New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 32:27
27But I feared the taunt of Israel’s enemy, who might misunderstand and say, “Our own power has triumphed! The Lord had nothing to do with this!”’
Deuteronomy 32:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Were 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.
- New International Version (NIV)but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest the adversary misunderstand and say, ‘Our hand has triumphed; the Lord has not done all this.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)had I not feared provocation by the enemy, lest their adversaries should misunderstand, lest they should say, "Our hand is triumphant, it was not the Lord who did all this."'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Had I not feared the wrath of the enemy, Lest their adversaries should misunderstand, Lest they should say, “Our hand is high; And it is not the Lord who has done all this.” ’
Context of Deuteronomy 32:27
25Outside, the sword will bring death, and inside, terror will strike both young men and young women, both infants and the aged. 26I would have annihilated them, wiping out even the memory of them. But I feared the taunt of Israel’s enemy, who might misunderstand and say, “Our own power has triumphed! The Lord had nothing to do with this!”’ 28“But Israel is a senseless nation; the people are foolish, without understanding. 29Oh, that they were wise and could understand this! Oh, that they might know their fate!
Read all of Deuteronomy 32Deuteronomy 32:27 word by word
לוּלֵ֗י כַּ֤עַס אוֹיֵב֙ אָג֔וּר פֶּֽן־יְנַכְּר֖וּ צָרֵ֑ימוֹ פֶּן־יֹֽאמְרוּ֙ יָדֵ֣ינוּ רָ֔מָה וְלֹ֥א יְהוָ֖ה פָּעַ֥ל כָּל־זֹֽאת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Were it notלוּלֵאlûlê' lûlêy · unlessH3884
- that I fearedגּוּרgûr · to dreadH1481
- the wrathכַּ֫עַסka‛as ka‛aώ · vexationH3708
- of the enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- lest their adversariesצַרtsar tsâr · enemyH6862
- should behave themselves strangelyנָכַרnâkar · to alienateH5234
- lest they should sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Our handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- highרוּםrûm · to exaltH7311
- and the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- hath not doneפָּעַלpâ‛al · to workH6466
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 32:27
- 1 Samuel 12:22The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.
- Isaiah 37:28“But I know you well— where you stay and when you come and go. I know the way you have raged against me.
- Isaiah 47:7You said, ‘I will reign forever as queen of the world!’ You did not reflect on your actions or think about their consequences.
- Jeremiah 19:4“‘For Israel has forsaken me and turned this valley into a place of wickedness. The people burn incense to foreign gods—idols never before acknowledged by this generation, by their ancestors, or by the kings of Judah. And they have filled this place with the blood of innocent children.
- Lamentations 1:9She defiled herself with immorality and gave no thought to her future. Now she lies in the gutter with no one to lift her out. “Lord, see my misery,” she cries. “The enemy has triumphed.”
- Ezekiel 20:13“But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness.
- Zechariah 1:14Then the angel said to me, “Shout this message for all to hear: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and strong.
- Exodus 32:12Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth’? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people!
- Numbers 14:15Now if you slaughter all these people with a single blow, the nations that have heard of your fame will say,
- Joshua 7:9For when the Canaanites and all the other people living in the land hear about it, they will surround us and wipe our name off the face of the earth. And then what will happen to the honor of your great name?”
- Psalms 115:1Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
- Psalms 140:8Lord, do not let evil people have their way. Do not let their evil schemes succeed, or they will become proud. Interlude
- Isaiah 10:8He will say, ‘Each of my princes will soon be a king.
- Isaiah 37:10“This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria.
- Isaiah 37:12Have the gods of other nations rescued them—such nations as Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Tel-assar? My predecessors destroyed them all!
- Daniel 4:30As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy - Houbigant and others contend that wrath here refers not to the enemy, but to God; and that the passage should be thus translated: "Indignation for the adversary deters me, lest their enemies should be alienated, and say, The strength of our hands, and not of the Lord's, hath done this." Had not God punished them in such a way as proved that his hand and not the hand of man had done it, the heathens would…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. 26-38Verses 26-38 The idolatry and rebellions of Israel deserved, and the justice of God seemed to demand, that they should be rooted out. But He spared Israel, and continues them still to be living witnesses of the truth of the Bible, and to silence unbelievers. They are preserved for wise and holy purposes and the prophecies give us some idea what those purposes are. The Lord will never disgrace the throne of his glory. It is great wisdom, and will help much…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27if I had not dreaded: God is never terrified or intimidated. This fear is concern that Israel’s enemies would attribute their success to their own efforts rather than to God’s sovereign judgment of his people (see Exodus 32:11–14).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 32:27
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
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