41if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgment; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me.
42I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.”
43Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people.
41 if I sharpen my glittering sword, my hand grasps it in judgment; I will take vengeance on my adversaries, and will repay those who hate me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.”
43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants. He will take vengeance on his adversaries, and will make atonement for his land and for his people.
KJVKing James Version
41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.
Show all 3 translations
JPSJPS Tanakh (1917)
41 If I whet My glittering sword, and My hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to Mine adversaries, and will recompense them that hate Me.
42 I will make Mine arrows drunk with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh; with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.'
43 Sing aloud, O ye nations, of His people; for He doth avenge the blood of His servants, and doth render vengeance to His adversaries, and doth make expiation for the land of His people.
Romans 12:19(v43)Don’t seek revenge yourselves, beloved, but give place to God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the…
Revelation 19:2(v43)for his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and…
Deuteronomy 32:23(v42)“I will heap evils on them. I will spend my arrows on them.
Isaiah 66:16(v41)For Yahweh will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh; and those slain by Yahweh will be many.
Revelation 6:10(v43)They cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the…
Show all 55 cross-references
Deuteronomy 32:35(vv41, 43)Vengeance is mine, and recompense, at the time when their foot slides; for the day of their calamity is at hand. Their doom rushes at them.”
Psalms 85:1(v43)Yahweh, you have been favorable to your land. You have restored the fortunes of Jacob.
Isaiah 34:5-6(v41)For my sword has drunk its fill in the sky. Behold, it will come down on Edom, and on the people of my curse, for judgment. Yahweh’s sword…
Job 13:24(vv42–43)Why do you hide your face, and consider me your enemy?
Exodus 20:5(v41)you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on…
Psalms 7:12(v41)If a man doesn’t repent, he will sharpen his sword; he has bent and strung his bow.
Isaiah 27:1(v41)In that day, Yahweh with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan the twisted serpent;…
Jeremiah 46:10(v42)For that day is of the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge himself of his adversaries. The sword will devour and…
Ezekiel 38:21-22(v42)I will call for a sword against him to all my mountains,” says the Lord Yahweh. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. I will…
Lamentations 2:5(vv42–43)The Lord has become as an enemy. He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces. He has destroyed his strongholds. He has…
Deuteronomy 5:9(v41)You shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them; for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on…
2 Kings 9:7(v43)You must strike your master Ahab’s house, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of…
Psalms 45:5(v42)Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies.
Psalms 65:3(v43)Sins overwhelmed me, but you atoned for our transgressions.
Psalms 68:23(v42)that you may crush them, dipping your foot in blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from your enemies.”
Isaiah 1:24(v41)Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my…
Isaiah 11:10(v43)It will happen in that day that the nations will seek the root of Jesse, who stands as a banner of the peoples; and his resting place will…
Isaiah 19:23(v43)In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria; and the…
Isaiah 19:25(v43)because Yahweh of Armies has blessed them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
Isaiah 59:18(v41)According to their deeds, he will repay as appropriate, wrath to his adversaries, recompense to his enemies; he will repay the islands…
Isaiah 66:6(v41)A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh that repays his enemies what they deserve.
Jeremiah 13:14(v43)I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says Yahweh: “I will not pity, spare, or have compassion,…
Jeremiah 16:10(v42)It will happen, when you tell this people all these words, and they ask you, ‘Why has Yahweh pronounced all this great evil against us?’ or…
Jeremiah 30:14(v42)All your lovers have forgotten you. They don’t seek you. For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a…
Jeremiah 46:14(v42)“Declare in Egypt, publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say, ‘Stand up, and prepare; for the sword has devoured…
Jeremiah 50:29(v41)“Call together the archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Encamp against her all around. Let none of it escape. Pay her back…
Ezekiel 21:9-15(v41)“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Yahweh says: “A sword! A sword! It is sharpened, and also polished. It is sharpened that it may make a…
Ezekiel 21:20(v41)You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.
Ezekiel 35:6-8(v42)therefore, as I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I will prepare you for blood, and blood will pursue you. Since you have not hated blood,…
Zephaniah 2:12(v41)You Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.
Mark 1:2(v41)As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:
Luke 2:10-11(v43)The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. For there is born…
Luke 2:32(v43)a light for revelation to the nations, and the glory of your people Israel.”
Luke 19:27(v43)But bring those enemies of mine who didn’t want me to reign over them here, and kill them before me.’ ”
Luke 21:22-24(v43)For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse…
Acts 13:47-48(v43)For so has the Lord commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost…
Romans 1:30(v41)backbiters, hateful to God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Romans 8:7(v41)because the mind of the flesh is hostile toward God; for it is not subject to God’s law, neither indeed can it be.
