TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Deuteronomy 1:19–46. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Moses here makes a large rehearsal of the fatal turn which was given to their affairs by their own sins, and God's wrath, when, from the very borders of Canaan, the honour of conquering it, and the pleasure of possessing it, the whole generation was hurried back into the wilderness, and their carcases fell there. It was a memorable story; we read it Num. 13 and 14, but divers circumstances are found here which are not related there.
I.He reminds them of their march from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea (Deu 1:19), through that great and terrible wilderness. This he takes notice of,
1.To make them sensible of the great goodness of God to them, in guiding them through so great a wilderness, and protecting them from the mischiefs they were surrounded with in such a terrible wilderness. The remembrance of our dangers should make us thankful for our deliverances.
2.To aggravate the folly of those who, in their discontent, would have gone back to Egypt through the wilderness, though they had forfeited, and had no reason to expect, the divine guidance, in such a retrograde motion.
II.He shows them how fair they stood for Canaan at that time, Deu 1:20, Deu 1:21.
He told them with triumph, the land is set before you, go up and possess it. He lets them see how near they were to a happy settlement when they put a bar in their own door, that their sin might appear the more exceedingly sinful. It will aggravate the eternal ruin of hypocrites that they were not far from the kingdom of God and yet came short, Mar 12:34.
III.He lays the blame of sending the spies upon them, which did not appear in Numbers, there it is said (Deu 13:1, Deu 13:2) that the Lord directed the sending of them, but here we find that the people first desired it, and God, in permitting it, gave them up to their counsels: You said, We will send men before us, Deu 1:22. Moses had given them God's word (Deu 1:20, Deu 1:21), but they could not find in their hearts to rely upon that: human policy goes further with them than divine wisdom, and they will needs light a candle to the sun. As if it were not enough that they were sure of a God before them, they must send men before them.
IV.He repeats the report which the spies brought of the goodness of the land which they were sent to survey, Deu 1:24, Deu 1:25.
The blessings which God has promised are truly valuable and desirable, even the unbelievers themselves being judges: never any looked into the holy land, but they must own it a good land. Yet they represented the difficulties of conquering it as insuperable (Deu 1:28); as if it were in vain to think of attacking them either by battle, "for the people are taller than we," or by siege, "for the cities are walled up to heaven," an hyperbole which they made use of to serve their ill purpose, which was to dishearten the people, and perhaps they intended to reflect on the God of heaven himself, as if they were able to defy him, like the Babel-builders, the top of whose tower must reach to heaven, Gen 11:4. Those places only are walled up to heaven that are compassed with God's favour as with a shield.
V.He tells them what pains he took with them to encourage them, when their brethren had said so much to discourage them (Deu 1:29):
Then I said unto you, Dread not. Moses suggested enough to have stilled the tumult, and to have kept them with their faces towards Canaan. He assured them that God was present with them, and president among them, and would certainly fight for them, Deu 1:30. And for proof of his power over their enemies he refers them to what they had seen done in Egypt, where their enemies had all possible advantages against them and yet were humbled and forced to yield, Deu 1:30. And for proof of God's goodwill to them, and the real kindness which he intended them, he refers them to what they had seen in the wilderness (Deu 1:31, Deu 1:33), through which they had been guided by the eye of divine wisdom in a pillar of cloud and fire (which guided both their motions and their rests), and had been carried in the arms of divine grace with as much care and tenderness as were ever shown to any child borne in the arms of a nursing father. And was there any room left to distrust this God? Or were they not the most ungrateful people in the world, who, after such sensible proofs of the divine goodness, hardened their hearts in the day of temptation? Moses had complained once that God had charged him to carry this people as a nursing father doth the sucking child (Num 11:12); but here he owns that it was God that so carried them, and perhaps this is alluded to (Act 13:18), where he is said to bear them, or to suffer their manners.
VI.He charges them with the sin which they were guilty of upon this occasion.
Though those to whom he was now speaking were a new generation, yet he lays it upon them: You rebelled, and you murmured; for many of these were then in being, though under twenty years old, and perhaps were engaged in the riot; and the rest inherited their fathers' vices, and smarted for them. Observe what he lays to their charge.
1.Disobedience and rebellion against God's law: You would not go up, but rebelled, Deu 1:26. The rejecting of God's favours is really a rebelling against his authority.
2.Invidious reflections upon God's goodness. They basely suggested: Because the Lord hated us, he brought us out of Egypt, Deu 1:27. What could have been more absurd, more disingenuous, and more reproachful to God?
3.An unbelieving heart at the bottom of all this: You did not believe the Lord your God, Deu 1:32. All your disobedience to God's laws, and distrust of his power and goodness, flow from a disbelief of his word. A sad pass it has come to with us when the God of eternal truth cannot be believed.
VII.He repeats the sentence passed upon them for this sin, which now they had seen the execution of.
1.They were all condemned to die in the wilderness, and none of them must be suffered to enter Canaan except Caleb and Joshua, Deu 1:34-38. So long they must continue in their wanderings in the wilderness that most of them would drop off of course, and the youngest of them should be cut off. Thus they could not enter in because of unbelief. It was not the breach of any of the commands of the law that shut them out of Canaan, no, not the golden calf, but their disbelief of that promise which was typical of gospel grace, to signify that no sin will ruin us but unbelief, which is a sin against the remedy.
2.Moses himself afterwards fell under God's displeasure for a hasty word which they provoked him to speak: The Lord was angry with me for your sakes, Deu 1:37. Because all the old stock must go off, Moses himself must not stay behind. Their unbelief let death into the camp, and, having entered, even Moses falls within his commission.
3.Yet here is mercy mixed with wrath.
(1.)That, though Moses might not bring them into Canaan, Joshua should (v. 38): Encourage him; for he would be discouraged from taking up a government which he saw Moses himself fall under the weight of; but let him be assured that he shall accomplish that for which he is raised up: He shall cause Israel to inherit it. Thus what the law could not do, in that it was weak, Jesus, our Joshua, does by bringing in the better hope.
(2.)That, though this generation should not enter into Canaan, the next should, Deu 1:39. As they had been chosen for their fathers' sakes, so their children might justly have been rejected for their sakes. But mercy rejoiceth against judgement.
VIII.He reminds them of their foolish and fruitless attempt to get this sentence reversed when it was too late.
1.They tried it by their reformation in this particular; whereas they had refused to go up against the Canaanites, now they would go up, aye, that they would, in all haste, and they girded on their weapons of war for that purpose, Deu 1:41. Thus, when the door is shut, and the day of grace is over, there will be found those that stand without and knock. But this, which looked like a reformation, proved but a further rebellion. God, by Moses, prohibited the attempt (Deu 1:42): yet they went presumptuously up to the hill (Deu 1:43), acting now in contempt of the threatening, as before in contempt of the promise, as if they were governed by a spirit of contradiction; and it sped accordingly (Deu 1:44): they were chased and destroyed; and, by this defeat which they suffered when they provoked God to leave them, they were taught what success they might have had if they had kept themselves in his love.
2.They tried by their prayers and tears to get the sentence reversed: They returned and wept before the Lord, Deu 1:45. While they were fretting and quarrelling, it is said (Num 14:1): They wept that night; those were tears of rebellion against God, these were tears of repentance and humiliation before God. Note, Tears of discontent must be wept over again; the sorrow of the world worketh death, and is to be repented of; it is not so with godly sorrow, that will end in joy. But their weeping was all to no purpose. The Lord would not harken to your voice, because you would not harken to his; the decree had gone forth, and, like Esau, they found no place of repentance, though they sought it carefully with tears.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Walled up to the sky: A figurative expression, signifying the walls to be very high.
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Summary
Deuteronomy 1:28 encapsulates the profound despair and crippling unbelief of the Israelites as they stood on the precipice of the Promised Land. Recounted by Moses, this lament reveals their overwhelming fear in the face of perceived insurmountable obstacles—the formidable Anakim and impregnable, "heaven-high" cities. It starkly illustrates the devastating consequences of prioritizing human limitations and discouraging reports over God's explicit promises and omnipotent power, ultimately leading to a generation's tragic forfeiture of their divine inheritance.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within Moses' opening address to the new generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, poised to enter Canaan. Moses is meticulously recounting the pivotal events of their forty-year wilderness journey, with a particular emphasis on the rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea. The fearful outcry of the people in this verse directly quotes their response to the spies' report, which is extensively detailed in Numbers 13-14. This historical review serves a dual purpose: it acts as a powerful reminder of the bitter consequences of disobedience for the previous generation and a fervent call to unwavering faithfulness for the generation now standing on the threshold of their inheritance. The people's lament here sets the stage for God's subsequent judgment of forty years of wilderness wandering, a direct result of their unbelief and refusal to obey God's command to advance.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Israelites had endured a prolonged period of wilderness wandering, a divine judgment for the unbelief of their parents' generation. They were now encamped on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, with the fertile lands of Canaan, promised by God to their ancestors, stretching before them. The inhabitants of Canaan, particularly the Anakim, were renowned for their imposing stature and military strength, residing in highly fortified cities. In the ancient Near East, robust city walls were paramount for defense, and the hyperbolic description of them being "walled up to heaven" (bâtsar bāššāmayim) vividly conveys not only their impressive physical stature but also the profound psychological impact they had on the Israelites, who were accustomed to a nomadic, unfortified existence. This pervasive fear stood in stark opposition to the core covenantal expectation that Israel would trust in God's power to fight their battles and fulfill His promises.
