TRV
Translation
King James Version
They 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.
Complete Jewish Bible
"'Fatigued by hunger, they will be consumed by fever and bitter defeat; I will send them the fangs of wild beasts, and the poison of reptiles crawling in the dust.
Berean Standard Bible
They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust.
American Standard Version
They shall bewasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust.
World English Bible Messianic
They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction. I will send the teeth of animals on them, with the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
Geneva Bible (1599)
They shalbe burnt with hunger, and consumed with heate, and with bitter destruction: I will also sende the teeth of beastes vpon them, with the venime of serpents creeping in the dust.
Young's Literal Translation
Exhausted by famine, And consumed by heat, and bitter destruction. And the teeth of beasts I send upon them, With poison of fearful things of the dust.
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In the KJVVerse 5,783 of 31,102
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Commentary on Deuteronomy 32 verses 19–25
19 ¶ And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.
20 And 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.
21 They 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.
22 For 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.
23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
24 They 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.
25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.
The method of this song follows the method of the predictions in the foregoing chapter, and therefore, after the revolt of Israel from God, described in the foregoing verses, here follow immediately the resolves of divine Justice concerning them; we deceive ourselves if we think that God will be thus mocked by a foolish faithless people, that play fast and loose with him.
I. He had delighted in them, but now he would reject them with detestation and disdain, Deu 32:19. When the Lord saw their treachery, and folly, and base ingratitude, he abhorred them, he despised them, so some read it. Sin makes us odious in the sight of the holy God; and no sinners are so loathsome to him as those that he has called, and that have called themselves, his sons and his daughters, and yet have been provoking to him. Note, The nearer any are to God in profession the more noisome are they to him if they are defiled in a sinful way, Psa 106:39, Psa 106:40.
II. He had given them the tokens of his presence with them and his favour to them; but now he would withdraw and hide his face from them, Deu 32:20. His hiding his face signifies his great displeasure; they had turned their back upon God, and now God would turn his back upon them (compare Jer 18:17 with Jer 2:27); but here it denotes also the slowness of God's proceedings against them in a way of judgment. They began in their apostasy with omissions of good, and so proceeded to commissions of evil. In like manner God will first suspend his favours, and let them see what the issue of that will be, what a friend they lose when they provoke God to depart, and will try whether this will bring them to repentance. Thus we find God hiding himself, as it were, in expectation of the event, Isa 57:17. To justify himself in leaving them he shows that they were such as there was no dealing with; for, 1. They were froward and a people that could not be pleased, or obstinate in sin, and that could not be convinced and reclaimed. 2. They were faithless, and a people that could not be trusted. When he saved them, and took them into covenant, he said, Surely they are children that will not lie (Isa 63:8); but when they proved otherwise, children in whom is no faith, they deserved to be abandoned, and that the God of truth should have no more to do with them.
III. He had done every thing to make them easy and to please them, but now he would do that against them which should be most vexatious to them. The punishment here answers the sin, Deu 32:21. 1. They had provoked God with despicable deities which were not gods at all, but vanities, creatures of their own imagination, that could not pretend either to merit or to repay the respects of their worshippers; the more vain and vile the gods were after which they went a whoring the greater was the offence to that great and good God whom they set them up in competition with and contradiction to. This put two great evils into their idolatry, Jer 2:13. 2. God would therefore plague them with despicable enemies, that were worthless, weak, and inconsiderable, and not deserving the name of a people, which was a great mortification to them, and aggravated the oppressions they groaned under The more base the people were that tyrannised over them the more barbarous they would be (none so insolent as a beggar on horseback), besides that it would be infamous to Israel, who had so often triumphed over great and mighty nations, to be themselves trampled upon by the weak and foolish, and to come under the curse of Canaan, who was to be a servant of servants. But God can make the weakest instrument a scourge to the strongest sinner; and those that by sin insult their might Creator are justly insulted by the meanest of their fellow-creatures. This was remarkably fulfilled in the days of the judges, when they were sometimes oppressed by the very Canaanites themselves, whom they had subdued, Jdg 4:2. But the apostle applies it to the conversion of the Gentiles, who had been a people not in covenant with God, and foolish in divine things, yet were brought into the church, sorely to the grief of the Jews, who upon all occasions showed a great indignation at it, which was both their sin and their punishment, as envy always is, Rom 10:19.