Romans 15:9-13(v43)and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and sing…
2 Timothy 3:4(v41)traitors, headstrong, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
Revelation 5:9-10(v43)They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your…
Revelation 15:2(v43)I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on…
Revelation 15:4(v43)Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you only are holy. For all the nations will come and worship before you. For your…
Revelation 18:2(v43)He cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every…
Revelation 18:20(v43)“Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets; for God has judged your judgment on her.”
Genesis 12:3(v43)I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who treats you with contempt. All the families of the earth will be blessed through…
1 Kings 8:43(v43)hear in heaven, your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you for; that all the peoples of the earth may…
Psalms 22:27(v43)All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to Yahweh. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you.
Isaiah 34:6-8(v42)Yahweh’s sword is filled with blood. It is covered with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams; for…
Luke 19:43-44(v43)For the days will come on you, when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, surround you, hem you in on every side, and will…
55 distinct cross-references across this passage (58 total citations).
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (15 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn v43Whether the blood of God’s people be shed for…
Whether the blood of God’s people be shed for their sins or trial of their faith, he promiseth to revenge it.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv41–43Deu 32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and…
Deu 32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
Ver. 41. If I whet my glittering sword.] God first whets, before he smites; and first takes hold on judgment, before his judgments take hold on men. Est piger ad poenas, ad praemia velox. See the like, Psa 7:12. God was but six days in making the whole world, yet was he seven days in destroying that one city of Jericho, as Chrysostom observeth. "Fury is not in me." {Isa 27:4} As a bee stings not till provoked, so God punisheth not "till there be no other remedy." {2Ch 36:16}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv41–43If once I begin to prepare for war, and…
If once I begin to prepare for war, and for the execution of my sentence.
Take hold on judgment, i.e. of the instruments of judgment, of the weapons of war. A metaphor from warriors that take their weapons into their hand when they intend to fight.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv41–43I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,.... Signifying,…
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:
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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.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn vv41–43If I whet my sword - If once I…
If I whet my sword - If once I begin to prepare for war and for the execution of my sentence. Judgment - Of the instruments of judgment, of the weapons of war. A metaphor from warriors, that take their weapons into their hand, when they intend to fight.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv42–43Verse 42. From the beginning of revenges] The word…
Verse 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 place very perplexed and obscure. Mr. Parkhurst has rendered the whole passage thus: -
I will make my arrows drunk with blood;
Read full note →
And my sword shall devour flesh,
With the blood of the slain and captive
From the hairy head of the enemy.
Probably מראש פרעות merosh paroth may be more properly translated, from the naked head - the enemy shall have nothing to shield him from my vengeance; the crown of dignity shall fall off, and even the helmet be no protection against the sword and arrows of the Lord.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn v43Deu 32:43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people…
Deu 32:43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people — So the Seventy, a translation followed by St. Paul, (Rom 15:10,) where this passage is quoted, and where we are directed to consider it as a prediction of the bringing in of the Gentiles to share the privileges of the gospel, and become one church of God in conjunction with the Jews. Or, if it be translated more literally, according to the Hebrew, Rejoice, O ye nations, (or Gentiles) his people; that is, being now his people, the sense will be much the same. Either way the words seem evidently to relate to the last great deliverance of the Jews, and their conversion to Christianity, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles, which undoubtedly will be the completion of the divine dispensations, and will spread peace and happiness over all the earth. He therefore calls upon all the nations of the earth to rejoice in prospect of this great event, which they had all reason to do, considering the singular advantages which all nations would enjoy at that time and upon that occasion.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn v43Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people - Some…
Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people - Some prefer the marginal rendering.
In this profound passage, there is shadowed forth the purpose of God to overrule:
Read full note →
(1) the unbelief of the Jews to the bringing in of the Gentiles; and
(2) the mercy shown to the Gentries to the eventual restoration of the Jews (compare Rom 11:25-36).
