Deuteronomy 9:19

“For I was afraid of the anger and the fury with which YHWH was angry with you, to destroy you. But YHWH listened to me that time also.”
Deuteronomy 9:19 · direct translation from the Hebrew

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With the Hebrew beneath

ForכִּיI was afraidיָגֹרְתִּיofמִפְּנֵיthe angerהָאַףand the furyוְהַחֵמָהwith whichאֲשֶׁרYHWHיְהוָהwas angryקָצַףwith you,עֲלֵיכֶםto destroyלְהַשְׁמִידyou.אֶתְכֶםBut YHWHוַ יְהוָהlistenedיִּשְׁמַעto meאֵלַיthatהַהִואtimeבַּפַּעַםalso.גַּם

Allusion · Hebrews 12:21

Go to Hebrews 12:21

“I am terrified” (ekphobos eimi) are the words of Moses in the Septuagint of Deuteronomy 9:19, when he feared the anger of YHWH after the golden calf.

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

Words of the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the OT (Deuteronomy 9:19 in the Septuagint numbering; Swete's text, CC BY-SA 4.0):

Deuteronomy 9:19, word by word

I was afraidיָגֹרְתִּיyagorti

be afraid, dread

Be afraid, dread.

Where else “yagorti” appears

ofפְּנֵיpene

before

Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.

Where else “pene” appears

the angerאַףaf

anger

The rage of one who snorts; the "long of nose" is slow to become angry.

Where else “af” appears

and the furyחֵמָהchema

fury

Literally "heat": burning anger, of a person or of YHWH.

Where else “chema” appears

YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears

was angryקָצַףkatsaf

be angry

Be angry, burst out in rage; provoke to anger.

Where else “katsaf” appears

to destroyהַשְׁמִידhashmid

destroy

Destroy completely, exterminate.

Where else “hashmid” appears

listenedיִּשְׁמַעyishma

listen

To pay close attention, or heed a plea.

Where else “yishma” appears

timeפַּעַםpaam

time

Each of the occasions on which something happens or is repeated.

Where else “paam” appears

Translation note

Hebrews 12:21 recalls this fear of Moses.

The context

18Then I lay prostrate before YHWH, as at the first, forty days and forty nights; bread I did not eat, and water I did not drink, because of all your sin that you had sinned by doing what was evil in the eyes of YHWH, provoking him to anger.

19 · This verse (above)

20And with Aaron YHWH was greatly incensed, to the point of destroying him; and I prayed also for Aaron at that time.

Read all of Deuteronomy 9

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