Deuteronomy 32

Deuteronomy · Chapter 32

Deuteronomy 32:7

1Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.2My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:3Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.4He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.5They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.6Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?7Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.8When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.9For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.10He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.11As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:12So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.13He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;14Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.15But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.16They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.17They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.18Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.19And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.20And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.21They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.22For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.23I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.24They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.25The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.26I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:27Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.28For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.29O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!30How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?31For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.32For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:33Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.34Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?35To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.36For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.37And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,38Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.39See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.40For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.41If 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.42I 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.43Rejoice, 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.44And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.45And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel:46And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.47For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.48And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying,49Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:50And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:51Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.52Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
7Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will inform you.Remember the days of old, Consider the years of many generations: Ask thy father, and he will show thee; Thine elders, and they will tell thee.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
rememberזְכֹר֙ze-KHORH2142
to remember

זָכַר (za.khar) 1) to remember, recall, call to mind 1a) (Qal) to remember, recall 1b) (Niphal) to be brought to remembrance, be remembered, be thought of, be brought to mind 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to remember, remind 1c2) to cause to be remembered, keep in remembrance 1c3) to mention 1c4) to record 1c5) to make a memorial, make remembrance

[the] days ofיְמ֣וֹתye-MOTH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

antiquityעוֹלָ֔םo-LAMH5769J
forever: enduring

עוֹלָם (o.lam) : enduring/eternal 1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world 1a) ancient time, long time (of past) 1b) (of future) 1b1) for ever, always 1b2) continuous existence, perpetual 1b3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

considerבִּ֖ינוּBI-nuH0995
to understand

בִּין (bin) 1) to discern, understand, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to perceive, discern 1a2) to understand, know (with the mind) 1a3) to observe, mark, give heed to, distinguish, consider 1a4) to have discernment, insight, understanding 1b) (Niphal) to be discerning, intelligent, discreet, have understanding 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to understand 1c2) to cause to understand, give understanding, teach 1d) (Hithpolel) to show oneself discerning or attentive, consider diligently 1e) (Polel) to teach, instruct 2) (TWOT) prudent, regard

[the] years ofשְׁנ֣וֹתshe-NOTH8141
year

שְׁנָה (she.nah) year Aramaic of sha.neh (שָׁנָה "year" H8141)

a generationדּוֹר־dor-H1755
generation

דּוֹר (dor) 1) period, generation, habitation, dwelling 1a) period, age, generation (period of time) 1b) generation (those living during a period) 1c) generation (characterised by quality, condition, class of men) 1d) dwelling-place, habitation Aramaic equivalent: dar (דָּר "generation" H1859)

and a generationוָד֑וֹרva-DORH1755
generation

דּוֹר (dor) 1) period, generation, habitation, dwelling 1a) period, age, generation (period of time) 1b) generation (those living during a period) 1c) generation (characterised by quality, condition, class of men) 1d) dwelling-place, habitation Aramaic equivalent: dar (דָּר "generation" H1859)

askשְׁאַ֤לshe-'ALH7592
to ask

שָׁאַל (sha.al) 1) to ask, enquire, borrow, beg 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to ask, ask for 1a2) to ask (as a favour), borrow 1a3) to enquire, enquire of 1a4) to enquire of, consult (of deity, oracle) 1a5) to seek 1b) (Niphal) to ask for oneself, ask leave of absence 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to enquire, enquire carefully 1c2) to beg, practise beggary 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to be given on request 1d2) to grant, make over to, let (one) ask (successfully) or give or lend on request (then) grant or make over to Aramaic equivalent: she.el (שְׁאֵל "to ask" H7593)

father yourאָבִ֙יךָ֙'a-VI-khaH0001G
father

אָב (av) 1) father of an individual 2) of God as father of his people 3) head or founder of a household, group, family, or clan 4) ancestor 4a) grandfather, forefathers - of person 4b) of people 5) originator or patron of a class, profession, or art 6) of producer, generator (fig.) 7) of benevolence and protection (fig.) 8) term of respect and honour 9) ruler or chief (spec.) Also means: av (אַב "father" H0002)

so he will tell youוְיַגֵּ֔דְךָve-ya-GE-de-khaH5046
to tell

נָגַד (na.gad) 1) to be conspicuous, tell, make known 1a) (Hiphil) to tell, declare 1a1) to tell, announce, report 1a2) to declare, make known, expound 1a3) to inform of 1a4) to publish, declare, proclaim 1a5) to avow, acknowledge, confess 1a5a) messenger (participle) 1b) (Hophal) to be told, be announced, be reported

old [people] yourזְקֵנֶ֖יךָze-ke-NEI-chaH2205G
old: elder

זָקֵן (za.qen) : elder/leader 1) old 1a) old (of humans) 1b) elder (of those having authority)

so they may sayוְיֹ֥אמְרוּve-YO-me-ruH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.