“A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!”
By the report of the spies, Num. 13:26 .
“Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.”
To guide thee and govern thee.
“Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.”
Man of himself can deserve nothing but God’s anger, and if God spare any it cometh of his great mercy.
“Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.”
Like stubborn oxen which will not endure their master’s yoke.
“Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.”
He proveth by the length of time, that their rebellion was most great and intolerable.
“When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:”
Cross references: : Exod. 24:18 ; Exod. 34:28
“And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.”
Exod. 31:18 That is, miraculously, and not by the hand of men.
“And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.”
So soon as man declineth from the obedience of God, his ways are corrupt. Exod. 32:7
“Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.”
Signifying that the prayers of the faithful are a bar to stay God’s anger that he consume not all.
“And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you.”
That is, from the Law: wherein he declareth what is the cause of our perdition.
“And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.”
Whereby he showeth what danger they are in, that have authority and resist not wickedness.
“And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.”
Exod. 17:7 Num. 11:1 , 3 Num. 11:34
“Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he would destroy you.”
Whereby is signified that God requireth earnest continuance in prayer.
“Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin:”
The godly in their prayers ground on God’s promise, and confess their sins.