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Deuteronomy 32:28-52
New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 32:28-52
New Living Translation
28 “But Israel is a senseless nation;
the people are foolish, without understanding.
29 Oh, that they were wise and could understand this!
Oh, that they might know their fate!
30 How could one person chase a thousand of them,
and two people put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
unless the Lord had given them up?
31 But the rock of our enemies is not like our Rock,
as even they recognize.[a]
32 Their vine grows from the vine of Sodom,
from the vineyards of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are poison,
and their clusters are bitter.
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the deadly poison of cobras.
34 “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things,
sealing them away in my treasury?
35 I will take revenge; I will pay them back.
In due time their feet will slip.
Their day of disaster will arrive,
and their destiny will overtake them.’
36 “Indeed, the Lord will give justice to his people,
and he will change his mind about[b] his servants,
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave or free.
37 Then he will ask, ‘Where are their gods,
the rocks they fled to for refuge?
38 Where now are those gods,
who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their offerings?
Let those gods arise and help you!
Let them provide you with shelter!
39 Look now; I myself am he!
There is no other god but me!
I am the one who kills and gives life;
I am the one who wounds and heals;
no one can be rescued from my powerful hand!
40 Now I raise my hand to heaven
and declare, “As surely as I live,
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword
and begin to carry out justice,
I will take revenge on my enemies
and repay those who reject me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword will devour flesh—
the blood of the slaughtered and the captives,
and the heads of the enemy leaders.”’
43 “Rejoice with him, you heavens,
and let all of God’s angels worship him.[c]
Rejoice with his people, you Gentiles,
and let all the angels be strengthened in him.[d]
For he will avenge the blood of his children[e];
he will take revenge against his enemies.
He will repay those who hate him[f]
and cleanse his people’s land.”
44 So Moses came with Joshua[g] son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.
45 When Moses had finished reciting all these words to the people of Israel, 46 he added: “Take to heart all the words of warning I have given you today. Pass them on as a command to your children so they will obey every word of these instructions. 47 These instructions are not empty words—they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”
Moses’ Death Foretold
48 That same day the Lord said to Moses, 49 “Go to Moab, to the mountains east of the river,[h] and climb Mount Nebo, which is across from Jericho. Look out across the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the people of Israel as their own special possession. 50 Then you will die there on the mountain. You will join your ancestors, just as Aaron, your brother, died on Mount Hor and joined his ancestors. 51 For both of you betrayed me with the Israelites at the waters of Meribah at Kadesh[i] in the wilderness of Zin. You failed to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel there. 52 So you will see the land from a distance, but you may not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 32:31 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. Greek version reads our enemies are fools.
- 32:36 Or will take revenge for.
- 32:43a As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks the first two lines. Compare Heb 1:6.
- 32:43b As in Greek version; Hebrew text lacks this sentence. Compare Rom 15:10.
- 32:43c As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads his servants.
- 32:43d As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text lacks this line.
- 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant name for Joshua.
- 32:49 Hebrew the mountains of Abarim.
- 32:51 Hebrew waters of Meribath-kadesh.
Deuteronomy 32:28-52
New International Version
Deuteronomy 32:28-52
New International Version
28 They are a nation without sense,
there is no discernment(A) in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this(B)
and discern what their end will be!(C)
30 How could one man chase a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,(D)
unless their Rock had sold them,(E)
unless the Lord had given them up?(F)
31 For their rock is not like our Rock,(G)
as even our enemies concede.(H)
32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom(I)
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,(J)
and their clusters with bitterness.(K)
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the deadly poison of cobras.(L)
34 “Have I not kept this in reserve
and sealed it in my vaults?(M)
35 It is mine to avenge;(N) I will repay.(O)
In due time their foot will slip;(P)
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.(Q)”
36 The Lord will vindicate his people(R)
and relent(S) concerning his servants(T)
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave(U) or free.[a]
37 He will say: “Now where are their gods,
the rock they took refuge in,(V)
38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?(W)
Let them rise up to help you!
Let them give you shelter!
39 “See now that I myself am he!(X)
There is no god besides me.(Y)
I put to death(Z) and I bring to life,(AA)
I have wounded and I will heal,(AB)
and no one can deliver out of my hand.(AC)
40 I lift my hand(AD) to heaven and solemnly swear:
As surely as I live forever,(AE)
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword(AF)
and my hand grasps it in judgment,
I will take vengeance(AG) on my adversaries
and repay those who hate me.(AH)
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,(AI)
while my sword devours flesh:(AJ)
the blood of the slain and the captives,
the heads of the enemy leaders.”
43 Rejoice,(AK) you nations, with his people,[b][c]
for he will avenge the blood of his servants;(AL)
he will take vengeance on his enemies(AM)
and make atonement for his land and people.(AN)
44 Moses came with Joshua[d](AO) son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, “Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day,(AP) so that you may command(AQ) your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life.(AR) By them you will live long(AS) in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
Moses to Die on Mount Nebo
48 On that same day the Lord told Moses,(AT) 49 “Go up into the Abarim(AU) Range to Mount Nebo(AV) in Moab, across from Jericho,(AW) and view Canaan,(AX) the land I am giving the Israelites as their own possession. 50 There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die(AY) and be gathered to your people, just as your brother Aaron died(AZ) on Mount Hor(BA) and was gathered to his people. 51 This is because both of you broke faith with me in the presence of the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh(BB) in the Desert of Zin(BC) and because you did not uphold my holiness among the Israelites.(BD) 52 Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance;(BE) you will not enter(BF) the land I am giving to the people of Israel.”
Footnotes
- Deuteronomy 32:36 Or and they are without a ruler or leader
- Deuteronomy 32:43 Or Make his people rejoice, you nations
- Deuteronomy 32:43 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) people, / and let all the angels worship him, /
- Deuteronomy 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea, a variant of Joshua
New Living Translation (NLT)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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