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988 B
General Information:
Moses continues to speak to the Israelites as if they are one person. This chapter assures the Israelites that it is Yahweh who will empower them to conquer the Promised Land. The Israelites will not be strong enough on their own to conquer these other nations. This victory will be Yahweh's. The people did not earn this victory, but it is Yahweh's punishment of these sinful nations. Yahweh is about to punish the Canaanites for their sin. He also reminds Israel of their sin. This serves as a warning to the people of Israel. If they sin again, Yahweh will punish them too.
Hear, Israel
"Listen, people of Israel"
to dispossess
"to take the land from"
fortified up to heaven
"have walls so high it is like they reach up to the heavens". This is an exaggeration that emphasizes how frightened the people were because the cities were so large and strong. See how you translated similar words here (and in the following verses) in Deuteronomy 1:28.