King James Version

What Does Deuteronomy 1:20 Mean?

Deuteronomy 1:20 in the King James Version says “And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us. — study this verse from Deuteronomy chapter 1 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.

Deuteronomy 1:20 · KJV


Context

18

And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.

19

And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.

20

And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.

21

Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

22

And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The command to 'go in and possess the land' couples divine gift with human action. God promises to give the land, but Israel must actively claim it through faith and obedience. The verb 'yarash' (possess/inherit) implies both receiving and occupying—a pattern throughout Scripture where God's sovereignty partners with human responsibility. Faith isn't passive but actively appropriates what God has promised.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This command came after 40 years of wilderness wandering due to the previous generation's unbelief at Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 13-14). The new generation must learn from their fathers' failure and trust God's promise despite formidable obstacles.

Reflection Questions

  1. What promises of God require your active faith and obedience to possess?
  2. How do you balance trusting God's sovereignty with taking appropriate action?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 11 words
וָֽאֹמַ֖ר1 of 11

And I said

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֲלֵכֶ֑ם2 of 11
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

בָּאתֶם֙3 of 11

unto you Ye are come

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

עַד4 of 11
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

הַ֣ר5 of 11

unto the mountain

H2022

a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)

הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י6 of 11

of the Amorites

H567

an emorite, one of the canaanitish tribes

אֲשֶׁר7 of 11
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

יְהוָ֥ה8 of 11

which the LORD

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ9 of 11

our God

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

נֹתֵ֥ן10 of 11

doth give

H5414

to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)

לָֽנוּ׃11 of 11
H0

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Deuteronomy. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Deuteronomy 1:20 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Deuteronomy 1:20 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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