The Meaning of Deuteronomy 9:13 Explained

Deuteronomy 9:13

KJV: Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

YLT: And Jehovah speaketh unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and lo, a people stiff of neck it is;

Darby: And Jehovah spoke unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

ASV: Furthermore Jehovah spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Furthermore the LORD  spake  unto me, saying,  I have seen  this people,  and, behold, it [is] a stiffnecked  people: 

What does Deuteronomy 9:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 9:1-14 - Offending The Righteous God
Who can read this chapter without emotion and admiration for its sublime eloquence! It is one of the most striking and moving chapters in this book!
Moses sets himself to convince the people that they must not suppose that their easy entrance to Canaan was due to conspicuous virtue, but rather to God's covenant with their fathers, and also to the sinful practices of the Canaanites. Compare Deuteronomy 9:5 with Genesis 15:16. The contagion of these sins might have infected and poisoned humanity; therefore they had to be extirpated. Whatever we enjoy is due, not to our merit, but to the infinite grace of God in Jesus Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:10.
Ah, my soul, ponder this, for this is true of thee also! All thy past has been filled with failure and rebellion. If thou art still used for God's service, and art credited with a good name among His people, remember the reason is in the sovereign grace of Jehovah!
"A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing." [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 9

1  Moses dissuades them from the opinion of their own righteousness
7  Moses reminds them of the golden calf

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 9:13 mean?

And Furthermore spoke Yahweh to me saying I have seen - people this and indeed a people Stiff necked [they] are
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֣י לֵאמֹ֑ר רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־ קְשֵׁה־ עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר  And  Furthermore  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֵלַ֣י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לֵאמֹ֑ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רָאִ֙יתִי֙  I  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֣ם  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּ֔ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
וְהִנֵּ֥ה  and  indeed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
עַם־  a  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
קְשֵׁה־  Stiff 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: קָשֶׁה  
Sense: hard, cruel, severe, obstinate.
עֹ֖רֶף  necked 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹרֶף  
Sense: neck, back of the neck, back.
הֽוּא  [they]  are 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.