Devarim (Deuteronomy) Chapter 32

29If they were wise, they would understand this; they would reflect upon their fate.   כטל֥וּ חָֽכְמ֖וּ יַשְׂכִּ֣ילוּ זֹ֑את יָבִ֖ינוּ לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם:
they would reflect upon their fate They would turn their attention towards thinking carefully about the end of Israel’s troubles [that the whole cause is God’s punishing Israel, rather than attributing Israel’s defeat to their own power].   יָבִינוּ לְאַֽחֲרִיתָֽם  יִתְּנוּ לֵב לְהִתְבּוֹנֵן לְסוֹף פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
30How can one [person] pursue a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their [Mighty] Rock has sold them out, and the Lord has given them over?   לאֵיכָ֞ה יִרְדֹּ֤ף אֶחָד֙ אֶ֔לֶף וּשְׁנַ֖יִם יָנִ֣יסוּ רְבָבָ֑ה אִם־לֹא֙ כִּֽי־צוּרָ֣ם מְכָרָ֔ם וַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הִסְגִּירָֽם:
How could one [person] of us pursue a thousand of Israel?!   אֵיכָה יִרְדֹּף אֶחָד  מִמֶּנּוּ אלף מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל:
unless their [Mighty] Rock has sold them out, and the Lord has given them over i.e., has sold them out, and given them over into our hands, delivrer in Old French [like the English: to deliver].   אִם־לֹא כִּֽי־צוּרָם מְכָרָם וה' הִסְגִּירָֽם  מְכָרָם וּמְסָרָם בְּיָדֵנוּ, דליב"ר בְּלַעַז:
31For their rock is not like our [Mighty] Rock. Nevertheless, our enemies sit in judgment.   לאכִּ֛י לֹ֥א כְצוּרֵ֖נוּ צוּרָ֑ם וְאֹֽיְבֵ֖ינוּ פְּלִילִֽים:
For their rock is not like our [Mighty] Rock The enemies should have understood all the above, that the Lord gave Israel over [to them], and that victory must not be attributed to them or to their deities. For until now, their deities have achieved nothing against our Rock. Because their rock is not like our Rock. The word צוּר in Scripture is always an expression meaning סֶלַע, rock .   כִּי לֹא כְצוּרֵנוּ צוּרָם  כָּל זֶה הָיָה לָהֶם לָאוֹיְבִים לְהָבִין שֶׁהַשֵּׁם הִסְגִּירָם וְלֹא לָהֶם וְלֵאלֹהֵיהֶם הַנִּצָּחוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי עַד הֵנָּה לֹא יָכְלוּ כְּלוּם אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כְּנֶגֶד צוּרֵנוּ, כִּי לֹא כְסַלְעֵנוּ סַלְעָם; כָּל צוּר שֶׁבַּמִּקְרָא לְשׁוֹן סֶלַע:
nevertheless, our enemies sit in judgment Nevertheless, now our enemies are judging us. It must be then, that our Rock has given us over to them.   וְאֹֽיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִֽים  וְעַכְשָׁו אוֹיְבֵינוּ שׁוֹפְטִים אוֹתָנוּ, הֲרֵי שֶׁצוּרֵנוּ מְכָרָנוּ לָהֶם:
32For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the field of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of rosh, and they have bitter clusters.   לבכִּֽי־מִגֶּ֤פֶן סְדֹם֙ גַּפְנָ֔ם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹ֖ת עֲמֹרָ֑ה עֲנָבֵ֨מוֹ֙ עִנְּבֵי־ר֔וֹשׁ אַשְׁכְּלֹ֥ת מְרֹרֹ֖ת לָֽמוֹ:
For their vine is the vine of Sodom [This verse is] connected to the above [verse 26. The continuity of these verses thus reads as follows:] “I said to Myself that I would make an end of them, eradicate their remembrance from mankind-because their deeds are those of Sodom and Amorah…”.   כִּֽי־מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם  מוּסָב לְמַעְלָה — אָמַרְתִּי בְּלִבִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם וְאַשְׁבִּית זִכְרָם לְפִי שֶׁמַּעֲשֵׂיהֶם מַעֲשֵׂי סְדוֹם וַעֲמוֹרָה:
and the field of Heb. וּמִשַּׁדְמוֹת, grain field. It is similar to the verse, “and the field (וּשְׁדֵמוֹת) will yield no food” (Hab. 3:17); and, “in the field (בְּשַׁדְמוֹת) of Kidron” (II Kings 23:4).   שדמת  שְׂדֵה תְּבוּאָה, כְּמוֹ "וּשְׁדֵמוֹת לֹא עָשָׂה אֹכֶל" (חבקוק ג'), "בְּשַׁדְמוֹת קִדְרוֹן" (מלכים ב כ"ג):
