשת דברים

• Wed, 18 July 2018 = 6th of Av, 5778
• ו׳ בְּאָב תשע״ח

Deuteronomy 1:39-2:1 (9 p'sukim)

Deuteronomy 1:39-2:1 Tree of Life Version (TLV)

39 “‘Moreover, your little ones—whom you said would become plunder, and your children who today have no knowledge of good or evil—they will enter there. To them I will give it and they will possess it. 40 But as for you, turn around and journey into the wilderness by way of the Sea of Reeds.’

41 “Then you answered and said to me, ‘We have sinned against Adonai. We will go up and fight, just as Adonai our God commanded us.’ So each of you strapped on his weapons of war, figuring it was easy to go up to the hill country.

42 “But Adonai said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up and fight—for I am not with you, and you will be defeated by your enemies.”’

43 “So I told you, but you would not listen—you rebelled against the command of Adonai and presumptuously went up into the hill country. 44 The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you, and they chased you as bees do and scattered you from Seir to Hormah. 45 Then you returned and wept before Adonai, but Adonai did not listen to your voice or pay attention to you.

46 “So you stayed in Kadesh many days—like the days you had spent before.

Moses Recalls Wilderness Journey

2 “Then we turned and journeyed into the wilderness by the way to the Sea of Reeds, just as Adonai told me. We went around the hill country of Seir for many days.

39 וְטַפְּכֶם֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲמַרְתֶּ֜ם לָבַ֣ז יִהְיֶ֗ה וּ֠בְנֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־יָדְע֤וּ הַיּוֹם֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע הֵ֖מָּה יָבֹ֣אוּ שָׁ֑מָּה וְלָהֶ֣ם אֶתְּנֶ֔נָּה וְהֵ֖ם יִירָשֽׁוּהָ׃

40 וְאַתֶּ֖ם פְּנ֣וּ לָכֶ֑ם וּסְע֥וּ הַמִּדְבָּ֖רָה דֶּ֥רֶךְ יַם־סֽוּף׃

41 וַֽתַּעֲנ֣וּ׀ וַתֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלַ֗י חָטָאנוּ֮ לַֽיהוָה֒ אֲנַ֤חְנוּ נַעֲלֶה֙ וְנִלְחַ֔מְנוּ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖נוּ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וַֽתַּחְגְּר֗וּ אִ֚ישׁ אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י מִלְחַמְתּ֔וֹ וַתָּהִ֖ינוּ לַעֲלֹ֥ת הָהָֽרָה׃

42 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י אֱמֹ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לֹ֤א תַֽעֲלוּ֙ וְלֹא־תִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ כִּ֥י אֵינֶ֖נִּי בְּקִרְבְּכֶ֑ם וְלֹא֙ תִּנָּֽגְפ֔וּ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃

43 וָאֲדַבֵּ֥ר אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַעְתֶּ֑ם וַתַּמְרוּ֙ אֶת־פִּ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַתָּזִ֖דוּ וַתַּעֲל֥וּ הָהָֽרָה׃

44 וַיֵּצֵ֨א הָאֱמֹרִ֜י הַיֹּשֵׁ֨ב בָּהָ֤ר הַהוּא֙ לִקְרַאתְכֶ֔ם וַיִּרְדְּפ֣וּ אֶתְכֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ינָה הַדְּבֹרִ֑ים וַֽיַּכְּת֥וּ אֶתְכֶ֛ם בְּשֵׂעִ֖יר עַד־חָרְמָֽה׃

45 וַתָּשֻׁ֥בוּ וַתִּבְכּ֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֤ע יְהוָה֙ בְּקֹ֣לְכֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א הֶאֱזִ֖ין אֲלֵיכֶֽם׃

46 וַתֵּשְׁב֥וּ בְקָדֵ֖שׁ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים כַּיָּמִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְשַׁבְתֶּֽם׃

2 וַנֵּ֜פֶן וַנִּסַּ֤ע הַמִּדְבָּ֙רָה֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יַם־ס֔וּף כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַנָּ֥סָב אֶת־הַר־שֵׂעִ֖יר יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃ ס

These short 9 pesukim relate to us today a very sad reality about human nature and the history of Israel.  Upon realizing their sin, the complainers and grumblers who had just rejected the promises of Adonai, immediately were ready to implement the order after they had received their judgement for their insolence.  The fact that even after Moshe warned them of what God had just said: "don't go up for I am not with you..."; they disregarded and went up anyway.  This shows a continued lack of trust and faith in God.  This was not a full repentance rather a remorse over the penalty they had just received.  It was as if they thought they could reverse the sentence decreed upon them by demonstrating that now, "yes we will go and do what you say".  Does God really respond to this type of "repentance"?

According to Delitzsch, "Then ye returned and wept before Adonai,” i.e., before the sanctuary; “ but Adonai did not hearken to your voice .” שׁוּב does not refer to the return to Kadesh, but to an inward turning, not indeed true conversion to repentance, but simply the giving up of their rash enterprise, which they had undertaken in opposition to the commandment of God-the return from a defiant attitude to unbelieving complaining on account of the misfortune that had come upon them. Such complaining God never hears."

Ultimately, we learn from this that we cannot fool God.  He can read our hearts like a book!  We must be GENUINE before Him and our hearts must be soft towards Him, otherwise any false sentiments we try to demonstrate He will see right through us, and the words of Messiah Yeshua will be fulfilled:

Matthew 7:23 Amplified Bible (AMP)

And then I will declare to them publicly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me [you are banished from My presence], you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].’