Tanakhתנ״ך

Moshe's Exclusion From Eretz Yisrael

These sources examine Moshe's statement in Deuteronomy that his inability to enter the Land stemmed from the sin of the spies, and how this account relates to the earlier incident at Mei Merivah. Medieval and classical commentaries address the apparent tension between these two biblical narratives.

גַּם־בִּי הִתְאַנַּף יְהֹוָה בִּגְלַלְכֶם

4 sources · all verified

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What the sources say

The pasuk in Devarim itself supplies the textual basis for the user's observation: Moshe states that God was incensed with him specifically "because of you" — that is, on account of the people's sin — saying he too would not enter the land (Devarim 1:37), with no mention of Mei Merivah.

The Malbim (Devarim 3:26) reads these words as evidence that the original, root decree against Moshe's entry was issued at the time of the spies, arguing that once Israel sinned with the meraglim they were no longer fit for Moshe to lead them in, and that the episode of Mei Merivah only transformed what had been a conditional decree into an irrevocable one sealed by oath.

By contrast, the Ramban (Devarim 1:37) reads "because of you" as pointing squarely to the sin of Mei Merivah — the people's strife caused Moshe and Aharon to strike the rock rather than act as commanded, and the phrase בִּגְלַלְכֶם echoes the language of Bamidbar 20:12, where God explicitly tells Moshe and Aharon that their failure to sanctify Him before Israel is the reason they will not bring the congregation into the land.

Source 1 · Tanach
Verified

Deuteronomy 1:37

דברים א׳:ל״ז

Deuteronomy 1:37

Moshe says that because of the people’s sins, Hashem became angry with him too, saying that he would not enter the Land because of them. This verse is central to the idea that Moshe links his exclusion from Eretz Yisrael to the episode of the spies and the nation’s failure.

גַּם־בִּי֙ הִתְאַנַּ֣ף יְהֹוָ֔ה בִּגְלַלְכֶ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה לֹא־תָבֹ֥א שָֽׁם׃

Because of you GOD was incensed with me too, saying: You shall not enter it either.

Source 2 · Tanach
Verified

Numbers 20:12

במדבר כ׳:י״ב

Numbers 20:12

Here Hashem explicitly says Moshe and Aharon will not bring the congregation into the Land because they did not trust to sanctify Him at Mei Merivah. This is the classic source that appears to conflict with Moshe’s later presentation in Devarim.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃

But GOD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them.”

Source 3 · Rishonim
Verified

Ramban on Deuteronomy 1:37

רמב"ן על דברים א׳:ל״ז

Ramban on Deuteronomy 1:37

Ramban discusses Moshe’s statement that the decree against him was bound up with the sin of the people and with the larger context of the spies. He addresses the tension between this account and the earlier punishment at Mei Merivah.

גַּם בִּי הִתְאַנַּף ה' בִּגְלַלְכֶם, יֹאמַר הִנֵּה חַטַּאתְכֶם אֲשֶׁר עֲשִׂיתֶם בָּעֵת הַהִיא בַּמְּרַגְּלִים מָנְעוּ מִכֶּם הָאָרֶץ הַטּוֹבָה, וְעוֹד הוֹסַפְתֶּם לַחֲטֹא בְּפַעַם אַחֶרֶת עַד שֶׁמְּנַעְתֶּם גַּם אוֹתִי מִלַּעֲבֹר, כִּי רָצָה לְהַזְכִּיר יַחַד עֹנֶשׁ כָּל הַנִּמְנָעִים מֵעֲבוֹר אֶל הָאָרֶץ, כִּי הַכֹּל בִּגְרָמַת עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם וְטַעַם בִּגְלַלְכֶם, כִּי רָבוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת ה' וְגוֹ' (במדבר כ יג), וְאֵרַע כָּל זֶה בַּעֲבוּר מְרִיבַתְכֶם, אוֹ יִרְמֹז שֶׁהָיָה הַכַּעַס עַל מֹשֶׁה וְעַל אַהֲרֹן כַּאֲשֶׁר הִכּוּ הַסֶּלַע פַּעֲמַיִם לִפְנֵי הָעָם וְלֹא עָשׂוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר נִצְטַוּוּ, וְהָעָם הִרְהֲרוּ בַּדָּבָר.

Source 4 · Acharonim
Verified

Malbim on Deuteronomy 3:26

מלבי"ם על דברים ג׳:כ״ו

Malbim on Deuteronomy 3:26

The initial decree preventing Moshe from entering Eretz Yisrael originated from the sin of the meraglim, when God decreed that the Israelites would not enter the land and extended this decree to Moshe as well; however, the decree became sealed with an oath only after the sin of mei merivah, when the people failed to demonstrate complete faith, and although the decree itself was not on account of Moshe's sin (since he did not sin in mei merivah, only the congregation did) but rather because they were unworthy of his leadership into the land, once Moshe could not enter in his capacity as leader and guide of the people, it became impossible for him to enter even as a private individual.

ויתעבר ה' בי למענכם, כבר בארתי (בתורה אור פ' שלח ובהתו"ה פ' חוקת אצל מי מריבה) שתחלת הגזרה שלא יכנס משה לארץ היה בחטא מרגלים, כמ"ש בפ' דברים גם בי התאנף ה' בגללכם לאמר גם אתה לא תבא שם, שמבואר שבעת שגזר בחטא המרגלים שלא יכנסו לארץ גזר גם על משה, ובארתי שם בארך שאחרי חטא המרגלים לא היו ישראל ראוים עוד אל המדרגה הזאת שמשה יכניס אותם לארץ ומאז חשב ה' שגם משה לא יכנס לארץ וכשגזר על דור המדבר שלא יכנסו לארץ לא הוציא מהגזרה כי אם יהושע וכלב לא את משה ואהרן, ועז"א שם גם בי התאנף ה' בגללכם לאמר גם אתה לא תבא שם, ובכ"ז לא היה אז גז"ד שיש עמו שבועה ואם לא היה ענין של מי מריבה שאז היה מקדש את ה' בנס המים והיו ישראל שלמים באמונתם היה אפשריית שיוחזר הדבר לתקונו ותהיה ההבאה אל הארץ ע"י משה אבל ע"י מי מריבה שרבו את ה' והראו שאינם שלמים באמונתם (כמו שבארתי שם במקומו) נשבע ה' שלא יביאו את הקהל, ובאר שלא היה הגז"ד בעבור משה כי משה לא חטא כלל במי מריבה רק בעבור הקהל שאין ראוים שמשה יביא אותם לא"י, אולם אחר שלא יכול לכנס בתורת מנהיג ומביא את הקהל, לא היה אפשר ג"כ שיבא אל הארץ כהדיוט

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