IV. He had planted them in a good land, and replenished them with all good things; but now he would strip them of all their comforts, and bring them to ruin. The judgments threatened are very terrible, Deu 32:22-25. 1. The fire of God's anger shall consume them, Deu 32:22. Are they proud of their plenty? It shall burn up the increase of the earth. Are they confident of their strength? It shall destroy the very foundations of their mountains: there is no fence against the judgments of God when they come with commission to lay all waste. It shall burn to the lowest hell, that is, it shall bring them to the very depth of misery in this world, which yet would be but a faint resemblance of the complete and endless misery of sinners in the other world. The damnation of hell (as our Saviour calls it) is the fire of God's anger, fastening upon the guilty conscience of a sinner, to its inexpressible and everlasting torment, Isa 30:33. 2. The arrows of God's judgments shall be spent upon them, till his quiver is quite exhausted, Deu 32:23. The judgments of God, like arrows, fly swiftly (Psa 64:7), reaching those at a distance who flatter themselves with hopes of escaping them, Psa 21:8, Psa 21:12. They come from an unseen hand, but wound mortally, for God never misses his mark, Kg1 22:34. The particular judgments here threatened are, (1.) Famine: they shall be burnt, or parched, with hunger. (2.) Pestilence and other diseases, here called burning heat and bitter destruction. (3.) The insults of the inferior creatures: the teeth of beasts and the poison of serpents, Deu 32:24. (4.) War and the fatal consequences of it, Deu 32:25. [1.] Perpetual frights. When the sword is without, there cannot but be terror within. Co2 7:5, Without were fightings, within were fears. Those who cast off the fear of God are justly exposed to the fear of enemies. [2.] Universal deaths. The sword of the Lord, when it is sent to lay all waste, will destroy without distinction; neither the strength of the young man nor the beauty of the virgin, neither the innocency of the suckling nor the gravity or infirmity of the man of gray hairs, will be their security from the sword when it devours one as well as another. Such devastation does war make, especially when it is pushed on by men as ravenous as wild beasts and as venomous as serpents, Deu 32:24. See here what mischief sin does, and reckon those fools that make a mock at it.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 19–25. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 32:24, a poignant segment within the "Song of Moses," serves as a profound prophetic warning detailing the severe and multifaceted consequences awaiting Israel should they abandon their covenant fidelity. This verse graphically portrays a divine retribution that encompasses the ravages of famine, consuming disease, and the perilous attacks of wild beasts and venomous serpents, thereby emphasizing the grave implications of spiritual apostasy and the unwavering justice of God.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 32:24 employs potent Imagery to evoke a sense of overwhelming suffering and divine wrath. The descriptions of being "burnt with hunger," "devoured with burning heat," and attacked by "teeth of beasts" and "poison of serpents" create vivid, visceral pictures of agony and destruction, engaging the reader's senses to convey the severity of the impending doom. This cumulative effect of various forms of judgment also functions as Climax, building from internal suffering to external threats, intensifying the sense of inescapable doom. Furthermore, the explicit statement "I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them" demonstrates Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like action (sending) to God, underscoring His direct involvement and active role in orchestrating these judgments as a response to Israel's rebellion. The verse's structure, piling one calamity upon another, also creates a sense of inescapable doom, reinforcing the gravity of the covenant warnings.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 32:24 stands as a stark reminder of God's unwavering justice and the inviolable nature of His covenant. It reveals that while God is merciful and long-suffering, He is also righteous and will not tolerate persistent rebellion and idolatry indefinitely. The detailed catalogue of judgments underscores the principle that sin carries severe, divinely ordained consequences, demonstrating that God's sovereignty extends not only over human history but also over the natural world, which He can employ as instruments of His will. This passage serves as a theological anchor for understanding the Old Testament prophetic warnings against Israel's apostasy, emphasizing that God's judgments are not arbitrary but are a direct, just response to covenant unfaithfulness, intended to bring about repentance or to uphold His holy character and the sanctity of His covenant.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 32:24, while rooted in the specific covenant relationship between God and ancient Israel, offers timeless principles for believers today. It serves as a powerful reminder that our actions, particularly our spiritual fidelity, have profound consequences. Just as God held Israel accountable for their covenant breaking, He calls all believers to a life of faithfulness and obedience, understanding that turning away from Him, whether through overt rebellion or subtle spiritual apathy, can lead to painful outcomes. This passage encourages us to reflect on the gravity of sin and the holiness of God, fostering a healthy fear of the Lord that motivates us to live in alignment with His revealed will. It challenges us to examine our own hearts for any areas of compromise or idolatry, urging us to repent and return to the "Rock of our salvation" before facing the natural and divine consequences of our choices. It reminds us that while God's grace abounds, His justice is equally true, prompting us to walk humbly and obediently before Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God still use natural disasters and animal attacks as judgment today, as described in this verse?
Answer: While Deuteronomy 32:24 describes specific forms of judgment against ancient Israel for their covenant unfaithfulness, the principle that God is sovereign over creation and can use natural phenomena remains true. However, under the New Covenant, the primary focus of God's judgment for sin has shifted. The ultimate judgment for sin was borne by Jesus Christ on the cross, and believers are no longer under the curses of the Law but under grace (Romans 8:1). While natural disasters occur in a fallen world and can sometimes serve as a general call to repentance or a reminder of God's power, it is generally not appropriate to directly equate every specific disaster with a direct, punitive judgment on a particular individual or group, as was often the case under the Old Covenant. The New Testament emphasizes the spiritual consequences of sin and the ultimate judgment to come at the end of the age (Matthew 25:31-46), while also highlighting God's redemptive purposes even amidst suffering.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 32:24, with its vivid portrayal of the dire consequences of sin and rebellion, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus. The "burning heat," "bitter destruction," and "poison of serpents" represent the full weight of God's righteous wrath against sin, a wrath that humanity, in its fallen state, could never withstand. Yet, the New Testament reveals that Jesus, the Lamb of God, willingly bore the entirety of this divine judgment on the cross. He became "cursed for us" (Galatians 3:13), enduring the ultimate "bitter destruction" so that those who believe in Him might be spared. Furthermore, the "poison of serpents" imagery, reminiscent of the serpent's deception in Genesis 3:15 and the "fiery serpents" God sent to judge Israel in the wilderness (Numbers 21:6), points to the pervasive power of sin and death, often personified as the devil. Christ's death and resurrection decisively crushed the head of the serpent (Hebrews 2:14), rendering its "poison" ineffective for those who are in Him. Thus, what was a terrifying prophecy of judgment under the Law becomes a profound testament to the boundless grace and redemptive power found in Jesus Christ, who absorbed all the curses so that we might inherit blessing and eternal life (Romans 5:8) and live in freedom from the dominion of sin and death (Romans 6:23).