Discovery BoxDeuteronomy 32:3-6
Context32:3 For I will proclaim the name 1 of the Lord;
you must acknowledge the greatness of our God.
32:4 As for the Rock, 2 his work is perfect,
for all his ways are just.
He is a reliable God who is never unjust,
he is fair 3 and upright.
32:5 His people have been unfaithful 4 to him;
they have not acted like his children 5 – this is their sin. 6
They are a perverse 7 and deceitful generation.
32:6 Is this how you repay 8 the Lord,
you foolish, unwise people?
Is he not your father, your creator?
He has made you and established you.
[32:3] 1 tc Smr and Tg read “in the name.”
[32:4] 2 tc The LXX reads Θεός (qeos, “God”) for the MT’s “Rock.”
[32:4] 3 tn Or “just” (KJV, NAB, NRSV, NLT) or “righteous” (NASB).
[32:5] 3 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] 4 tn Heb “(they are) not his sons.”
[32:5] 5 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.
