
Text -- Deuteronomy 32:42 (NET)




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collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Whom my sword hath sorely wounded, though not utterly killed.

Wesley: Deu 32:42 - -- When once I begin to revenge myself and my people upon mine and their enemies, I will go on and make a full end.
When once I begin to revenge myself and my people upon mine and their enemies, I will go on and make a full end.
Clarke -> Deu 32:42
Clarke: Deu 32:42 - -- From the beginning of revenges - The word פרעות paroth , rendered revenges, a sense in which it never appears to be taken, has rendered this p...
From the beginning of revenges - The word
I will make my arrows drunk with blood
And my sword shall devour flesh
With the blood of the slain and captiv
From the hairy head of the enemy
Probably
Calvin -> Deu 32:42
Calvin: Deu 32:42 - -- 42.I will make my arrows drunk with blood In these words He describes a horrible massacre, as though He had said, There shall be no end to my vengean...
42.I will make my arrows drunk with blood In these words He describes a horrible massacre, as though He had said, There shall be no end to my vengeance, until the earth shall be full of blood and corpses. Elsewhere 296 also, God’s sword is said to be “drunk with blood,” as here His arrows, when His wrath proceeds to inflict great acts of carnage; and in the same sense it is here said to “devour flesh.”
The second
The conclusion of the verse is twisted into various senses; some expound the word “head” by change of number, “heads,” as though it were said, “I will cut off the heads of the enemies;” it would, however, be more plausible to apply it metaphorically to the leaders. But others translate it more correctly, “the beginning,” not, indeed, with reference to time, but as though it were said, the flower, or best of the multitude, according to the common phrase, “from the first to the last.” My interpretation of “the revenges of the enemy” is, not those which God will inflict upon His enemies, but such as are capital, or deadly, as though He had said that He would deal as an enemy with the wicked, so that there should be no place for mercy. 298
TSK -> Deu 32:42
TSK: Deu 32:42 - -- make mine : Deu 32:23; Psa 45:5, Psa 68:23; Isa 34:6-8; Jer 16:10; Eze 35:6-8, Eze 38:21, Eze 38:22
revenges : The word parôth , rendered revenges...
make mine : Deu 32:23; Psa 45:5, Psa 68:23; Isa 34:6-8; Jer 16:10; Eze 35:6-8, Eze 38:21, Eze 38:22
revenges : The word

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Deu 32:1-42
Barnes: Deu 32:1-42 - -- Song of Moses If Deu 32:1-3 be regarded as the introduction, and Deu 32:43 as the conclusion, the main contents of the song may be grouped und...
Song of Moses
If Deu 32:1-3 be regarded as the introduction, and Deu 32:43 as the conclusion, the main contents of the song may be grouped under three heads, namely,
(1) Deu 32:4-18, the faithfulness of God, the faithlessness of Israel;
(2) Deu 32:19-33, the chastisement and the need of its infliction by God;
(3) Deu 32:34-42, God’ s compassion upon the low and humbled state of His people.
The Song differs signally in diction and idiom from the preceding chapters; just as a lyrical passage is conceived in modes of thought wholly unlike those which belong to narrative or exhortation, and is uttered in different phraseology.
There are, however, in the Song numerous coincidences both in thoughts and words with other parts of the Pentateuch, and especially with Deuteronomy; while the resemblances between it and Ps. 90: "A Prayer of Moses,"have been rightly regarded as important.
The Song has reference to a state of things which did not ensue until long after the days of Moses. In this it resembles other parts of Deuteronomy and the Pentateuch which no less distinctly contemplate an apostasy (e. g. Deu 28:15; Lev 26:14), and describe it in general terms. If once we admit the possibility that Moses might foresee the future apostasy of Israel, it is scarcely possible to conceive how such foresight could be turned to better account by him than by the writing of this Song. Exhibiting as it does God’ s preventing mercies, His people’ s faithlessness and ingratitude, God’ s consequent judgments, and the final and complete triumph of the divine counsels of grace, it forms the summary of all later Old Testament prophecies, and gives as it were the framework upon which they are laid out. Here as elsewhere the Pentateuch presents itself as the foundation of the religious life of Israel in after times. The currency of the Song would be a standing protest against apostasy; a protest which might well check waverers, and warn the faithful that the revolt of others was neither unforeseen nor unprovided for by Him in whom they trusted.