Key Themes
Deuteronomy 1:28 powerfully illuminates the profound tension between Fear versus Faith, demonstrating how human perception of overwhelming obstacles can utterly eclipse divine promises. The "discouraged heart" points to the insidious and contagious nature of Unbelief, highlighting the destructive influence of negative reports and contrasting sharply with the steadfast faith of Caleb and Joshua. The vivid description of the Anakim and "cities walled up to heaven" underscores the theme of Perceived Insurmountable Obstacles, revealing the Israelites' tragic failure to recall God's omnipotence and His numerous past deliverances, such as the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14). Ultimately, this verse serves as a stark reminder of the dire Consequences of Disobedience and the tragic cost of rejecting God's clear command to enter the land, a judgment precisely detailed in Numbers 14:26-35.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This primitive root means "to liquefy; figuratively, to waste (with disease), to faint (with fatigue, fear or grief); discourage, faint, be loosed, melt (away), refuse, [idiom] utterly." This word conveys a profound internal collapse, a complete loss of resolve and spirit. The spies' report had a debilitating effect, causing the people's hearts to "melt" with fear, rendering them utterly incapable of action and trust in God.
This term refers to "an Anakite or descendant of Anak; Anakim." These were a race of formidable, exceptionally tall people inhabiting parts of Canaan. They were perceived as giants, instilling immense terror in the Israelites. Their presence became the ultimate symbol of the insurmountable human obstacle, causing the Israelites to feel like "grasshoppers" in comparison, as expressed in Numbers 13:33.
This primitive root means "to clip off; specifically (as denominative from בָּצִיר); to gather grapes; also to be isolated (i.e. inaccessible by height or fortification); cut off, (de-) fenced, fortify, (grape) gather(-er), mighty things, restrain, strong, wall (up), withhold." When combined with "to heaven" (H8064, shâmayim), this phrase creates a hyperbolic expression, "fortified to the heavens," conveying the immense height and impregnability of the Canaanite cities' fortifications. It reflects the extreme fear and sense of hopelessness felt by the Israelites, who viewed these cities as utterly unconquerable by human means.
Verse Breakdown
"Whither shall we go up?"
This rhetorical question expresses profound despair, hopelessness, and a complete lack of will or direction. It signifies a collective surrender to fear, indicating that the people saw no viable path forward and had abandoned the divine command to advance into the Promised Land. It is a cry of paralysis and defeat before even attempting to move.
"our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying,"
This clause highlights the devastating impact of negative influence and the rapid, contagious spread of unbelief within the community. The ten unfaithful spies, despite being "brethren" and fellow Israelites, acted as agents of fear, robbing the entire assembly of their courage and resolve through their fear-mongering report. Their words melted the hearts of the people, rendering them spiritually weak.
"The people [is] greater and taller than we; the cities [are] great and walled up to heaven;"
This provides the specific, human-centric reasons for their overwhelming fear. Their assessment focuses solely on the physical superiority of the Canaanite inhabitants and the perceived impregnability of their defenses. Crucially, this perspective entirely neglects God's omnipotence, His explicit promise to fight for them, and His proven track record of delivering them from far greater foes.
"and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there."
