Deuteronomy 9

“Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself…” Naming Hear and Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can…” Naming Anak and Anakims keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my…” Naming Speak keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for…” Naming Understand keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.” Naming Also and Horeb keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.

“And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according…” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:” Naming Furthermore keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation…” The line’s distinctive content terms include blot, destroy, greater. Its relationship to verses 13 and 15 shows what work it does in this passage.

“So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.” The number two makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“And I fell down before the LORD , as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink…” The number forty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

“And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.” Naming Aaron keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small…” The line’s distinctive content terms include dust, small, brook. Its relationship to verses 20 and 22 shows what work it does in this passage.

“And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.” Naming Kibroth and Massah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye…” Naming Kadesh keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.” The line’s distinctive content terms include knew, LORD, rebellious. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.

“Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said…” The number forty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

“I prayed therefore unto the LORD , and said, O Lord GOD , destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their…” Naming Abraham and Isaac keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he…” Naming Because and Lest keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out…” Naming Yet keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.