9 Listen Yisrael: Today you’ll cross the Yarden river to drive out peoples that are larger and more powerful than yourselves and who are protected in large, fortified cities with high walls. 2 The people themselves are tall and strong. (Some of these are descendants of the Anakites, and you’ve heard people say that no one can defeat the Anakites.) 3 You need to be confident that your god Yahweh will go ahead of you like a raging fire—he’ll destroy them and subdue them ahead of you, then you can drive them out and quickly eliminate them as Yahweh has told you to do.

4 After your god Yahweh has driven them out ahead of you, don’t go saying that it was thanks to your own goodness and innocence, because it’s because of the wickedness of those peoples that Yahweh is doing that. 5 Again, it’s not because of your obedience or goodness that you’re going in to occupy their land, but it’s because of the wickedness of those peoples that your god Yahweh will drive them out in front of you, and so that he can fulfill what he promised to your ancestors Abraham, Yitshak, and Yakov. 6 Actually, you’re a very stubborn people, so be very clear: it’s not because of your goodness and obedience that your god Yahweh is giving you this good land.