That this Ode must on every ground take the very first rank in Hebrew poetry is universally allowed.
Introduction. Heaven and earth are here invoked, as elsewhere (see the marginal references), in order to impress on the hearers the importance of what is to follow.
He is the Rock, his work is perfect - Rather, the Rock, perfect is his work. This epithet, repeated no less than five times in the Song Deu 32:15, Deu 32:18, Deu 32:30-31, represents those attributes of God which Moses is seeking to enforce, immutability and impregnable strength. Compare the expression "the stone of Israel"in Gen 49:24; and see 1Sa 2:2; Psa 18:2; Mat 16:18; Joh 1:42. Zur, the original of "Rock,"enters frequently into the composition of proper names of the Mosaic time, e. g., Num 1:5-6, Num 1:10; Num 2:12; Num 3:35, etc. Our translators have elsewhere rendered it according to the sense "everlasting strength"Isa 26:4, "the Mighty One"Isa 30:29; in this chapter they have rightly adhered to the letter throughout.
Render: "It"(i. e. "the perverse and crooked generation") "hath corrupted itself before Him (compare Isa 1:4); they are not His children, but their blemish:"i. e., the generation of evil-doers cannot be styled God’ s children, but rather the shame and disgrace of God’ s children. The other side of the picture is thus brought forward with a brevity and abruptness which strikingly enforces the contrast.
Hath bought thee - Rather perhaps, "hath acquired thee for His own,"or "possessed thee:"compare the expression "a peculiar people,"margin "a purchased people,"in 1Pe 2:9.
That is, while nations were being constituted under God’ s providence, and the bounds of their habitation determined under His government (compare Act 17:26), He had even then in view the interests of His elect, and reserved a fitting inheritance "according to the number of the children of Israel;"i. e., proportionate to the wants of their population. Some texts of the Greek version have "according to the number of the Angels of God;"following apparently not a different reading, but the Jewish notion that the nations of the earth are seventy in number (compare Gen 10:1 note), and that each has its own guardian Angel (compare Ecclus. 17:17). This was possibly suggested by an apprehension that the literal rendering might prove invidious to the many Gentiles who would read the Greek version.
These verses set forth in figurative language the helpless and hopeless state of the nation when God took pity on it, and the love and care which He bestowed on it.
In the waste howling wilderness - literally, "in a waste, the howling of a wilderness,"i. e., a wilderness in which wild beasts howl. The word for "waste"is that used in Gen 1:2, and there rendered "without form."
Compare Exo 19:4. The "so,"which the King James Version supplies in the next verse, should he inserted before "spreadeth,"and omitted from Deu 32:12. The sense is, "so He spread out His wings, took them up,"etc.
With him - i. e., with God. The Lord alone delivered Israel; Israel therefore ought to have served none other but Him.
i. e., God gave Israel possession of those commanding positions which carry with them dominion over the whole land (compare Deu 33:29), and enabled him to draw the richest provision out of spots naturally unproductive.
Breed of Bashan - Bashan was famous for its cattle. Compare Psa 22:12; Eze 39:18.
Fat of kidneys of wheat - i. e., the finest and most nutritious wheat. The fat of the kidneys was regarded as being the finest and tenderest, and was therefore specified as a part of the sacrificial animals which was to be offered to the Lord: compare Exo 29:13, etc.
The pure blood of the qrape - Render, the blood of the grape, even wine. The Hebrew word seems (compare Isa 27:2) a poetical term for wine.
Jesbarun - This word, found again only in Deu 33:5, Deu 33:26, and Isa 44:2, is not a diminutive but an appellative (containing an allusion to the root, "to be righteous"); and describes not the character which belonged to Israel in fact, but that to which Israel was called. Compare Num 23:21. The prefixing of this epithet to the description of Israel’ s apostasy contained in the words next following is full of keen reproof.
They provoked him to jealousy - The language is borrowed from the matrimonial relationship, as in Deu 31:16.
Devils - Render, destroyers. The application of the word to the false gods points to the trait so deeply graven in all pagan worship, that of regarding the deities as malignant, and needing to be propitiated by human sufferings.
Not to God - Rather, "not God,"i. e., which were not God; see the margin and Deu 32:21. Compare Deu 13:7; Deu 29:25.
The anger of God at the apostasy of His people is stated in general terms in this verse; and the results of it are described, in words as of God Himself, in the next and following verses. These results consisted negatively in the withdrawal of God’ s favor Deu 32:20, and positively in the infliction of a righteous retribution.
Daughters - The women had their full share in the sins of the people. Compare Isa 3:16 ff; Isa 32:9 ff; Jer 7:18; Jer 44:15 ff.
I will see what their end shall be - Compare the similar expression in Gen 37:20.
God would mete out to them the same measure as they had done to Him. Through chosen by the one God to be His own, they had preferred idols, which were no gods. So therefore would He prefer to His people that which was no people. As they had angered Him with their vanities, so would He provoke them by adopting in their stead those whom they counted as nothing. The terms, "not a people,"and "a foolish nation,"mean such a people as, not being God’ s, would not be accounted a people at all (compare Eph 2:12; 1Pe 2:10), and such a nation as is destitute of that which alone can make a really "wise and understanding people"Deu 4:6, namely, the knowledge of the revealed word and will of God (compare 1Co 1:18-28).
Burning heat - i. e., the fear of a pestilential disease. On the "four sore judgments,"famine, plague, noisome beasts, the sword, compare Lev 26:22; Jer 15:2; Eze 5:17; Eze 14:21.
Rather, I would utterly disperse them, etc., were it not that I apprehended the provocation of the enemy, i. e., that I should be provoked to wrath when the enemy ascribed the overthrow of Israel to his own prowess and not to my judgments. Compare Deu 9:28-29; Eze 20:9, Eze 20:14, Eze 20:22.
Behave themselves strangely - Rather, misunderstand it, i. e., mistake the cause of Israel’ s ruin.
The defeat of Israel would be due to the fact that God, their strength, had abandoned them because of their apostasy.
Our enemies - i. e., the enemies of Moses and the faithful Israelites; the pagan, more especially those with whom Israel was brought into collision, whom Israel was commissioned to "chase,"but to whom, as a punishment for faithlessness, Israel was "sold,"Deu 32:30. Moses leaves the decision, whether "their rock"(i. e. the false gods of the pagan to which the apostate Israelites had fallen away) or "our Rock"is superior, to be determined by the unbelievers themselves. For example, see Exo 14:25; Num. 23; 24; Jos 2:9 ff; 1Sa 4:8; 1Sa 5:7 ff; 1Ki 20:28. That the pagan should thus be constrained to bear witness to the supremacy of Israel’ s God heightened the folly of Israel’ s apostasy.
Their vine - i. e., the nature and character of Israel: compare for similar expressions Psa 80:8, Psa 80:14; Jer 2:21; Hos 10:1.
Sodom ... Gomorrah - Here, as elsewhere, and often in the prophets, emblems of utter depravity: compare Isa 1:10; Jer 23:14,
Gall - Compare Deu 29:18 note.
Rather: "Vengeance is mine and recompence, at the time when their foot slideth.
Repent himself for - Rather, have compassion upon. The verse declares that God’ s judgment of His people would issue at once in the punishment of the wicked, and in the comfort of the righteous.
None shut up, or left - A proverbial phrase (compare 1Ki 14:10) meaning perhaps "married and single,"or "guarded and forsaken,"but signifying generally "all men of all sorts."
Render: For I lift up my hand to heaven and say, As I live forever, if I whet, etc. On Deu 32:40, in which God is described as swearing by Himself, compare Isa 45:23; Jer 22:5; Heb 6:17. The lifting up of the hand was a gesture used in making oath (compare Gen 14:22; Rev 10:5).
From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy - Render, (drunk with blood) from the head (i. e. the chief) of the princes of the enemy.
Poole -> Deu 32:42
Poole: Deu 32:42 - -- Of the captives whom my sword hath sorely wounded, though not utterly killed.
From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy i.e. when once I begin ...
Of the captives whom my sword hath sorely wounded, though not utterly killed.
From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy i.e. when once I begin to revenge myself and my people upon mine and their enemies, I will go on and make a full end. Or, with the head , or with the blood of the head , i.e. of the chief or chiefs, of the revenges of the enemy, i. e. of the revengeful or malicious enemy of God and of his people. The noun substantive is oft put for the adjective; as Gen 17:5 , a multitude of nations is put for many nations , Rom 4:17 Gen 45:22 , changes of raiment , i.e. changeable raiment; and Psa 99:4 , the king’ s strength , i.e. the strong and mighty king; and so here, the revenges of the enemy , i.e. the revengeful enemy. And by the head may be here understood either the devil, or the beads and rulers of those empires which were enemies to God’ s people. Or, of the head shall be the revenges upon the enemies , i.e. I will take vengeance upon all mine enemies, yea, upon the head or heads of them.
Haydock -> Deu 32:42
Haydock: Deu 32:42 - -- Enemies. I will tear the crown from off their head. Chaldean, I will destroy the king, as well as the meanest captives. Protestants, "from the begi...
Enemies. I will tear the crown from off their head. Chaldean, I will destroy the king, as well as the meanest captives. Protestants, "from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy." At the very first I will completely destroy them. (Haydock) ---
I will punish them for the slaughter and captivity of my people, whom they have shaved, as a mark of their servile condition. (Menochius) ---
Their bare head, or vain counsels, will be detected and punished. (Worthington)
Gill -> Deu 32:42
Gill: Deu 32:42 - -- I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,.... Signifying, that by various judgments he would bring upon them, which, like arrows, would come suddenly,...
I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,.... Signifying, that by various judgments he would bring upon them, which, like arrows, would come suddenly, fly swiftly, and pierce deeply, there would be a prodigious effusion of blood like that in Rev 14:20; so that these arrows, which cause it, being plunged and soaked, and covered in it, may be said to be inebriated with it, just as the sword is said to be bathed and filled with blood, Isa 34:5; which prophecy respects the same vengeance of Christ on the selfsame enemies of his as here; and as the whore of Rome is said to be drunken with the blood of the saints and martyrs of Jesus, the arrows of her destruction are represented in just retaliation as drunk with her blood, Rev 17:6,
and my sword shall devour flesh: the flesh of kings, of captains, of mighty men, of horses, and of them that sit on them the flesh of all men, bond and free, small and great, Rev 19:18; that is, shall destroy great multitudes of men:
and that with the blood of the slain, and of the captives; that is, his arrows should be drunk not only with the blood of these that were wounded and killed, but of the captives; who commonly are spared, but in this case should not, their blood should be shed: it may be rendered, "because of the blood of the slain", &c. y; because of the blood of the saints whom they have killed, and carried captive, and who have died in prisons:
from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy; or "of the enemy"; that is, from the time the enemy began to oppress the saints, and take revenge on them, and shed their blood; all that blood shall be found in them that has been from the beginning shed, and charged to their account, and revenged on them; just as the blood of all the righteous, from the beginning of the world, was brought upon the Jews, Mat 23:35. The Targum of Jerusalem is,"from the heads of their mighty men, the generals of their armies;''to, which agrees the Septuagint version,"from the head of the princes of the enemies;''and so may refer to the head or heads of the antichristian people, the pope of Rome, and his princes, the cardinals, and all the antichristian kings and states, the captains and generals of their armies, which will be brought to Armageddon, and there destroyed, see Psa 68:21.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Deu 32:1-52
TSK Synopsis: Deu 32:1-52 - --1 Moses song, which sets forth God's mercy and vengeance.46 He exhorts them to set their hearts upon it.48 God sends him up to mount Nebo, to see the ...
MHCC -> Deu 32:39-43
MHCC: Deu 32:39-43 - --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 ...
Matthew Henry -> Deu 32:39-43
Matthew Henry: Deu 32:39-43 - -- This conclusion of the song speaks three things: I. Glory to God, Deu 32:39. "See now upon the whole matter, that I, even I, am he. Learn this fro...
Keil-Delitzsch -> Deu 32:1-43
Keil-Delitzsch: Deu 32:1-43 - --
The Song of Moses. - In accordance with the object announced in Deu 31:19, this song contrasts the unchangeable fidelity of the Lord with the perver...
Constable -> Deu 31:1--34:12; Deu 32:1-43
Constable: Deu 31:1--34:12 - --VII. MOSES' LAST ACTS chs. 31--34
Having completed the major addresses to the Israelites recorded to this point ...
