New English Translation
Deuteronomy 32:42
42I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will devour flesh – the blood of the slaughtered and captured, the chief of the enemy’s leaders!’”
Deuteronomy 32:42 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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 long-haired heads of the enemy.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)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 heads of the leaders of the enemy.” ’
Context of Deuteronomy 32:42
40For I raise up my hand to heaven, and say, ‘As surely as I live forever, 41I will sharpen my lightning-like sword, and my hand will grasp hold of the weapon of judgment; I will execute vengeance on my foes, and repay those who hate me! I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword will devour flesh – the blood of the slaughtered and captured, the chief of the enemy’s leaders!’” 43Cry out, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge his servants’ blood; he will take vengeance against his enemies, and make atonement for his land and people. 44Then Moses went with Joshua son of Nun and recited all the words of this song to the people.
Read all of Deuteronomy 32Deuteronomy 32:42 word by word
אַשְׁכִּ֤יר חִצַּי֙ מִדָּ֔ם וְחַרְבִּ֖י תֹּאכַ֣ל בָּשָׂ֑ר מִדַּ֤ם חָלָל֙ וְשִׁבְיָ֔ה מֵרֹ֖אשׁ פַּרְע֥וֹת אוֹיֵֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- I will make mine arrowsחֵץchêts · arrowH2671
- drunkשָׁכַרshâkar · be drunkH7937
- with bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- and my swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- shall devourאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- fleshבָּשָׂרbâώâr · fleshH1320
- of the slainחָלָלchâlâl · slain: killedH2491
- and of the captivesשִׁבְיָהshibyâh · captiveH7633
- from the beginningרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- of revengesפֶּ֫רַעpar‛âh · leaderH6546
- upon the enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 32:42
- Deuteronomy 32:23I will increase their disasters, I will use up my arrows on them.
- Psalms 45:5Your arrows are sharp and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies. Nations fall at your feet.
- Psalms 68:23so that your feet may stomp in their blood, and your dogs may eat their portion of the enemies’ corpses.”
- Isaiah 34:6The Lord’s sword is dripping with blood, it is covered with fat; it drips with the blood of young rams and goats and is covered with the fat of rams’ kidneys. For the Lord is holding a sacrifice in Bozrah, a bloody slaughter in the land of Edom.
- Jeremiah 16:10“When you tell these people about all this, they will undoubtedly ask you, ‘Why has the Lord threatened us with such great disaster? What wrong have we done? What sin have we done to offend the Lord our God?’
- Ezekiel 35:6Therefore, as surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, I will subject you to bloodshed, and bloodshed will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed will pursue you.
- Ezekiel 38:21I will call for a sword to attack Gog on all my mountains, declares the sovereign Lord; every man’s sword will be against his brother.
- Job 13:24Why do you hide your face and regard me as your enemy?
- Jeremiah 30:14All your allies have abandoned you. They no longer have any concern for you. For I have attacked you like an enemy would. I have chastened you cruelly. For your wickedness is so great and your sin is so much.
- Lamentations 2:5The Lord, like an enemy, destroyed Israel. He destroyed all her palaces; he ruined her fortified cities. He made everyone in Daughter Judah mourn and lament. ו (Vav)
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32:42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 42From 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; And my sword shall devour flesh, With the blood of the slain and captive From the hairy head of the enemy. Probably פרעות מראש merosh paroth may be more properly translated, from the naked…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-42Verses 1-42 Song of Moses If Deuteronomy 32:1-3 be regarded as the introduction, and Deuteronomy 32:43 as the conclusion, the main contents of the song may be grouped under three heads, namely, (1) Deuteronomy 32:4-18, the faithfulness of God, the faithlessness of Israel; (2) Deuteronomy 32:19-33, the chastisement and the need of its infliction by God; (3) Deuteronomy 32:34-42, God‘s compassion upon the low and humbled state of His people. The Song…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 39-43Verses 39-43 This conclusion of the song speaks, 1. Glory to God. No escape can be made from his power. 2. It speaks terror to his enemies. Terror indeed to those who hate him. The wrath of God is here revealed from heaven against them. 3. It speaks comfort to his own people. The song concludes with words of joy. Whatever judgments are brought upon sinners, it shall go well with the people of God.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 42The phrase arrows drunk with blood uses figurative language. It gives human qualities to arrows, as if they could drink. It also uses exaggeration to show how great the destruction will be. This picture shows how severe God’s judgment on the nations will be. The language is strong to help the listener understand the seriousness of the coming punishment.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-431. Give ear, O ye heavens; ... hear, O earth--The magnificence of the exordium, the grandeur of the theme, the frequent and sudden transitions, the elevated strain of the sentiments and language, entitle this song to be ranked amongst the noblest specimens of poetry to be found in the Scriptures.Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 32:42
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries