Discovery BoxDeuteronomy 31:1--33:29
Context31:1 Then Moses went 1 and spoke these words 2 to all Israel. 31:2 He said to them, “Today I am a hundred and twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, 3 and the Lord has said to me, ‘You will not cross the Jordan.’ 31:3 As for the Lord your God, he is about to cross over before you; he will destroy these nations before you and dispossess them. As for Joshua, he is about to cross before you just as the Lord has said. 31:4 The Lord will do to them just what he did to Sihon and Og, the Amorite kings, and to their land, which he destroyed. 31:5 The Lord will deliver them over to you and you will do to them according to the whole commandment I have given you. 31:6 Be strong and courageous! Do not fear or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who is going with you. He will not fail you or abandon you!” 31:7 Then Moses called out to Joshua 4 in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, 5 and you will enable them to inherit it. 31:8 The Lord is indeed going before you – he will be with you; he will not fail you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged!”
31:9 Then Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the Levitical priests, who carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and to all Israel’s elders. 31:10 He 6 commanded them: “At the end of seven years, at the appointed time of the cancellation of debts, 7 at the Feast of Temporary Shelters, 8 31:11 when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God in the place he chooses, you must read this law before them 9 within their hearing. 31:12 Gather the people – men, women, and children, as well as the resident foreigners in your villages – so they may hear and thus learn about and fear the Lord your God and carefully obey all the words of this law. 31:13 Then their children, who have not known this law, 10 will also hear about and learn to fear the Lord your God for as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
31:14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “The day of your death is near. Summon Joshua and present yourselves in the tent 11 of meeting 12 so that I can commission him.” 13 So Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tent of meeting. 31:15 The Lord appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud that 14 stood above the door of the tent. 31:16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “You are about to die, 15 and then these people will begin to prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land into which they 16 are going. They 17 will reject 18 me and break my covenant that I have made with them. 19 31:17 At that time 20 my anger will erupt against them 21 and I will abandon them and hide my face from them until they are devoured. Many disasters and distresses will overcome 22 them 23 so that they 24 will say at that time, ‘Have not these disasters 25 overcome us 26 because our 27 God is not among us 28 ?’ 31:18 But I will certainly 29 hide myself at that time because of all the wickedness they 30 will have done by turning to other gods. 31:19 Now write down for yourselves the following song and teach it to the Israelites. Put it into their very mouths so that this song may serve as my witness against the Israelites! 31:20 For after I have brought them 31 to the land I promised to their 32 ancestors – one flowing with milk and honey – and they 33 eat their fill 34 and become fat, then they 35 will turn to other gods and worship them; they will reject me and break my covenant. 31:21 Then when 36 many disasters and distresses overcome them 37 this song will testify against them, 38 for their 39 descendants will not forget it. 40 I know the 41 intentions they have in mind 42 today, even before I bring them 43 to the land I have promised.” 31:22 So on that day Moses wrote down this song and taught it to the Israelites, 31:23 and the Lord 44 commissioned Joshua son of Nun, “Be strong and courageous, for you will take the Israelites to the land I have promised them, and I will be with you.” 45
31:24 When Moses finished writing on a scroll the words of this law in their entirety, 31:25 he 46 commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the Lord’s covenant, 31:26 “Take this scroll of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God. It will remain there as a witness against you, 31:27 for I know about your rebellion and stubbornness. 47 Indeed, even while I have been living among you to this very day, you have rebelled against the Lord; you will be even more rebellious after my death! 48 31:28 Gather to me all your tribal elders and officials so I can speak to them directly about these things and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them. 31:29 For I know that after I die you will totally 49 corrupt yourselves and turn away from the path I have commanded you to walk. Disaster will confront you in the days to come because you will act wickedly 50 before the Lord, inciting him to anger because of your actions.” 51 31:30 Then Moses recited the words of this song from start to finish in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel.
32:1 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak;
hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
32:2 My teaching will drop like the rain,
my sayings will drip like the dew, 52
as rain drops upon the grass,
and showers upon new growth.
32:3 For I will proclaim the name 53 of the Lord;
you must acknowledge the greatness of our God.
32:4 As for the Rock, 54 his work is perfect,
for all his ways are just.
He is a reliable God who is never unjust,
he is fair 55 and upright.
32:5 His people have been unfaithful 56 to him;
they have not acted like his children 57 – this is their sin. 58
They are a perverse 59 and deceitful generation.
32:6 Is this how you repay 60 the Lord,
you foolish, unwise people?
Is he not your father, your creator?
He has made you and established you.
32:7 Remember the ancient days;
bear in mind 61 the years of past generations. 62
Ask your father and he will inform you,
your elders, and they will tell you.
32:8 When the Most High 63 gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided up humankind, 64
he set the boundaries of the peoples,
according to the number of the heavenly assembly. 65
32:9 For the Lord’s allotment is his people,
Jacob is his special possession. 66
32:10 The Lord 67 found him 68 in a desolate land,
in an empty wasteland where animals howl. 69
He continually guarded him 70 and taught him; 71
he continually protected him 72 like the pupil 73 of his eye.
32:11 Like an eagle that stirs up 74 its nest,
that hovers over its young,
so the Lord 75 spread out his wings and took him, 76
he lifted him up on his pinions.
32:12 The Lord alone was guiding him, 77
no foreign god was with him.
32:13 He enabled him 78 to travel over the high terrain of the land,
and he ate of the produce of the fields.
He provided honey for him from the cliffs, 79
and olive oil 80 from the hardest of 81 rocks, 82
32:14 butter from the herd
and milk from the flock,
along with the fat of lambs,
rams and goats of Bashan,
along with the best of the kernels of wheat;
and from the juice of grapes you drank wine.
32:15 But Jeshurun 83 became fat and kicked,
you 84 got fat, thick, and stuffed!
Then he deserted the God who made him,
and treated the Rock who saved him with contempt.
32:16 They made him jealous with other gods, 85
they enraged him with abhorrent idols. 86
32:17 They sacrificed to demons, not God,
to gods they had not known;
to new gods who had recently come along,
gods your ancestors 87 had not known about.
32:18 You have forgotten 88 the Rock who fathered you,
and put out of mind the God who gave you birth.
32:19 But the Lord took note and despised them
because his sons and daughters enraged him.
32:20 He said, “I will reject them, 89
I will see what will happen to them;
for they are a perverse generation,
children 90 who show no loyalty.
32:21 They have made me jealous 91 with false gods, 92
enraging me with their worthless gods; 93
so I will make them jealous with a people they do not recognize, 94
with a nation slow to learn 95 I will enrage them.
32:22 For a fire has been kindled by my anger,
and it burns to lowest Sheol; 96
it consumes the earth and its produce,
and ignites the foundations of the mountains.
32:23 I will increase their 97 disasters,
I will use up my arrows on them.
32:24 They will be starved by famine,
eaten by plague, and bitterly stung; 98
I will send the teeth of wild animals against them,
along with the poison of creatures that crawl in the dust.
32:25 The sword will make people childless outside,
and terror will do so inside;
they will destroy 99 both the young man and the virgin,
the infant and the gray-haired man.
32:26 “I said, ‘I want to cut them in pieces. 100
I want to make people forget they ever existed.
32:27 But I fear the reaction 101 of their enemies,
for 102 their adversaries would misunderstand
and say, “Our power is great, 103
and the Lord has not done all this!”’
32:28 They are a nation devoid of wisdom,
and there is no understanding among them.
32:29 I wish that they were wise and could understand this,
and that they could comprehend what will happen to them.”
32:30 How can one man chase a thousand of them, 104
and two pursue ten thousand;
unless their Rock had delivered them up, 105
and the Lord had handed them over?
32:31 For our enemies’ 106 rock is not like our Rock,
as even our enemies concede.
32:32 For their vine is from the stock 107 of Sodom,
and from the fields of Gomorrah. 108
Their grapes contain venom,
their clusters of grapes are bitter.
32:33 Their wine is snakes’ poison,
the deadly venom of cobras.
32:34 “Is this not stored up with me?” says the Lord, 109
“Is it not sealed up in my storehouses?
32:35 I will get revenge and pay them back
at the time their foot slips;
for the day of their disaster is near,
and the impending judgment 110 is rushing upon them!”
32:36 The Lord will judge his people,
and will change his plans concerning 111 his servants;
when he sees that their power has disappeared,
and that no one is left, whether confined or set free.
32:37 He will say, “Where are their gods,
the rock in whom they sought security,
32:38 who ate the best of their sacrifices,
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise and help you;
let them be your refuge!
32:39 “See now that I, indeed I, am he!” says the Lord, 112
“and there is no other god besides me.
I kill and give life,
I smash and I heal,
and none can resist 113 my power.
32:40 For I raise up my hand to heaven,
and say, ‘As surely as I live forever,
32:41 I will sharpen my lightning-like sword,
and my hand will grasp hold of the weapon of judgment; 114
I will execute vengeance on my foes,
and repay those who hate me! 115
32:42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword will devour flesh –
the blood of the slaughtered and captured,
the chief 116 of the enemy’s leaders!’”
32:43 Cry out, O nations, with his people,
for he will avenge his servants’ blood;
he will take vengeance against his enemies,
and make atonement for his land and people.
32:44 Then Moses went with Joshua 117 son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people. 32:45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel 32:46 he said to them, “Keep in mind all the words I am solemnly proclaiming to you today; you must command your children to observe carefully all the words of this law. 32:47 For this is no idle word for you – it is your life! By this word you will live a long time in the land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
32:48 Then the Lord said to Moses that same day, 32:49 “Go up to this Abarim 118 hill country, to Mount Nebo (which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho 119 ) and look at the land of Canaan that I am giving to the Israelites as a possession. 32:50 You will die 120 on the mountain that you ascend and join your deceased ancestors, 121 just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor 122 and joined his deceased ancestors, 32:51 for both of you 123 rebelled against me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the desert of Zin when you did not show me proper respect 124 among the Israelites. 32:52 You will see the land before you, but you will not enter the land that I am giving to the Israelites.”
33:1 This is the blessing Moses the man of God pronounced upon the Israelites before his death. 33:2 He said:
The Lord came from Sinai
and revealed himself 125 to Israel 126 from Seir.
He appeared in splendor 127 from Mount Paran,
and came forth with ten thousand holy ones. 128
With his right hand he gave a fiery law 129 to them.
33:3 Surely he loves the people; 130
all your holy ones 131 are in your power. 132
And they sit 133 at your feet,
each receiving 134 your words.
33:4 Moses delivered to us a law, 135
an inheritance for the assembly of Jacob.
33:5 The Lord 136 was king over Jeshurun, 137
when the leaders of the people assembled,
the tribes of Israel together. 138
33:6 May Reuben live and not die,
and may his people multiply. 139
33:7 And this is the blessing 140 to Judah. He said,
Listen, O Lord, to Judah’s voice,
and bring him to his people.
May his power be great,
and may you help him against his foes.
33:8 Of Levi he said:
Your Thummim and Urim 141 belong to your godly one, 142
whose authority you challenged at Massah, 143
and with whom you argued at the waters of Meribah. 144
33:9 He said to his father and mother, “I have not seen him,” 145
and he did not acknowledge his own brothers
or know his own children,
for they kept your word,
and guarded your covenant.
33:10 They will teach Jacob your ordinances
and Israel your law;
they will offer incense as a pleasant odor,
and a whole offering on your altar.
33:11 Bless, O Lord, his goods,
and be pleased with his efforts;
undercut the legs 146 of any who attack him,
and of those who hate him, so that they cannot stand.
33:12 Of Benjamin he said:
The beloved of the Lord will live safely by him;
he protects him all the time,
and the Lord 147 places him on his chest. 148
33:13 Of Joseph he said:
May the Lord bless his land
with the harvest produced by the sky, 149 by the dew,
and by the depths crouching beneath;
33:14 with the harvest produced by the daylight 150
33:15 with the best 153 of the ancient mountains
and the harvest produced by the age-old hills;
33:16 with the harvest of the earth and its fullness
and the pleasure of him who resided in the burning bush. 154
May blessing rest on Joseph’s head,
and on the top of the head of the one set apart 155 from his brothers.
33:17 May the firstborn of his bull bring him honor,
and may his horns be those of a wild ox;
with them may he gore all peoples,
all the far reaches of the earth.
They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, 156
and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
33:18 Of Zebulun he said:
Rejoice, Zebulun, when you go outside,
and Issachar, when you are in your tents.
33:19 They will summon peoples to the mountain,
there they will sacrifice proper 157 sacrifices;
for they will enjoy 158 the abundance of the seas,
and the hidden treasures of the shores. 159
33:20 Of Gad he said:
Blessed be the one who enlarges Gad.
Like a lioness he will dwell;
he will tear at an arm – indeed, a scalp. 160
33:21 He has selected the best part for himself,
for the portion of the ruler 161 is set aside 162 there;
he came with the leaders 163 of the people,
he obeyed the righteous laws of the Lord
and his ordinances with Israel.
33:22 Of Dan he said:
Dan is a lion’s cub;
he will leap forth from Bashan. 164
33:23 Of Naphtali he said:
O Naphtali, overflowing with favor,
and full of the Lord’s blessing,
possess the west and south.
33:24 Of Asher he said:
Asher is blessed with children,
may he be favored by his brothers
and may he dip his foot in olive oil. 165
33:25 The bars of your gates 166 will be made of iron and bronze,
and may you have lifelong strength.
33:26 There is no one like God, O Jeshurun, 167
who rides through the sky 168 to help you,
on the clouds in majesty.
33:27 The everlasting God is a refuge,
and underneath you are his eternal arms; 169
he has driven out enemies before you,
and has said, “Destroy!”
33:28 Israel lives in safety,
the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, 170
in a land of grain and new wine;
indeed, its heavens 171 rain down dew. 172
33:29 You have joy, Israel! Who is like you?
You are a people delivered by the Lord,
your protective shield
and your exalted sword.
May your enemies cringe before you;
may you trample on their backs.
[31:1] 1 tc For the MT reading וַיֵּלֶךְ (vayyelekh, “he went”), the LXX and Qumran have וַיְכַל (vaykhal, “he finished”): “So Moses finished speaking,” etc. The difficult reading of the MT favors its authenticity.
[31:1] 2 tn In the MT this refers to the words that follow (cf. NIV, NCV).
[31:2] 3 tn Or “am no longer able to lead you” (NIV, NLT); Heb “am no longer able to go out and come in.”
[31:7] 4 tn The Hebrew text includes “and said to him.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[31:7] 5 tn Heb “fathers” (also in v. 20).
[31:10] 6 tn Heb “Moses.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[31:10] 7 tn The Hebrew term שְׁמִטָּה (shÿmittah), a derivative of the verb שָׁמַט (shamat, “to release; to relinquish”), refers to the procedure whereby debts of all fellow Israelites were to be canceled. Since the Feast of Tabernacles celebrated God’s own deliverance of and provision for his people, this was an appropriate time for Israelites to release one another. See note on this word at Deut 15:1.
[31:10] 8 tn The Hebrew phrase הַסֻּכּוֹת[חַג] ([khag] hassukot, “[festival of] huts” [or “shelters”]) is traditionally known as the Feast of Tabernacles. See note on the name of the festival in Deut 16:13.
[31:11] 9 tn Heb “before all Israel.”
[31:13] 10 tn The phrase “this law” is not in the Hebrew text, but English style requires an object for the verb here. Other translations also supply the object which is otherwise implicit (cf. NIV “who do not know this law”; TEV “who have never heard the Law of the Lord your God”).
[31:14] 11 tc The LXX reads “by the door of the tent” in line with v. 10 but also, perhaps, as a reflection of its tendency to avoid over-familiarity with Yahweh and his transcendence.
[31:14] 12 tn Heb “tent of assembly” (מוֹעֵד אֹהֶל, ’ohel mo’ed); this is not always the same as the tabernacle, which is usually called מִשְׁכָּן (mishkan, “dwelling-place”), a reference to its being invested with God’s presence. The “tent of meeting” was erected earlier than the tabernacle and was the place where Yahweh occasionally appeared, especially to Moses (cf. Exod 18:7-16; 33:7-11; Num 11:16, 24, 26; 12:4).
[31:14] 13 tn Heb “I will command him.”
[31:15] 14 tn Heb “and the pillar of cloud.” This phrase was not repeated in the translation; a relative clause was used instead.
[31:16] 15 tn Heb “lie down with your fathers” (so NASB); NRSV “ancestors.”
[31:16] 16 tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they,” which is necessary in any case in the translation because of contemporary English style. The third person singular also occurs in the Hebrew text twice more in this verse, three times in v. 17, once in v. 18, five times in v. 20, and four times in v. 21. Each time it is translated as third person plural for stylistic reasons.
[31:16] 17 tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:16] 18 tn Or “abandon” (TEV, NLT).
[31:16] 19 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:17] 20 tn Heb “on that day.” This same expression also appears later in the verse and in v. 18.
[31:17] 21 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:17] 22 tn Heb “find,” “encounter.”
[31:17] 23 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:17] 24 tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:17] 26 tn Heb “me.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “us,” which is necessary in any case in the translation because of contemporary English style.
[31:17] 28 tn Heb “me.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “us,” which is necessary in any case in the translation because of contemporary English style.
[31:18] 29 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “certainly.”
[31:18] 30 tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:20] 31 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:20] 32 tn Heb “his.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “their.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:20] 33 tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:20] 34 tn Heb “and are satisfied.”
[31:20] 35 tn Heb “he.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “they.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:21] 36 tn Heb “Then it will come to pass that.”
[31:21] 37 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:21] 38 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:21] 39 tn Heb “his.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “their.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:21] 40 tn Heb “it will not be forgotten from the mouth of his seed.”
[31:21] 41 tn Heb “his.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “their.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:21] 42 tn Heb “which he is doing.”
[31:21] 43 tn Heb “him.” Smr, LXX, and the Targums read the plural “them.” See note on the first occurrence of “they” in v. 16.
[31:23] 44 tn Heb “he.” Since the pronoun could be taken to refer to Moses, the referent has been specified as “the
[31:23] 45 tc The LXX reads, “as the
[31:25] 46 tn Heb “Moses.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
[31:27] 47 tn Heb “stiffness of neck” (cf. KJV, NAB, NIV). See note on the word “stubborn” in Deut 9:6.
[31:27] 48 tn Heb “How much more after my death?” The Hebrew text has a sarcastic rhetorical question here; the translation seeks to bring out the force of the question.
[31:29] 49 tn The Hebrew text uses the infinitive absolute for emphasis, which the translation indicates with “totally.”
[31:29] 50 tn Heb “do the evil.”
[31:29] 51 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
[32:2] 52 tn Or “mist,” “light drizzle.” In some contexts the term appears to refer to light rain, rather than dew.
[32:3] 53 tc Smr and Tg read “in the name.”
[32:4] 54 tc The LXX reads Θεός (qeos, “God”) for the MT’s “Rock.”
[32:4] 55 tn Or “just” (KJV, NAB, NRSV, NLT) or “righteous” (NASB).
[32:5] 56 tc The 3rd person masculine singular שָׁחַת (shakhat) is rendered as 3rd person masculine plural by Smr, a reading supported by the plural suffix on מוּם (mum, “defect”) as well as the plural of בֵּן (ben, “sons”).
[32:5] 57 tn Heb “(they are) not his sons.”
[32:5] 58 tn Heb “defect” (so NASB). This highly elliptical line suggests that Israel’s major fault was its failure to act like God’s people; in fact, they acted quite the contrary.
[32:5] 59 tn Heb “twisted,” “crooked.” See Ps 18:26.
[32:6] 60 tn Or “treat” (TEV).
[32:7] 61 tc The Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read 2nd person masculine singular whereas the MT has 2nd person masculine plural. The former is preferred, the latter perhaps being a misreading (בִּינוּ [binu] for בִּינָה [binah]). Both the preceding (“remember”) and following (“ask”) imperatives are singular forms in the Hebrew text.
[32:7] 62 tn Heb “generation and generation.” The repetition of the singular noun here singles out each of the successive past generations. See IBHS 116 §7.2.3b.
[32:8] 63 tn The Hebrew term עֶליוֹן (’elyon) is an abbreviated form of the divine name El Elyon, frequently translated “God Most High” (so here NCV, CEV) or something similar. This full name (or epithet) occurs only in Gen 14, though the two elements are parallel in Ps 73:11; 107:11; etc. Here it is clear that Elyon has to do with the nations in general whereas in v. 9, by contrast, Yahweh relates specifically to Israel. See T. Fretheim, NIDOTTE 1:400-401. The title depicts God as the sovereign ruler of the world, who is enthroned high above his dominion.
[32:8] 64 tn Heb “the sons of man” (so NASB); or “the sons of Adam” (so KJV).
[32:8] 65 tc Heb “the sons of Israel.” The idea, perhaps, is that Israel was central to Yahweh’s purposes and all other nations were arranged and distributed according to how they related to Israel. See S. R. Driver, Deuteronomy (ICC), 355-56. For the MT יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנֵי (bÿney yisra’el, “sons of Israel”) a Qumran fragment has “sons of God,” while the LXX reads ἀγγέλων θεοῦ (angelwn qeou, “angels of God”), presupposing בְּנֵי אֵל (bÿney ’el) or בְּנֵי אֵלִים (beney ’elim). “Sons of God” is undoubtedly the original reading; the MT and LXX have each interpreted it differently. MT assumes that the expression “sons of God” refers to Israel (cf. Hos. 1:10), while LXX has assumed that the phrase refers to the angelic heavenly assembly (Pss 29:1; 89:6; cf. as well Ps 82). The phrase is also attested in Ugaritic, where it refers to the high god El’s divine assembly. According to the latter view, which is reflected in the translation, the Lord delegated jurisdiction over the nations to his angelic host (cf. Dan. 10:13-21), while reserving for himself Israel, over whom he rules directly. For a defense of the view taken here, see M. S. Heiser, “Deuteronomy 32:8 and the Sons of God,” BSac 158 (2001): 52-74.
[32:9] 66 tc Heb “the portion of his inheritance.” The LXX and Smr add “Israel” and BHS suggests the reconstruction: “The
[32:10] 67 tn Heb “he.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[32:10] 68 tn The reference is to “his people/Jacob” (cf. v. 9), that is, Israel (using a collective singular). The singular pronouns are replaced by plural ones throughout vv. 10-14 by some English versions as an aid to the modern reader (cf. NAB, NCV, TEV, NLT).
[32:10] 69 tn Heb “in an empty, howling wasteland.” The word “howling” is derived from a verbal root that typically refers to the wailing of mourners. Here it likely refers to the howling of desert animals, or perhaps to the howling wind, in which case one may translate, “in an empty, windy wasteland.”
[32:10] 70 tn Heb “was surrounding him.” The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing care during the period in view. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.
[32:10] 71 tn Heb “he gave him understanding.” The form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is a preterite, not an imperfect. As such it simply states the action factually. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.
[32:10] 72 tn The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing protection during the period in view. See A. F. Rainey, “The Ancient Hebrew Prefix Conjugation in the Light of Amarnah Canaanite,” Hebrew Studies 27 (1986): 15-16.
[32:10] 73 tn Heb “the little man.” The term אִישׁוֹן (’ishon) means literally “little man,” perhaps because when one looks into another’s eyes he sees himself reflected there in miniature. See A. Harman, NIDOTTE 1:391.
[32:11] 74 tn The prefixed verbal form is an imperfect, indicating habitual or typical behavior. The parallel verb (cf. “hovers” in the next line) is used in the same manner.
[32:11] 75 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[32:11] 76 tn The form of the suffix on this and the following verb forms (cf. “lifted him up”) indicates that the verbs are preterites, not imperfects. As such they simply state the action factually. The use of the preterite here suggests that the preceding verb (cf. “spread out”) is preterite as well.
[32:12] 77 tn The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing guidance during the period in view.
[32:13] 78 tn The form of the suffix on this verbal form indicates that the verb is a preterite, not an imperfect. As such it simply states the action factually. Note as well the preterites with vav (ו) consecutive that follow in the verse.
[32:13] 79 tn Heb “he made him suck honey from the rock.”
[32:13] 80 tn Heb “oil,” but this probably refers to olive oil; see note on the word “rock” at the end of this verse.
[32:13] 82 sn Olive oil from rock probably suggests olive trees growing on rocky ledges and yet doing so productively. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 415; cf. TEV “their olive trees flourished in stony ground.”
[32:15] 83 tn To make the continuity of the referent clear, some English versions substitute “Jacob” here (NAB, NRSV) while others replace “Jeshurun” with “Israel” (NCV, CEV, NLT) or “the Lord’s people” (TEV).
[32:15] 84 tc The LXX reads the third person masculine singular (“he”) for the MT second person masculine singular (“you”), but such alterations are unnecessary in Hebrew poetic texts where subjects fluctuate frequently and without warning.
[32:16] 85 tc Heb “with strange (things).” The Vulgate actually supplies diis (“gods”).
[32:16] 86 tn Heb “abhorrent (things)” (cf. NRSV). A number of English versions understand this as referring to “idols” (NAB, NIV, NCV, CEV), while NLT supplies “acts.”
[32:17] 87 tn Heb “your fathers.”
[32:18] 88 tc The Hebrew text is corrupt here; the translation follows the suggestion offered in HALOT 1477 s.v. שׁיה. Cf. NASB, NLT “You neglected”; NIV “You deserted”; NRSV “You were unmindful of.”
[32:20] 89 tn Heb “I will hide my face from them.”
[32:20] 90 tn Heb “sons” (so NAB, NASB); TEV “unfaithful people.”
[32:21] 91 sn They have made me jealous. The “jealousy” of God is not a spirit of pettiness prompted by his insecurity, but righteous indignation caused by the disloyalty of his people to his covenant grace (see note on the word “God” in Deut 4:24). The jealousy of Israel, however (see next line), will be envy because of God’s lavish attention to another nation. This is an ironic wordplay. See H. Peels, NIDOTTE 3:938-39.
[32:21] 92 tn Heb “what is not a god,” or a “nondeity.”
[32:21] 93 tn Heb “their empty (things).” The Hebrew term used here to refer pejoratively to the false gods is הֶבֶל (hevel, “futile” or “futility”), used frequently in Ecclesiastes (e.g., Eccl 1:1, “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher, “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”).
[32:21] 94 tn Heb “what is not a people,” or a “nonpeople.” The “nonpeople” (לֹא־עָם, lo’-’am) referred to here are Gentiles who someday would become God’s people in the fullest sense (cf. Hos 1:9; 2:23).
[32:21] 95 tn Heb “a foolish nation” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV); NIV “a nation that has no understanding”; NLT “I will provoke their fury by blessing the foolish Gentiles.”
[32:22] 96 tn Or “to the lowest depths of the earth”; cf. NAB “to the depths of the nether world”; NIV “to the realm of death below”; NLT “to the depths of the grave.”
[32:23] 97 tn Heb “upon them.”
[32:24] 98 tn The Hebrew term קֶטֶב (qetev) is probably metaphorical here for the sting of a disease (HALOT 1091-92 s.v.).
[32:25] 99 tn A verb is omitted here in the Hebrew text; for purposes of English style one suitable to the context is supplied.
[32:26] 100 tc The LXX reads “I said I would scatter them.” This reading is followed by a number of English versions (e.g., KJV, ASV, NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT, CEV).
[32:27] 103 tn Heb “Our hand is high.” Cf. NAB “Our own hand won the victory.”
[32:30] 104 tn The words “man” and “of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[32:30] 105 tn Heb “sold them” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[32:31] 106 tn Heb “their,” but the referent (enemies) is specified in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[32:32] 108 sn Sodom…Gomorrah. The term “vine” is a reference to the pagan deities which, the passage says, find their ultimate source in Sodom and Gomorrah, that is, in the soil of perversion exemplified by these places (cf. Gen 18:20; 19:4-28; Isa 1:10; 3:9; Jer 23:14; Lam 4:6; Ezek 16:44-52; Matt 10:15; 11:23-24).
[32:34] 109 tn Verses 34-35 appear to be a quotation of the
[32:35] 110 tn Heb “prepared things,” “impending things.” See BDB 800 s.v. עָתִיד.
[32:36] 111 tn The translation understands the verb in the sense of “be grieved, relent” (cf. HALOT 689 s.v. נחם hitp 2); cf. KJV, ASV “repent himself”; NLT “will change his mind.” Another option is to translate “will show compassion to” (see BDB 637 s.v. נחם); cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV.
[32:39] 112 tn Verses 39-42 appear to be a quotation of the
[32:39] 113 tn Heb “deliver from” (so NRSV, NLT).
[32:41] 114 tn Heb “judgment.” This is a metonymy, a figure of speech in which the effect (judgment) is employed as an instrument (sword, spear, or the like), the means, by which it is brought about.
[32:41] 115 tn The Hebrew term שָׂנֵא (sane’, “hate”) in this covenant context speaks of those who reject Yahweh’s covenant overtures, that is, who disobey its stipulations (see note on the word “rejecting” in Deut 5:9; also see Deut 7:10; 2 Chr 19:2; Ps 81:15; 139:20-21).
[32:42] 116 tn Or “head” (the same Hebrew word can mean “head” in the sense of “leader, chieftain” or “head” in the sense of body part).
[32:44] 117 tn Heb “Hoshea” (so KJV, ASV), another name for the same individual (cf. Num 13:8, 16).
[32:49] 118 sn Abarim. This refers to the high plateau region of the Transjordan, the highest elevation of which is Mount Pisgah (or Nebo; cf. Deut 34:1). See also the note on the name “Pisgah” in Deut 3:17.
[32:49] 119 map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
[32:50] 120 tn In the Hebrew text the forms translated “you will die…and join” are imperatives, but the actions in view cannot really be commanded. The imperative is used here in a rhetorical, emphatic manner to indicate the certainty of Moses’ death on the mountain. On the rhetorical use of the imperative see IBHS 572 §34.4c.
[32:50] 121 tn Heb “be gathered to your people.” The same phrase occurs again later in this verse.
[32:50] 122 sn Mount Hor. See note on the name “Moserah” in Deut 10:6.
[32:51] 123 tn The use of the plural (“you”) in the Hebrew text suggests that Moses and Aaron are both in view here, since both had rebelled at some time or other, if not at Meribah Kadesh then elsewhere (cf. Num 20:24; 27:14).
[32:51] 124 tn Heb “did not esteem me holy.” Cf. NIV “did not uphold my holiness”; NLT “failed to demonstrate my holiness.”
[33:2] 125 tn Or “rose like the sun” (NCV, TEV).
[33:2] 126 tc Heb “to him.” The LXX reads “to us” (לָנוּ [lanu] for לָמוֹ [lamo]), the reading of the MT is acceptable since it no doubt has in mind Israel as a collective singular.
[33:2] 127 tn Or “he shone forth” (NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
[33:2] 128 tc With slight alteration (מִמְרִבַת קָדֵשׁ [mimrivat qadesh] for the MT’s מֵרִבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ [merivvot qodesh]) the translation would be “from Meribah Kadesh” (cf. NAB, NLT; see Deut 32:51). However, the language of holy war in the immediate context favors the reading of the MT, which views the Lord as accompanied by angelic hosts.
[33:2] 129 tc The mispointed Hebrew term אֵשְׁדָּת (’eshdat) should perhaps be construed as אֵשְׁהַת (’eshhat) with Smr.
[33:3] 130 tc Heb “peoples.” The apparent plural form is probably a misunderstood singular (perhaps with a pronominal suffix) with enclitic mem (ם). See HALOT 838 s.v. עַם B.2.
[33:3] 131 tc Heb “his holy ones.” The third person masculine singular suffix of the Hebrew MT is problematic in light of the second person masculine singular suffix on בְּיָדֶךָ (bÿyadekha, “your hands”). The LXX versions by Lucian and Origen read, therefore, “the holy ones.” The LXX version by Theodotion and the Vulgate, however, presuppose third masculine singular suffix on בְּיָדָיו (bÿyadayv, “his hands”), and thus retain “his holy ones.” The efforts to bring pronominal harmony into the line is commendable but unnecessary given the Hebrew tendency to be untroubled by such grammatical inconsistencies. However, the translation harmonizes the first pronoun with the second so that the referent (the Lord) is clear.
[33:3] 132 tn Heb “hands.” For the problem of the pronoun see note on the term “holy ones” earlier in this verse.
[33:3] 133 tn The Hebrew term תֻּכּוּ (tuku, probably Pual perfect of תָּכָה, takhah) is otherwise unknown. The present translation is based on the reference to feet and, apparently, receiving instruction in God’s words (cf. KJV, ASV). Other options are as follows: NIV “At your feet they all bow down” (cf. NCV, CEV); NLT “They follow in your steps” (cf. NAB, NASB); NRSV “they marched at your heels.”
[33:3] 134 tn The singular verbal form in the Hebrew text (lit. “he lifts up”) is understood in a distributive manner, focusing on the action of each individual within the group.
[33:4] 135 tn The Hebrew term תּוֹרָה (torah) here should be understood more broadly as instruction.
[33:5] 136 tn Heb “he was king.” The present translation avoids the sudden shift in person and the mistaken impression that Moses is the referent by specifying the referent as “the
[33:5] 137 sn Jeshurun is a term of affection referring to Israel, derived from the Hebrew verb יָשַׁר (yashar, “be upright”). See note on the term in Deut 32:15.
[33:5] 138 sn The following blessing is given to the tribes in order, although the tribe of Simeon is curiously missing from the list.
[33:6] 139 tn Heb “and [not] may his men be few” (cf. KJV, NASB, NIV).
[33:7] 140 tn The words “the blessing” are supplied in the translation for clarity and stylistic reasons.
[33:8] 141 sn Thummim and Urim. These terms, whose meaning is uncertain, refer to sacred stones carried in a pouch on the breastplate of the high priest and examined on occasion as a means of ascertaining God’s will or direction. See Exod 28:30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; 1 Sam 28:6. See also C. Van Dam, NIDOTTE 1:329-31.
[33:8] 142 tn Heb “godly man.” The reference is probably to Moses as representative of the whole tribe of Levi.
[33:8] 143 sn Massah means “testing” in Hebrew; the name is a wordplay on what took place there. Cf. Exod 17:7; Deut 6:16; 9:22; Ps 95:8-9.
[33:8] 144 sn Meribah means “contention, argument” in Hebrew; this is another wordplay on the incident that took place there. Cf. Num 20:13, 24; Ps 106:32.
[33:9] 145 sn This statement no doubt alludes to the Levites’ destruction of their own fellow tribesmen following the golden calf incident (Exod 32:25-29).
[33:11] 146 tn Heb “smash the sinews [or “loins,” so many English versions].” This part of the body was considered to be center of one’s strength (cf. Job 40:16; Ps 69:24; Prov 31:17; Nah 2:2, 11). See J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy (JPSTC), 325.
[33:12] 147 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the
[33:12] 148 tn Heb “between his shoulders.” This suggests the scene in John 13:23 with Jesus and the Beloved Disciple.
[33:13] 149 tn Heb “from the harvest of the heavens.” The referent appears to be good crops produced by the rain that falls from the sky.
[33:14] 150 tn Heb “goings forth of the sun.”
[33:14] 151 tn Heb “and from the harvest of the yield of.” This has been simplified in the translation to avoid redundancy.
[33:14] 152 tn Heb “the moon.” Many English versions regard this as a reference to “months” (“moons”) rather than the moon itself (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT).
[33:15] 153 tn Heb “head” or “top.”
[33:16] 154 tn The expression “him who resided in the bush” is frequently understood as a reference to the appearance of the Lord to Moses at Sinai from a burning bush (so NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT; cf. Exod 2:2-6; 3:2, 4). To make this reference clear the word “burning” is supplied in the translation.
[33:16] 155 sn This apparently refers to Joseph’s special status among his brothers as a result of his being chosen by God to save the family from the famine and to lead Egypt.
[33:17] 156 sn Ephraim and Manasseh were the sons of Joseph who became founders of the two tribes into which Joseph’s descendants were split (Gen 48:19-20). Jacob’s blessing granted favored status to Ephraim; this is probably why Ephraim is viewed here as more numerous than Manasseh.
[33:19] 157 tn Or “acceptable”; Heb “righteous” (so NASB).
[33:19] 159 tn Heb “of the sand” (so NRSV, NLT); CEV “the sandy beach.”
[33:20] 160 tn Heb “forehead,” picturing Gad attacking prey.
[33:21] 161 tn The Hebrew term מְחֹקֵק (mÿkhoqeq; Poel participle of חָקַק, khaqaq, “to inscribe”) reflects the idea that the recorder of allotments (the “ruler”) is able to set aside for himself the largest and best. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 444-45.
[33:21] 162 tn Heb “covered in” (if from the root סָפַן, safan; cf. HALOT 764-65 s.v. ספן qal).
[33:21] 163 tn Heb “heads” (in the sense of chieftains).
[33:22] 164 sn He will leap forth from Bashan. This may refer to Dan’s conquest of Laish, a region just to the west of Bashan (Judg 18:27-28).
[33:24] 165 sn Dip his foot in olive oil. This is a metaphor for prosperity, one especially apt in light of the abundance of olive groves in the area settled by Asher. The Hebrew term refers to olive oil, which symbolizes blessing in the OT. See R. Way, NIDOTTE 4:171-73.
[33:25] 166 tn The words “of your gates” have been supplied in the translation to clarify the referent of “bars.”
[33:26] 167 sn Jeshurun is a term of affection referring to Israel, derived from the Hebrew verb יָשַׁר (yashar, “be upright”). See note on the term in Deut 32:15.
[33:26] 168 tn Or “(who) rides (on) the heavens” (cf. NIV, NRSV, NLT). This title depicts Israel’s God as sovereign over the elements of the storm (cf. Ps 68:33). The use of the phrase here may be polemical; Moses may be asserting that Israel’s God, not Baal (called the “rider of the clouds” in the Ugaritic myths), is the true divine king (cf. v. 5) who controls the elements of the storm, grants agricultural prosperity, and delivers his people from their enemies. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 151 (1994): 275.
[33:27] 169 tn Heb “and from under, arms of perpetuity.” The words “you” and “his” are supplied in the translation for clarification. Some have perceived this line to be problematic and have offered alternative translations that differ significantly from the present translation: “He spread out the primeval tent; he extended the ancient canopy” (NAB); “He subdues the ancient gods, shatters the forces of old” (NRSV). These are based on alternate meanings or conjectural emendations rather than textual variants in the
[33:28] 170 tn Heb “all alone.” The idea is that such vital resources as water will some day no longer need protection because God will provide security.
[33:28] 171 tn Or “skies.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
[33:28] 172 tn Or perhaps “drizzle, showers.” See note at Deut 32:2.