This final detail serves as the ultimate, irrefutable justification for their fear from their perspective. The explicit mention of these notorious giants solidifies their conviction that the task is utterly impossible, sealing their collective decision to rebel against God's direct command to enter and possess the land.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 1:28 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the profound depth of Israel's fear and unbelief. Hyperbole is strikingly evident in the phrase "walled up to heaven," which exaggerates the height and impregnability of the city walls to emphasize the Israelites' overwhelming sense of dread and the perceived impossibility of conquering such fortifications. This exaggeration serves to highlight their human-centered perspective, utterly blind to God's transcendent power. The opening question, "Whither shall we go up?", functions as a potent Rhetorical Question, not seeking an answer but expressing utter despair, paralysis, and a complete lack of will to proceed. It underscores their collective surrender in the face of perceived danger. Furthermore, the phrase "our brethren have discouraged our heart" uses Metonymy (or a form of synecdoche), where "heart" (lêbâb, H3824) represents their inner courage, resolve, and spirit, indicating that their very will to obey God had been broken and melted by the fear-mongering report of the spies.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Deuteronomy 1:28 stands as a poignant biblical example of the destructive power of unbelief and fear when confronted with God's explicit promises. It underscores the critical theological truth that genuine faith is not the absence of obstacles, but unwavering trust in God's power and faithfulness to overcome them. The Israelites' myopic focus on the "giants" and "walled cities" reveals a profound spiritual blindness, failing to see the infinitely greater God who had already delivered them from the might of Egypt and miraculously sustained them in the desolate wilderness. Their fear led them to reject the divine gift of the Promised Land, demonstrating that a lack of faith is not merely a passive weakness but an active rebellion against God's sovereign will and unwavering faithfulness. This tragic episode serves as a foundational warning against allowing human perception, discouraging voices, or the magnitude of perceived problems to override divine command and the certainty of God's promises.
Reflection and Application
Deuteronomy 1:28 offers a timeless and profound lesson for believers navigating the complexities and challenges of modern life. We, too, frequently encounter "giants" and "walled cities"—be they overwhelming financial burdens, daunting career transitions, seemingly insurmountable relational conflicts, or even spiritual attacks that threaten to paralyze our faith and progress. This verse serves as a potent caution against the insidious nature of fear and the contagious spread of unbelief, whether originating from external discouraging voices or internal, self-defeating doubts. It compels us to critically examine where our primary focus lies: on the overwhelming size of our problems or on the infinite greatness and omnipotence of our God. True courage, as exemplified by Caleb and Joshua, is not the absence of fear, but the resolute decision to act in faith despite it, remembering God's past faithfulness and His unwavering promises. We are powerfully reminded that God's power is not limited by our perceptions of impossibility, and that His call to advance often requires us to step out in audacious trust, even when the path ahead seems "walled up to heaven."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What was the significance of the "Anakims" to the Israelites?
The Anakims represented the ultimate human obstacle to the Israelites' entry into the Promised Land. They were a race of formidable, exceptionally tall people, often described as giants. Their presence was a major psychological barrier, instilling such terror that the Israelites felt like "grasshoppers" in comparison (Numbers 13:33). Despite God's explicit promise to drive out these inhabitants before Israel (Deuteronomy 9:1-3), the Anakims became the focal point of the Israelites' fear and unbelief, leading them to reject God's command to enter the land.
Why did the Israelites use the phrase "walled up to heaven"?
The phrase "walled up to heaven" (Hebrew: bâtsar bāššāmayim) is a hyperbolic expression, meaning "fortified to the heavens." It was used by the Israelites to convey their overwhelming fear and the perceived impossibility of conquering such immensely fortified cities. This exaggeration reflects their deep-seated lack of faith in God's omnipotence. Rather than trusting that God would fight for them and dismantle these defenses, they focused solely on the humanly impossible scale of the obstacles, revealing their spiritual blindness and profound unbelief.
How did the "brethren" discourage their hearts, and what was the consequence?
The "brethren" refers primarily to the ten unfaithful spies who, after scouting the land, brought back a fear-filled and exaggerated report to the Israelite assembly (Numbers 13:28-33). While they reported some facts about the land's inhabitants and fortifications, they framed it in a way that instilled panic and widespread unbelief, causing the people's hearts to "melt" with fear. This widespread discouragement led the entire generation to rebel against God's command to enter the land, resulting in God's severe judgment: they would wander in the wilderness for forty years until that generation died off, unable to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:26-35).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
The Israelites' tragic failure to enter the physical Promised Land due to their unbelief in the face of "giants" and "walled cities" serves as a profound Old Testament type, foreshadowing the greater spiritual rest and eternal inheritance offered exclusively through Jesus Christ. Just as the generation in Deuteronomy 1:28 could not enter their physical inheritance because of a lack of faith, the New Testament issues a solemn warning against a similar spiritual failure to enter God's eternal rest through unbelief (Hebrews 3:7-19). Jesus, the true and ultimate Joshua, leads His people into a spiritual inheritance far surpassing the land of Canaan. He has already decisively conquered the ultimate "giants"—sin, death, and the devil—and has completely dismantled the "walls" of separation between God and humanity through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection (Colossians 2:15). Our entry into this spiritual kingdom and the experience of God's promised rest is not predicated on our ability to overcome obstacles in our own strength, but entirely on our faith in Christ's finished work. He empowers us to face any challenge, for "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13), assuring us that no "giant" or "walled city" is too great for those who trust in Him.