Deuteronomy 32:27

Verse

if I had not dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest their adversaries misunderstand and say: ‘Our own hand has prevailed; it was not the LORD who did all this.’”

American Standard Version (1901)

Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, Lest their adversaries should judge amiss, Lest they should say, Our hand is exalted, And Jehovah hath not done all this.

Bible in Basic English

But for the fear that their haters, uplifted in their pride, might say, Our hand is strong, the Lord has not done all this.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But for the wrath of the enemies I have deferred it: lest perhaps their enemies might be proud, and should say: Our mighty hand, and not the Lord, hath done all these things.

Free Bible Version

but I didn't want to hear their conquerors jeering, their enemies misunderstanding what had happened and saying, ‘We won all by ourselves, the Lord didn't have anything to do with it.’

Geneva Bible 1599

Saue that I feared the furie of the enemie, least their aduersaries should waxe proude, and least they should say, Our hie hande and not the Lord hath done all this:

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted, Adonai has not done all this.’”

Translation for Translators

But if I did that, their enemies would wrongly boast that they were the ones who had gotten rid of my people; they would say, “We [SYN] are the ones who defeated them; it was not Yahweh who has done all these things.”’

Unlocked Literal Bible

Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, and that their enemies would judge mistakenly, and that they would say, 'Our hand is exalted,' I would have done all this.

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted; Yahweh has not done all this.’”

Young's Literal Translation

If not — the anger of an enemy I fear, Lest their adversaries know — Lest they say, Our hand is high, And Jehovah hath not wrought all this.

Context

The Song of Moses

²⁶I would have said that I would cut them to pieces and blot out their memory from mankind, ²⁷if I had not dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest their adversaries misunderstand and say: ‘Our own hand has prevailed; it was not the LORD who did all this.’”

Summary

This verse highlights God's sovereignty and power over His people, emphasizing that He is in control of their destiny. It serves as a warning to the Israelites of the consequences of turning away from God and breaking the covenant. Despite their rebellion, God's mercy and compassion are also evident, as He does not want their enemies to misunderstand and take credit for their downfall. Ultimately, this verse underscores the importance of obedience and faithfulness to God in order to receive His protection and blessings.

Commentary

John Gill
Tyndale

John Gill Bible Commentary

For they are a nation void of counsel,.... This is said not of the Jews, whose character is given, Deu 32:6; and instances of their ingratitude, folly, and want of counsel and understanding, have been already mentioned, and punishment for the same inflicted on them, according to this prophetic song; so that the prophecy respecting them is issued, and another people are taken notice of, even their enemies, of whom the Jewish writers in general interpret these words, and what follows; and was true of the Gentiles, both of the Pagan sort of them, who took too much to themselves, and ascribed the destruction of the Jews, and their conquest of them, to themselves, and their idols; and of false Christians among them, when the Roman empire became Christian, such as expressed themselves in the language of the latter part Deu 32:27, "our hand is high", &c. which plainly showed them to be a people devoid of the true knowledge of the Scriptures, they should have made the men of their counsel, and have consulted; and of the Gospel of Christ, which is the counsel of God, as the Arians, Pelagians, &c. must be, or they would never imbibe and advance tenets so diametrically opposite thereunto: neither is there any understanding is them; of divine and spiritual things, of the Scriptures, and the doctrines of them; of the person of Christ, and his divine perfections, or they would never deny his deity; of the righteousness of God, of that which is required in the law, and revealed in the Gospel, or they would never set up a righteousness of their own for justification; and of themselves, their unrighteousness, impurity, and impotence to that which is good; or they would never so strongly assert the purity of human nature, and the power of man's freewill: God foreseeing all the folly, and want of counsel and understanding in the Gentile world, under different characters, preserved a remnant of the Jews as a standing admonition to them.

Deuteronomy 32:27

The Song of Moses

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

if I had not dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest their adversaries misunderstand and say: ‘Our own hand has prevailed; it was not the LORD who did all this.’”

American Standard Version (1901)

Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, Lest their adversaries should judge amiss, Lest they should say, Our hand is exalted, And Jehovah hath not done all this.

Bible in Basic English

But for the fear that their haters, uplifted in their pride, might say, Our hand is strong, the Lord has not done all this.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But for the wrath of the enemies I have deferred it: lest perhaps their enemies might be proud, and should say: Our mighty hand, and not the Lord, hath done all these things.

Free Bible Version

but I didn't want to hear their conquerors jeering, their enemies misunderstanding what had happened and saying, ‘We won all by ourselves, the Lord didn't have anything to do with it.’

Geneva Bible 1599

Saue that I feared the furie of the enemie, least their aduersaries should waxe proude, and least they should say, Our hie hande and not the Lord hath done all this:

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted, Adonai has not done all this.’”

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, and that their enemies would judge mistakenly, and that they would say, 'Our hand is exalted,' I would have done all this.

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

were it not that I feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should judge wrongly, lest they should say, ‘Our hand is exalted; Yahweh has not done all this.’”

Young's Literal Translation

If not — the anger of an enemy I fear, Lest their adversaries know — Lest they say, Our hand is high, And Jehovah hath not wrought all this.

John Gill
Tyndale

John Gill Bible Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:27

Verse

Context

The Song of Moses

Summary

Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Deuteronomy 32:27

The Song of Moses

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes