Deuteronomy 1:41

King James Version (KJV)

Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the

Other Translations

asv (asv)

eBible.org engASV USFM

Also Jehovah was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither:

darby (darby)

eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext

— And ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against Jehovah, we will go up and fight, according to all that Jehovah ourGod hath commanded us. And ye girded on every man his weapons of war, and ye would go presumptuously up the hill.

lxxbrent (lxxbrent)

Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM

And ye answered and said, We have sinned before the Lord our God; we will go up and fight according to all that the Lord our God has commanded us: and having taken every one his weapons of war, and being gathered together, ye went up to the mountain.

vul1914 (vul1914)

Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)

Et respondistis mihi: Peccavimus Domino: ascendemus et pugnabimus, sicut præcepit Dominus Deus noster. Cumque instructi armis pergeretis in montem,

web (web)

WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV

Then you answered and said to me, “We have sinned against the LORD. We will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us.” Every man of you put on his weapons of war, and presumed to go up into the hill country.

ylt (ylt)

Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8

`And ye answer and say unto me, We have sinned against Jehovah; we--we go up, and we have fought, according to all that which Jehovah our God hath commanded us; and ye gird on each his weapons of war, and ye are ready to go up into the hill-country;

Explanations by Age Level

Explain Like I'm 5

This verse tells us that God made everything! Before there was anything at all - no toys, no houses, no animals, no people, not even the ground we walk on or the sky above us - there was only God. And God is so amazing and powerful that He made everything we see just by wanting it to exist. He made the whole world, the stars, the moon, the sun, and everything in it. God was there first, and He made everything else!

Explain Like I'm 10

Genesis 1:1 is like the opening line of the greatest story ever told. It tells us that before anything existed - no universe, no planets, no life - God was there. The word "beginning" doesn't mean God had a beginning, but rather the beginning of everything else. God created both "heaven" (the sky and space) and "earth" (our planet and everything on it). This verse teaches us that God is the source of everything, that He existed before time itself, and that He has the power to create something from nothing. It's the foundation that helps us understand who God is and where everything came from.

Explain Like I'm 15

Genesis 1:1 establishes several crucial theological and philosophical concepts. The Hebrew word "bereshit" (in the beginning) indicates the commencement of time and space, not God's beginning, since God is eternal. "Elohim" (God) is a plural noun used with singular verbs, possibly hinting at the Trinity. The verb "bara" (created) is used exclusively for divine creation and implies creation ex nihilo (from nothing), distinguishing God's creative act from human making or forming. "Heaven and earth" is a merism representing the totality of creation - everything that exists. This verse refutes atheism (God exists), pantheism (God is distinct from creation), polytheism (one God created all), and materialism (matter is not eternal). It establishes God as transcendent, eternal, and omnipotent, setting the foundation for understanding reality, purpose, and meaning.

Biblical Commentary

Historical Context

Genesis 1:1 was written by Moses around 1450-1410 BC during the Israelites' wilderness wanderings. This opening statement would have been particularly meaningful to the Israelites who had just come out of Egypt, where they were surrounded by polytheistic creation myths. This verse establishes monotheism and God's sovereignty over all creation.

Hebrew Insights

The Hebrew text reveals deeper meanings: "Bereshit" can also mean "in the beginning of" or "when God began to create," suggesting an ongoing relationship between God and creation. "Elohim" is grammatically plural but takes singular verbs, emphasizing both God's majesty and unity. The verb "bara" appears only with God as the subject in Scripture, indicating a type of creation that only God can perform.

Theological Significance

This verse establishes fundamental truths about God's nature: He is eternal (existing before creation), transcendent (separate from creation), omnipotent (able to create from nothing), and personal (actively involved in creation). It also establishes the material world as good and purposeful, not illusory or evil as some philosophies suggest.

Cross References

This verse connects with John 1:1-3 ("In the beginning was the Word"), Hebrews 11:3 ("By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command"), and Colossians 1:16 ("For in him all things were created"). These passages reinforce the truth that God, through Christ, is the creator of all things.