grapes of rosh [The word רוֹשׁ] means: A bitter herb. [This has been variantly translated as the cultured poppy, from which opium is extracted, colocynth, and hemlock. See Nature & Man in the Bible , by Yehuda Feliks.]   עִנְּבֵי־רוֹשׁ  עֵשֶׂב מַר:
and they have bitter clusters A bitter drink, which is appropriate for them; their punishment corresponds to their deeds. Onkelos also renders this phrase likewise: “And the punishment of their deeds is like their bitterness.”   אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָֽמוֹ  מַשְׁקֶה מַר רָאוּי לָהֶם, לְפִי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם, וְכֵן תִּרְגֵּם אֻנְקְלוֹס "וְתוּשְׁלָמַת עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן כִּמְרָרוּתְהוֹן":
33Their wine is the bitterness of serpents, and the bitterness of the ruthless cobras.   לגחֲמַ֥ת תַּנִּינִ֖ם יֵינָ֑ם וְרֹ֥אשׁ פְּתָנִ֖ים אַכְזָֽר:
Their wine is the bitterness of serpents [Understand this] as the Targum renders it: הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִּינַיָא כָּס פּוּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן, which means, “Indeed the cup of their drink of punishment is like the bitterness of serpents.”   חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ "הָא כְמָרַת תַּנִּינַיָּא כֹּס פּוּרְעֲנוּתְהוֹן", הִנֵּה כִמְרִירַת נְחָשִׁים כּוֹס מִשְׁתֵּה פֻּרְעֲנוּתָם:
and the bitterness of [ruthless] cobras is their cup. [The cobra] is ruthless when it bites; [thus, this verse is referring to] a ruthless enemy, who will come and seek out their retribution.   וְרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים  כּוֹסָם שֶׁהוּא אכזר לַנָּשׁוּךְ, אוֹיֵב אַכְזָרִי יָבֹא וְיִפָּרַע מֵהֶם:
34Is it not stored up with Me, sealed up in My treasuries?   לדהֲלֹא־ה֖וּא כָּמֻ֣ס עִמָּדִ֑י חָת֖וּם בְּאֽוֹצְרֹתָֽי:
Is it not stored up with Me As the Targum renders it, “They think that I have forgotten their [evil] deeds, but these deeds are all locked away and preserved before Me.”   הֲלֹא־הוּא כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי  כְּתַרְגּוּמוֹ, כִּסְבוּרִים הֵם שֶׁשָּׁכַחְתִּי מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, כֻּלָּם גְּנוּזִים וּשְׁמוּרִים לְפָנַי:
Is it not [stored] The fruit of their [bitter] vine and the [bitter] produce of their field are stored up with Me.   הֲלֹא־הוּא  פְּרִי גַפְנָם וּתְבוּאַת שַׁדְמוֹתָם — כמס עמדי:
35Vengeance is poised with Me, and it will pay at the time their foot stumbles. For the appointed day of their reckoning is near, and what is destined for them hastens.   להלִ֤י נָקָם֙ וְשִׁלֵּ֔ם לְעֵ֖ת תָּמ֣וּט רַגְלָ֑ם כִּ֤י קָרוֹב֙ י֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם וְחָ֖שׁ עֲתִדֹ֥ת לָֽמוֹ:
Vengeance is poised with Me, and it will pay Heb. וְשִׁלֵּם. The retribution of vengeance is with Me, prepared and held in readiness, and it will pay out punishment to them, according to their deeds. [That is to say,] Vengeance will pay the punishment they deserve. [Thus, the word וְשִׁלֵּם is to be understood as a verb.] However, some explain the word וְשִׁלֵּם as a noun, equivalent to וְשִׁלּוּם, and recompense, the same grammatical form as [the noun in the phrase], “And the [prophetic] word (וְהַדִּבֵּר) is not in them,” (Jer. 5:13) where the word is equivalent to וְהַדִּבּוּר [i.e., a noun]. And when will I pay them [their punishment]?   לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם  עִמִּי נָכוֹן וּמְזֻמָּן פֻּרְעֲנוּת נָקָם, וִישַׁלֵּם לָהֶם כְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, הַנָּקָם יְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם גְּמוּלָם. וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים ושלם שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ וְשִׁלּוּם וְהוּא מִגִּזְרַת "וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם" (ירמיהו ה') — כְּמוֹ וְהַדִּבּוּר. וְאֵימָתַי אֲשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם?
