Deuteronomy 1:42

42 And the Lord said to me, Tell them, Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight, for I am not with you; thus shall ye not be destroyed before your enemies.

Deuteronomy 1:42 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 1:42

And the Lord said unto me
When the people had armed themselves, and were in motion, or ready to set forward to ascend the hill:

say unto them, go not up, neither fight;
neither go up the hill, and if they did, contrary to this order, and should meet with enemies, not fight them, but retreat:

for I am not among you:
the ark of the covenant, the symbol of his presence, was then among them, but it did not go with them, it continued in the camp, ( Numbers 14:44 ) nor did the Lord exert his power, or show himself present with them, or to be on their side, but left them to themselves, and to their enemies:

lest ye be smitten before your enemies;
God not being with them to fight for them, protect and defend them, and give them victory.

Deuteronomy 1:42 In-Context

40 And ye turned and marched into the wilderness, in the way by the Red Sea.

41 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.

42 And the Lord said to me, Tell them, Ye shall not go up, neither shall ye fight, for I am not with you; thus shall ye not be destroyed before your enemies.

43 And I spoke to you, and ye did not hearken to me; and ye transgressed the commandment of the Lord; and ye forced your way and went up into the mountain.

44 And the Amorite who dwelt in that mountain came out to meet you, and pursued you as bees do, and wounded you from Seir to Herma.