Deuteronomy 32

1 Heaven! Pay attention and I will speak; Earth! Listen to the words of my mouth.
2 My teaching will fall like raindrops; my speech will settle like dew— like gentle rains on grass, like spring showers on all that is green—
3 because I proclaim the LORD's name: Give praise to our God!
4 The rock: his acts are perfection! No doubt about it: all his ways are right! He's the faithful God, never deceiving; altogether righteous and true is he.
5 But children who weren't his own sinned against him with their defects; they are a twisted and perverse generation.
6 Is this how you thank the LORD, you stupid, senseless people? Isn't he your father, your creator? Didn't he make you and establish you?
7 Remember the days long past; consider the years long gone. Ask your father, he will tell you about it; ask your elders, they will give you the details:
8 When God Most High divided up the nations— when he divided up humankind— he decided the people's boundaries based on the number of the gods.
9 Surely the LORD's property was his people; Jacob was his part of the inheritance.
10 God found Israel in a wild land— in a howling desert wasteland— he protected him, cared for him, watched over him with his very own eye.
11 Like an eagle protecting its nest, hovering over its young, God spread out his wings, took hold of Israel, carried him on his back.
12 The LORD alone led Israel; no foreign god assisted.
13 God made Israel glide over the highlands; he fed him with food from the field, nursed him with honey from a boulder, with oil from a hard rock:
14 curds from the herd, milk from the flock, along with the best of lambs, rams from Bashan, he-goats too, along with the finest wheat— and for drink, wine from the juiciest grapes!
15 Jacob ate until he was stuffed; Jeshurun got fat, then rebellious. It was you who got fat, thick, stubborn! Jeshurun gave up on the God who made him, thought the rock of his salvation was worthless.
16 They made God jealous with strange gods, aggravated him with detestable things.
17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to deities of which they had no knowledge— new gods only recently on the scene, ones about which your ancestors had never heard.
18 You deserted the rock that sired you; you forgot the God who gave birth to you!
19 The LORD saw this and rejected out of aggravation his sons and his daughters.
20 He said: I will hide my face from them— I will see what becomes of them— because they are a confused generation; they are children lacking loyalty.
21 They provoked me with "no-gods," aggravated me with their pieces of junk. So I am going to provoke them with "No-People," aggravate them with a nation of fools.
22 A fire burns in me— it will blaze to the depths of the grave; it will destroy the land and its crops; it will blacken the base of the mountains.
23 I'll throw on them disaster after disaster; I'll destroy them with my arrows:
24 devastating hunger, consuming plague, bitter sickness. I'll send animal fangs after them, venom from dust crawlers too.
25 Outside, in the streets, the sword will bereave! Inside, in the safest room, there will be terror for young men and women, nursing baby and senior citizen.
26 I thought about it: I could have struck them down, erased them from human memory,
27 but their enemies' rage concerned me; their opponents might misunderstand. They might say, "Our strong hands, not the LORD's, did all this,"
28 because they are not a thoughtful nation; they lack any insight.
29 If they had any wisdom, they would understand this; they would discern what will become of them.
30 How could one person chase off a thousand in battle? How could two people make ten thousand flee for their lives? Only because their rock sold them off, only because the LORD handed them over!
31 But, no, their rocks can't compare to our rock! Our enemies are completely stupid.
32 Their roots run straight from Sodom— from the fields of Gomorrah! Their grapes are pure poison; their grape clusters, nothing but bitter;
33 their wine is snake poison, venom from a cruel cobra.
34 Don't I have this stored up, sealed in my vaults?
35 Revenge is my domain, so is punishment-in-kind, at the exact moment their step slips up, because the day of their destruction is just around the corner; their final destiny is speeding on its way!
36 But the LORD will acquit his people, will have compassion on those who serve him, once he sees that their strength is all gone, that both prisoners and free people are wiped out.
37 The Lord will ask, "Where are their gods— the rocks they trusted in—
38 who ate up the fat of their sacrifices, who drank their sacred wine? They should stand up and help you! They should protect you now!
39 Now, look here: I myself, I'm the one; there are no other gods with me. I'm the one who deals death and gives life; I'm the one who wounded, but now I will heal. There's no escaping my hand.
40 But now I'm lifting my hand to heaven— I swear by my own eternity:
41 when I sharpen my blazing sword and my hand grabs hold of justice, I'll pay my enemies back; I'll punish in kind everyone who hates me.
42 I'll make my arrows drink much blood, while my sword devours flesh, the blood of the dead and captured, flowing from the heads of enemy generals."
43 Heavens: Rejoice with God! All you gods: bow down to the Lord! Because he will avenge his children's blood; he will pay back his enemies; he will punish in kind those who hate him; he will cleanse his people's land.
44 So Moses came and recited all the words of this poem in everyone's hearing; Joshua, Nun's son, joined him.
45 When Moses finished speaking all these words to all Israel,
46 he told them: Set your mind on all these words I'm testifying against you right now, because you must command your children to perform carefully all the words of this Instruction.
47 This is no trivial matter for you—this is your very life! It is by this means alone that you will prolong your life on the fertile land you are crossing the Jordan River to possess.

Moses’ death imminent

48 The LORD spoke to Moses that very same day:
49 "Hike up the Abarim mountains, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho. Take a good look at the land of Canaan, which I'm giving to the Israelites as their property.
50 You will die on the mountain you have hiked up, and you will be gathered to your people just like your brother Aaron, who died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people,
51 because the two of you were unfaithful toward me in front of the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh, in the Zin wilderness, because you didn't treat me with proper respect before the Israelites.
52 You can look at the land from the other side of the river, but you won't enter there."

Deuteronomy 32 Commentary

Chapter 32

The song of Moses. (1,2) The character of God, The character of Israel. (3-6) The great things God had done for Israel. (7-14) The wickedness of Israel. (19-25) The judgments which would come upon them for their sins. (15-18) Deserved vengeance withheld. (26-38) God's deliverance for his people. (39-43) The exhortation with which the song was delivered. (44-47) Moses to go up mount Nebo to die. (48-52)

Verses 1-2 Moses begins with a solemn appeal to heaven and earth, concerning the truth and importance of what he was about to say. His doctrine is the gospel, the speech of God, the doctrine of Christ; the doctrine of grace and mercy through him, and of life and salvation by him.

Verses 3-6 "He is a Rock." This is the first time God is called so in Scripture. The expression denotes that the Divine power, faithfulness, and love, as revealed in Christ and the gospel, form a foundation which cannot be changed or moved, on which we may build our hopes of happiness. And under his protection we may find refuge from all our enemies, and in all our troubles; as the rocks in those countries sheltered from the burning rays of the sun, and from tempests, or were fortresses from the enemy. "His work is perfect:" that of redemption and salvation, in which there is a display of all the Divine perfection, complete in all its parts. All God's dealings with his creatures are regulated by wisdom which cannot err, and perfect justice. He is indeed just and right; he takes care that none shall lose by him. A high charge is exhibited against Israel. Even God's children have their spots, while in this imperfect state; for if we say we have no sin, no spot, we deceive ourselves. But the sin of Israel was not habitual, notorious, unrepented sin; which is a certain mark of the children of Satan. They were fools to forsake their mercies for lying vanities. All wilful sinners, especially sinners in Israel, are unwise and ungrateful.

Verses 7-14 Moses gives particular instances of God's kindness and concern for them. The eagle's care for her young is a beautiful emblem of Christ's love, who came between Divine justice and our guilty souls, and bare our sins in his own body on the tree. And by the preached gospel, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, He stirs up and prevails upon sinners to leave Satan's bondage. ( deuteronomy 32:13-14 ) their spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, in and through Christ. Also of their safety and triumph in him; of their happy frames of soul, when they are above the world, and the things of it. This will be the blessed case of spiritual Israel in every sense in the latter day.

Verses 15-18 Here are two instances of the wickedness of Israel, each was apostacy from God. These people were called Jeshurun, "an upright people," so some; "a seeing people," so others: but they soon lost the reputation both of their knowledge and of their righteousness. They indulged their appetites, as if they had nothing to do but to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it. Those who make a god of themselves, and a god of their bellies, in pride and wantonness, and cannot bear to be told of it, thereby forsake God, and show they esteem him lightly. There is but one way of a sinner's acceptance and sanctification, however different modes of irreligion, or false religion, may show that favourable regard for other ways, which is often miscalled candid. How mad are idolaters, who forsake the Rock of salvation, to run themselves upon the rock of perdition!

Verses 19-25 The revolt of Israel was described in the foregoing verses, and here follow the resolves of Divine justice as to them. We deceive ourselves, if we think that God will be mocked by a faithless people. Sin makes us hateful in the sight of the holy God. See what mischief sin does, and reckon those to be fools that mock at it.

Verses 26-38 The idolatry and rebellions of Israel deserved, and the justice of God seemed to demand, that they should be rooted out. But He spared Israel, and continues them still to be living witnesses of the truth of the Bible, and to silence unbelievers. They are preserved for wise and holy purposes and the prophecies give us some idea what those purposes are. The Lord will never disgrace the throne of his glory. It is great wisdom, and will help much to the return of sinners to God, seriously to consider their latter end, or the future state. It is here meant particularly of what God foretold by Moses, about this people in the latter days; but it may be applied generally. Oh that men would consider the happiness they will lose, and the misery they will certainly plunge into, if they go on in their trespasses! What will be in the end thereof? ( Jeremiah 5:31 ) . For the Lord will in due time bring down the enemies of the church, in displeasure against their wickedness. When sinners deem themselves most secure, they suddenly fall into destruction. And God's time to appear for the deliverance of his people, is when things are at the worst with them. But those who trust to any rock but God, will find it fail them when they most need it. The rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish nation, is the continuance of their ancient idolatry, apostacy, and rebellion. They shall be brought to humble themselves before the Lord, to repent of their sins, and to trust in their long-rejected Mediator for salvation. Then he will deliver them, and make their prosperity great.