The Song closes as it began Deu 32:1-3, with an invitation to praise. It has reached, through a long series of divine interpositions, its grandest theme in this call to the Gentiles, now pagan no more, to rejoice over God’s restored people, the Jews.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn vv41–43Lightning, equally terrible and penetrating: fulminis acta modo. (Virgil,…
Lightning, equally terrible and penetrating: fulminis acta modo. (Virgil, Æneid ix.) (Calmet) --- Judgment, to punish with rigour my declared enemies. (Haydock) --- These verses seem to regard the idolatrous nations, (Menochius) though God will not fail to punish the guilty, wherever they may be found. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv41–4341. I will render vengeance — As the divine…
41. I will render vengeance — As the divine Ruler Jehovah will administer justice. His enemies will be surely punished. Retribution will come upon the ungodly.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv41–4341. whet] See on Deu_6:7. Jehovah as warrior, as…
41. whet] See on Deu_6:7. Jehovah as warrior, as often in later prophecy, e.g. Isaiah 63.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv42–43(42) My sword shall devour flesh.—Comp. Isa_66:16 : “For…
(42) My sword shall devour flesh.—Comp. Isa_66:16 : “For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many”
With blood.—Literally, from the blood of the slain and of the captivity, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Judgment must begin at the house of God, as it did in Ezekiel’s vision (Eze_9:6), “and begin at my sanctuary;” but it will not end there.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv42–43My sword shall devour flesh; literally, shall eat flesh;…
My sword shall devour flesh; literally, shall eat flesh; "the edge of the sword is called its mouth, because, like a mouth, it is said to eat and devour" (Gesenius). From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Different renderings of this have been given: LXX, ajpontwn ejcqrwn, "from the head of the hostile princes;" "from the head of the chiefs of the enemy" (Geseuius, Furst, Rosenm "from the hairy head of the foe" (Keil, Herxheimer, Knobel). twOrp, the plural of rp, hair, locks, signifies primarily hairs, and a head of hairs, and may be taken as equivalent to "a hairy head;" but the word is also used in the sense of "princes" or "chiefs" (probably because such were distinguished by copious flowing locks; cf.; Jud_1:5:2) hence the rendering, "head of the chiefs." The former is to be preferred here, for why chiefs or princes should be referred to in this connection does not appear. (cf. Psa_68:22) The rendering of the Authorized Version is wholly unauthorized. This verse presents an instance of alternate parallelism; each half falls into two members, and of the four members thus constituted, the third corresponds to the first, and the fourth to the second; thus"I will make my arrows drunk with blood, And my sword shall devour flesh; With the blood of the slain and the captives, From the hairy head of the foe.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On vv41–43General Information:
General Information:
Moses speaks a poetic song to the people of Israel. (See: Parallelism)
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When I sharpen my glittering sword
"When I sharpen my shining sword." This means God is preparing to judge and punish his enemies. AT: "When I am ready to judge my enemies" (See: Metonymy)
when my hand begins to bring justice
Here "hand" represents the whole person. AT: "when I get ready to judge the wicked" (See: Synecdoche)
Tyndale Open Study Notes2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0On v4232:42 The phrase arrows drunk with blood combines personification…
32:42 The phrase arrows drunk with blood combines personification and hyperbole to show the extent of the carnage that will result from God’s judgment of the nations.
GEBible — Godless Engineer's Bible App
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v43 Whether the blood of God’s people be shed for…
Whether the blood of God’s people be shed for their sins or trial of their faith, he promiseth to revenge it.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv41–43 Deu 32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and…
Deu 32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
Ver. 41. If I whet my glittering sword.] God first whets, before he smites; and first takes hold on judgment, before his judgments take hold on men. Est piger ad poenas, ad praemia velox. See the like, Psa 7:12. God was but six days in making the whole world, yet was he seven days in destroying that one city of Jericho, as Chrysostom observeth. "Fury is not in me." {Isa 27:4} As a bee stings not till provoked, so God punisheth not "till there be no other remedy." {2Ch 36:16}
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv41–43 If once I begin to prepare for war, and…
If once I begin to prepare for war, and for the execution of my sentence.
Take hold on judgment, i.e. of the instruments of judgment, of the weapons of war. A metaphor from warriors that take their weapons into their hand when they intend to fight.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv41–43 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood,.... Signifying,…
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:
Read full note →
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.
(y) "propter sanguinem", Pagninus, Tigurine version.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv41–43 If I whet my sword - If once I…
If I whet my sword - If once I begin to prepare for war and for the execution of my sentence. Judgment - Of the instruments of judgment, of the weapons of war. A metaphor from warriors, that take their weapons into their hand, when they intend to fight.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv42–43 Verse 42. From the beginning of revenges] The word…
Verse 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 place very perplexed and obscure. Mr. Parkhurst has rendered the whole passage thus: -
I will make my arrows drunk with blood;
Read full note →
And my sword shall devour flesh,
With the blood of the slain and captive
From the hairy head of the enemy.
Probably מראש פרעות merosh paroth may be more properly translated, from the naked head - the enemy shall have nothing to shield him from my vengeance; the crown of dignity shall fall off, and even the helmet be no protection against the sword and arrows of the Lord.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v43 Deu 32:43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people…
Deu 32:43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people — So the Seventy, a translation followed by St. Paul, (Rom 15:10,) where this passage is quoted, and where we are directed to consider it as a prediction of the bringing in of the Gentiles to share the privileges of the gospel, and become one church of God in conjunction with the Jews. Or, if it be translated more literally, according to the Hebrew, Rejoice, O ye nations, (or Gentiles) his people; that is, being now his people, the sense will be much the same. Either way the words seem evidently to relate to the last great deliverance of the Jews, and their conversion to Christianity, and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentiles, which undoubtedly will be the completion of the divine dispensations, and will spread peace and happiness over all the earth. He therefore calls upon all the nations of the earth to rejoice in prospect of this great event, which they had all reason to do, considering the singular advantages which all nations would enjoy at that time and upon that occasion.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people - Some…
Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people - Some prefer the marginal rendering.
In this profound passage, there is shadowed forth the purpose of God to overrule:
Read full note →
(1) the unbelief of the Jews to the bringing in of the Gentiles; and
(2) the mercy shown to the Gentries to the eventual restoration of the Jews (compare Rom 11:25-36).
The Song closes as it began Deu 32:1-3, with an invitation to praise. It has reached, through a long series of divine interpositions, its grandest theme in this call to the Gentiles, now pagan no more, to rejoice over God’s restored people, the Jews.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv41–43 Lightning, equally terrible and penetrating: fulminis acta modo. (Virgil,…
Lightning, equally terrible and penetrating: fulminis acta modo. (Virgil, Æneid ix.) (Calmet) --- Judgment, to punish with rigour my declared enemies. (Haydock) --- These verses seem to regard the idolatrous nations, (Menochius) though God will not fail to punish the guilty, wherever they may be found. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv41–43 41. I will render vengeance — As the divine…
41. I will render vengeance — As the divine Ruler Jehovah will administer justice. His enemies will be surely punished. Retribution will come upon the ungodly.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv41–43 41. whet] See on Deu_6:7. Jehovah as warrior, as…
41. whet] See on Deu_6:7. Jehovah as warrior, as often in later prophecy, e.g. Isaiah 63.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv42–43 (42) My sword shall devour flesh.—Comp. Isa_66:16 : “For…
(42) My sword shall devour flesh.—Comp. Isa_66:16 : “For by fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh, and the slain of the Lord shall be many”
With blood.—Literally, from the blood of the slain and of the captivity, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Judgment must begin at the house of God, as it did in Ezekiel’s vision (Eze_9:6), “and begin at my sanctuary;” but it will not end there.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv42–43 My sword shall devour flesh; literally, shall eat flesh;…
My sword shall devour flesh; literally, shall eat flesh; "the edge of the sword is called its mouth, because, like a mouth, it is said to eat and devour" (Gesenius). From the beginning of revenges upon the enemy. Different renderings of this have been given: LXX, ajpontwn ejcqrwn, "from the head of the hostile princes;" "from the head of the chiefs of the enemy" (Geseuius, Furst, Rosenm "from the hairy head of the foe" (Keil, Herxheimer, Knobel). twOrp, the plural of rp, hair, locks, signifies primarily hairs, and a head of hairs, and may be taken as equivalent to "a hairy head;" but the word is also used in the sense of "princes" or "chiefs" (probably because such were distinguished by copious flowing locks; cf.; Jud_1:5:2) hence the rendering, "head of the chiefs." The former is to be preferred here, for why chiefs or princes should be referred to in this connection does not appear. (cf. Psa_68:22) The rendering of the Authorized Version is wholly unauthorized. This verse presents an instance of alternate parallelism; each half falls into two members, and of the four members thus constituted, the third corresponds to the first, and the fourth to the second; thus"I will make my arrows drunk with blood, And my sword shall devour flesh; With the blood of the slain and the captives, From the hairy head of the foe.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv41–43 General Information:
General Information:
Moses speaks a poetic song to the people of Israel. (See: Parallelism)
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When I sharpen my glittering sword
"When I sharpen my shining sword." This means God is preparing to judge and punish his enemies. AT: "When I am ready to judge my enemies" (See: Metonymy)
when my hand begins to bring justice
Here "hand" represents the whole person. AT: "when I get ready to judge the wicked" (See: Synecdoche)
translationWords
sword
hand
just
avenge
adversary
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v42 32:42 The phrase arrows drunk with blood combines personification…
32:42 The phrase arrows drunk with blood combines personification and hyperbole to show the extent of the carnage that will result from God’s judgment of the nations.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.