Deuteronomy 32:4-5

32:4 As for the Rock, ¹  his work is perfect,

for all his ways are just.

He is a reliable God who is never unjust,

he is fair ²  and upright.

32:5 His people have been unfaithful ³  to him;

they have not acted like his children ⁴  – this is their sin. ⁵ 

They are a perverse ⁶  and deceitful generation.

[32:4]  ¹ tc The LXX reads Θεός (qeos, “God”) for the MT’s “Rock.”

[32:4]  ² 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.

[32:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “twisted,” “crooked.” See Ps 18:26.