Verses 39-43 This conclusion of the song speaks, 1. Glory to God. No escape can be made from his power. 2. It speaks terror to his enemies. Terror indeed to those who hate him. The wrath of God is here revealed from heaven against them. 3. It speaks comfort to his own people. The song concludes with words of joy. Whatever judgments are brought upon sinners, it shall go well with the people of God.

Verses 44-47 Here is the solemn delivery of this song to Israel, with a charge to mind all the good words Moses had said unto them. It is not a trifle, but a matter of life and death: mind it, and you are made for ever; neglect it, and you are for ever undone. Oh that men were fully persuaded that religion is their life, even the life of their souls!

Verses 48-52 Now Moses had done his work, why should he desire to live a day longer? God reminds him of the sin of which he had been guilty, for which he was kept from entering Canaan. It is good for the best of men to die repenting the infirmities of which they are conscious. But those may die with comfort and ease, whenever God calls for them, notwithstanding the sins they remember against themselves, who have a believing prospect, and a well-grounded hope of eternal life beyond death.

Footnotes 32

  • [a]. Heb uncertain
  • [b]. LXX, Vulg; Heb uncertain
  • [c]. DSS (4QDeutj), LXX; MT the Israelites
  • [d]. Vulg, Syr, and others; Sam, LXX, Tg Onkelos sustained him
  • [e]. Or he
  • [f]. Or him
  • [g]. Sam, Syr, LXX, Tg; MT he ate
  • [h]. DSS (4QPhyln), Sam, LXX; MT lacks Jacob ate until he was stuffed.
  • [i]. A poetic name for Israel; see also 33:5, 26.
  • [j]. Or kicked
  • [k]. Heb uncertain
  • [l]. Or he
  • [m]. Or him
  • [n]. Heb uncertain
  • [o]. LXX, Vulg; Heb uncertain
  • [p]. Or, following LXX, DSS (4QPhyln), and correcting the LORD saw this and was jealous; he spurned his sons and daughters.
  • [q]. Heb Sheol
  • [r]. LXX
  • [s]. Heb uncertain; LXX scattered them
  • [t]. LXX; Heb uncertain
  • [u]. Heb uncertain
  • [v]. Heb uncertain
  • [w]. DSS (4QDeutq), LXX; MT nations
  • [x]. DSS (4QDeutq), LXX; MT his people
  • [y]. This line is missing in Heb; it is found in DSS (4QDeutq); LXX him for the Lord.
  • [z]. DSS (4QDeutq), LXX; MT his servants
  • [aa]. DSS (4QDeutq), LXX; MT lacks this line.
  • [ab]. Sam, DSS (4QDeutq), LXX, Vulg; MT his land his people or his land for his people; or, correcting, he will wipe away his people’s tears.
  • [ac]. Sam, Syr, Tg Neofiti; MT Hoshea
  • [ad]. Or word
  • [ae]. Heb lacks of the river.
  • [af]. LXX; MT, Sam, Vulg, Syr, Tg add to the land that I am giving to the Israelites

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 32

This chapter contains the song mentioned and referred to in the former, the preface to it, De 32:1-3; the character of the divine and illustrious Person it chiefly respects, De 32:4; the ingratitude of the people of the Jews to him, who were a crooked and perverse generation, aggravated by his having bought, made, and established them, De 32:5,6; and which is further aggravated by various instances of divine goodness to them, first in providing and reserving a suitable country for them, at the time of the division of the earth to the sons of men, with the reason of it, De 32:7-9; then by what the Lord did for them in the wilderness, De 32:10-12; after that in the land of Canaan, where they enjoyed plenty of all good things, and in the possession of which they were, when the illustrious Person described appeared among them, De 32:13,14; and then the sin of ingratitude to him, before hinted at, is fully expressed, namely, lightly esteeming the rock of salvation, the Messiah, De 32:15; nor could they stop here, but proceed to more ungodliness, setting up other messiahs and saviours, which were an abomination to the Lord, De 32:16; continuing sacrifices when they should not, which were therefore reckoned no other than sacrifices to demons, and especially the setting up of their new idol, their own righteousness, was highly provoking; and by all this they clearly showed they had forgot the rock, the Saviour, De 32:17,18; wherefore, for the rejection of the Messiah and the, persecution of his followers, they would be abhorred of God, De 32:19; who would show his resentment by the rejection of them, by the calling of the Gentiles, and by bringing the nation of the Romans upon them, De 32:20,21; whereby utter ruin and destruction in all its shapes would be brought upon them, De 32:22-25; and, were it not for the insolence of their adversaries, would be entirely destroyed, being such a foolish and unwise people, which appears by not observing what the enemies of the Messiah themselves allow, that there is no rock like him, whom they despised, De 32:26-31; which enemies are described, and the vengeance reserved for them pointed out, De 32:32-35; and the song closed with promises of grace and mercy to the Lord's people, and wrath and ruin to his and their enemies, on which account all are called upon to rejoice in the latter day, De 32:36-43; and this song being delivered by Moses, the people of Israel are exhorted seriously to attend to it, it being of the utmost importance to them, De 32:44-47; and the chapter is concluded with a relation of Moses being ordered to go up to Mount Nebo and die, with the reason of it, De 32:48-52.

Deuteronomy 32 Commentaries

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