at the time their foot stumbles namely, when the merit of their forefathers expires, the merit upon which they are relying.   לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם  כְּשֶׁתִּתֹּם זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָם שֶׁהֵן סְמוּכִים עָלָיו:
For the appointed day [of their reckoning] is near As soon as I desire to bring the day of their disaster upon them, this day is near and in readiness before Me, to be brought about by many agents.   כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם  מִשֶּׁאֶרְצֶה לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹם אֵידָם קָרוֹב וּמְזֻמָּן לְפָנַי לְהָבִיא עַל יְדֵי שְׁלוּחִים הַרְבֵּה:
and what is destined for them hastens And the things that are destined to come hasten [in coming].   וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָֽמוֹ  וּמַהֵר יָבוֹאוּ הָעֲתִידוֹת לָהֶם:
hastens Heb. וְחָשׁ, as in the verse, “Let him hurry, hasten (יְחִישָׁה)” (Isa. 5:19). Until here, Moses testified against them with words of reproof, that this Song should be a witness for Israel’s reproof, i.e., when punishment would come upon Israel, they would know that I told them about this from the very beginning. From here onwards, he testifies to Israel with words of comfort, about things that would come upon them at the conclusion of the retribution, like everything he stated earlier: “And it will be, when all these words happen to you-the blessing and the curse… then, the Lord, your God, will bring back your exiles…” (Deut. 30:1-3).   וְחָשׁ  כְּמוֹ "יְמַהֵר יָחִישָׁה" (ישעיהו ה'); עַד כָּאן הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם מֹשֶׁה דִבְרֵי תּוֹכֵחָה לִהְיוֹת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד, כְּשֶׁתָּבֹא עֲלֵיהֶם הַפֻּרְעָנוּת יֵדְעוּ שֶׁאֲנִי הוֹדַעְתִּים מֵרֹאשׁ, מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ הֵעִיד עֲלֵיהֶם דִּבְרֵי תַנְחוּמִין שֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם כִּכְלוֹת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת, כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָמַר לְמַעְלָה, "וְהָיָה כִי יָבֹאוּ עָלֶיךָ וְגוֹ' הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה וְגוֹ' וְשָׁב ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ וְגוֹ'":
36When the Lord will judge His people, and will reconsider His servants, when He sees that the power is increasing, and none is controlled or strengthened.   לוכִּֽי־יָדִ֤ין יְהֹוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ וְעַל־עֲבָדָ֖יו יִתְנֶחָ֑ם כִּ֤י יִרְאֶה֙ כִּי־אָ֣זְלַת יָ֔ד וְאֶ֖פֶס עָצ֥וּר וְעָזֽוּב:
When the Lord will judge His people i. e., When God will exact judgment upon Israel by bringing upon them these aforementioned sufferings. Similar to this is the verse, “For through these He judges (יָדִין) peoples” (Job 36:31), i.e., He chastises peoples. The word כִּי here does not mean “because,” giving the reason for the preceding statements, but rather, it introduces a new passage [i.e., it means “when”], as in the verse,“When (כִּי) you come to the land” (Lev. 25:2). [The meaning of our verse is:] When these judgments will come upon them, and the Holy One, Blessed is He, will reconsider concerning His servants to return [to them] and to have mercy upon them….   כִּֽי־יָדִין ה' עַמּוֹ  כְּשֶׁיִּשְׁפֹּט אוֹתוֹ בְּיִסּוּרִין הַלָּלוּ הָאֲמוּרוֹת עֲלֵיהֶם, כְּמוֹ "כִּי בָם יָדִין עַמִּים" (איוב ל"ו) — יְיַסֵּר עַמִּים. כִּי זֶה אֵינוֹ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּלְשׁוֹן דְּהָא, לָתֵת טַעַם לַדְּבָרִים שֶׁל מַעְלָה, אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן תְּחִלַּת דִּבּוּר, כְּמוֹ (ויקרא כ"ה) "כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ", כְּשֶׁיָּבֹאוּ עֲלֵיהֶם מִשְׁפָּטִים הַלָּלוּ וְיִתְנַחֵם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל עֲבָדָיו לָשׁוּב וּלְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם:
will reconsider Heb. יִתְנֶחָם. [This word] denotes changing one’s mind, whether for good or for evil.   יִתְנֶחָם  לְשׁוֹן הִפּוּךְ הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה לְהֵיטִיב אוֹ לְהָרַע:
when He will see that the power is growing i.e., when God sees that the enemy’s power is becoming stronger and stronger against Israel, and none among them is controlled or strengthened.   כִּֽי יִרְאֶה כִּֽי־אָזְלַת יָד  כְּשֶׁיִּרְאֶה כִּי יַד הָאוֹיֵב הוֹלֶכֶת וְחוֹזֶקֶת מְאֹד עֲלֵיהֶם, ואפס בָּהֶם עצור ועזוב:
controlled Heb. עָצוּר. One who is rescued by an officer (עוֹצֵר) or a ruler who would confine (יַעִצוֹר) the people.   עָצוּר  נוֹשַׁע עַל יְדֵי עוֹצֵר וּמוֹשֵׁל שֶׁיַּעֲצֹר בָּהֶם:
or strengthened Heb. עָזוּב, [One saved] by an עוֹזֵב, one who gives strength [to someone else]. An עוֹצֵר is a ruler who confines his people [within certain boundaries], so that they will not go out in scattered groups when they go to war against the enemy, mentenedor in Old French [like the English, maintain. Consequently:] עָצוּר [the passive noun from the root עצר] means: One saved through the confinement (מַעִצוֹר) of a ruler. עָזוּב Strengthened, like “and they fortified (וַיַּעַזְבוֹ) Jerusalem until the… wall” (Neh. 3:8); and, “How is the city of praise not fortified (עֻזְּבָה)” (Jer. 49:25). עָצוּר is mentenude in Old French, and עָזוּב is enforze, fortified.   עזוב  עַל יְדֵי עוֹזֵב; עוֹצֵר הוּא הַמּוֹשֵׁל הָעוֹצֵר בָּעָם שֶׁלֹּא יֵלְכוּ מְפֻזָּרִים בְּצֵאתָם לַצָּבָא עַל הָאוֹיֵב, בְּלַעַז מיינטינ"דור; עצור, הוּא הַנּוֹשָׁע בְּמַעֲצוֹר הַמּוֹשֵׁל; עזוב, מְחֻזָּק, כְּמוֹ (נחום ג') "וַיַּעַזְבוּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם עַד הַחוֹמָה"; "אֵיךְ לֹא עֻזְּבָה עִיר תְּהִלָּה" (ירמיהו מ"ט), אינפורצדו"ר:
37Then He will say, "Where is their deity, the rock in which they trusted,   לזוְאָמַ֖ר אֵ֣י אֱלֹהֵ֑ימוֹ צ֖וּר חָסָ֥יוּ בֽוֹ:
Then He will say The Holy One, Blessed is He, will say about them [Israel]:   וְאָמַר  הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם:
Where is their deity The idols which they worshipped. [Where are they now?]   אי אלהימו  עבודה זרה שֶׁעָבְדוּ:
the rock in which they trusted [The word צוּר] means: The rock. [This figuratively means: The rock under which] they used to shelter themselves from the sun and the cold. That is to say, [the deity] in which they had placed their trust to protect them against any harm.   צוּר חָסָיוּ בֽוֹ  הַסֶּלַע שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְכַּסִּין בּוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַחַמָּה וְהַצִּנָּה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁהָיוּ בְטוּחִין בּוֹ לְהָגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם מִן הָרָעָה:
38who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their libations? Let them arise and help you! Let them be your shelter!   לחאֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֨ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֨וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה:
who ate the fat of their sacrifices i.e., these deities would eat up [the fat] and would drink up the wine of their libations when they offered the sacrifices before them.   אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ  הָיוּ אוֹתָן אֱלֹהוֹת אוֹכְלִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מַקְרִיבִים לִפְנֵיהֶם, וְשׁוֹתִין יין נסיכם:
Let them be your shelter! Let that same rock [you worshipped] be a refuge and shelter (מִסְתּוֹר) for you.   יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָֽה  אוֹתוֹ הַצּוּר יִהְיֶה לָכֶם מַחֲסֶה וּמִסְתּוֹר:
39See now that it is I! I am the One, and there is no god like Me! I cause death and grant life. I strike, but I heal, and no one can rescue from My Hand!   לטרְא֣וּ | עַתָּ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י אֲנִי֙ ה֔וּא וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּדִ֑י אֲנִ֧י אָמִ֣ית וַֽאֲחַיֶּ֗ה מָחַ֨צְתִּי֙ וַֽאֲנִ֣י אֶרְפָּ֔א וְאֵ֥ין מִיָּדִ֖י מַצִּֽיל:
See now Understand from the punishment that I brought upon you, from which no one can rescue you, and from the salvation with which I will save you, and that there is no one to stop Me, that   רְאוּ עַתָּה  הָבִינוּ מִן הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁהֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם וְאֵין לָכֶם מוֹשִׁיעַ, וּמִן הַתְּשׁוּעָה שֶׁאוֹשִׁיעֲכֶם וְאֵין מוֹחֶה בְיָדִי:
It is I! I am the One “It is I” Who can bring someone down, and “I am the One” Who can lift someone up.   אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא  אֲנִי לְהַשְׁפִּיל וַאֲנִי לְהָרִים:
and there is no god with Me! [There is no deity] which can stand up against Me, to stop Me.   וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי  עוֹמֵד כְּנֶגְדִּי לִמְחוֹת:
with Me resembling Me, like Me.   עִמָּדִי  דֻּגְמָתִי וְכָמוֹנִי:
and no one can save from My Hand those who sin against Me.   וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּֽיל  הַפּוֹשְׁעִים בִּי: