Deuteronomy 32:1-43 The Song of Moses - Deuteronomy 32:1-43 is a song that God gave to Moses. Another song of Moses is found in Revelation 15:3, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
Deuteronomy 32:8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:8 “according to the number of the children of Israel” Comments - F. F. Bruce tells us that textual critics have long viewed this phrase to correctly read according to the Septuagint, “according to the number of the sons of God,” believing that the Massoretic text used by the KJV was corrupted. Finally, one of the manuscripts discovered from the fourth Qumran cave gives the reading “sons of God” in the Hebrew, matching the Septuagint text. [34]
[34] F. F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1963), 158.
Deuteronomy 32:8 Comments - Some scholars find within Deuteronomy 32:8 a reference to a time when God had men divide the earth by lots among the sons of Noah. We can find a reference to this allotment in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:25, which tells us that the earth was divided during the days of Peleg.
Genesis 10:25, “And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided ; and his brother's name was Joktan.”
We find an additional reference to this event in Acts 17:24-26.
Acts 17:24-26, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;”
We can find a lengthy account of this story in extra-biblical Jewish literature. The Book of Jubilees says that in the days of Peleg, the nations were dividing themselves upon the earth. The divided the earth into three lots according to the inheritance of the three sons of Noah. Since this document dates a few centuries before the time of Christ, it shows to us how the Jews may have interpreted this passage in Genesis.
“And in the sixth year [1567 A.M.] thereof, she bare him son, and he called his name Peleg; for in the days when he was born the children of Noah began to divide the earth amongst themselves: for this reason he called his name Peleg. And they divided (it) secretly amongst themselves, and told it to Noah. And it came to pass in the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee [1569 A.M.] that they divided the earth into three parts, for Shem and Ham and Japheth, according to the inheritance of each , in the first year in the first week, when one of us who had been sent, was with them.” ( The Book of Jubilees 8.8-11) [35]
[35] The Book of Jubilees, trans. R. H. Charles, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol 2, ed. R. H. Charles, 1-82 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 25.
Deuteronomy 32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;
Deuteronomy 32:13 Comments - Benny Hinn understands the phrase “riding on high places of the earth” as a reference to a child of God experiencing the presence of God. He believes the phrase “suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock” to refer to the power of God when a believer yields to the Lord so that the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon him for divine service. He explains that the Holy Spirit comes to indwell every believer at the time of salvation, so that he can continually experience the presence of God in his life. However, the power of God comes upon a servant of God for a period of divine service, then lifts and goes away as the Holy Spirit wills. [36] We see this in the life of Samson. The rock would symbolize Christ Jesus, and the honey and oil would symbolize the Holy Spirit. As a man yields to the Spirit, the power of God rests upon him for a season.
[36] Benny Hinn, “Fire Conference,” 5-6 June 2009, Miracle Center Cathedral, Kampala, Uganda.
Deuteronomy 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
Deuteronomy 32:30 “How should one chase a thousand” Comments - We see Samson chasing a thousand with the jawbone of an ass (Judges 15:15-16).
Judges 15:15-16, “And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”
Also, see the feats of David's mighty men recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-23.
Copyright Statement These files are copyrighted by the author, Gary Everett. Used by Permission. No distribution beyond personal use without permission.
Bibliographical Information Everett, Gary H. "Commentary on Deuteronomy 32". Everett's Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures. https://studylight.org/commentaries/eng/ghe/deuteronomy-32.html. 2013.
Verses 1-52
Deuteronomy 32:1-43 The Song of Moses - Deuteronomy 32:1-43 is a song that God gave to Moses. Another song of Moses is found in Revelation 15:3, “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
Deuteronomy 32:8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:8 “according to the number of the children of Israel” Comments - F. F. Bruce tells us that textual critics have long viewed this phrase to correctly read according to the Septuagint, “according to the number of the sons of God,” believing that the Massoretic text used by the KJV was corrupted. Finally, one of the manuscripts discovered from the fourth Qumran cave gives the reading “sons of God” in the Hebrew, matching the Septuagint text. [34]
[34] F. F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1963), 158.
Deuteronomy 32:8 Comments - Some scholars find within Deuteronomy 32:8 a reference to a time when God had men divide the earth by lots among the sons of Noah. We can find a reference to this allotment in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10:25, which tells us that the earth was divided during the days of Peleg.
Genesis 10:25, “And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided ; and his brother's name was Joktan.”
We find an additional reference to this event in Acts 17:24-26.
Acts 17:24-26, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;”
We can find a lengthy account of this story in extra-biblical Jewish literature. The Book of Jubilees says that in the days of Peleg, the nations were dividing themselves upon the earth. The divided the earth into three lots according to the inheritance of the three sons of Noah. Since this document dates a few centuries before the time of Christ, it shows to us how the Jews may have interpreted this passage in Genesis.
“And in the sixth year [1567 A.M.] thereof, she bare him son, and he called his name Peleg; for in the days when he was born the children of Noah began to divide the earth amongst themselves: for this reason he called his name Peleg. And they divided (it) secretly amongst themselves, and told it to Noah. And it came to pass in the beginning of the thirty-third jubilee [1569 A.M.] that they divided the earth into three parts, for Shem and Ham and Japheth, according to the inheritance of each , in the first year in the first week, when one of us who had been sent, was with them.” ( The Book of Jubilees 8.8-11) [35]
[35] The Book of Jubilees, trans. R. H. Charles, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol 2, ed. R. H. Charles, 1-82 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 25.
Deuteronomy 32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;
Deuteronomy 32:13 Comments - Benny Hinn understands the phrase “riding on high places of the earth” as a reference to a child of God experiencing the presence of God. He believes the phrase “suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock” to refer to the power of God when a believer yields to the Lord so that the power of the Holy Spirit comes upon him for divine service. He explains that the Holy Spirit comes to indwell every believer at the time of salvation, so that he can continually experience the presence of God in his life. However, the power of God comes upon a servant of God for a period of divine service, then lifts and goes away as the Holy Spirit wills. [36] We see this in the life of Samson. The rock would symbolize Christ Jesus, and the honey and oil would symbolize the Holy Spirit. As a man yields to the Spirit, the power of God rests upon him for a season.
[36] Benny Hinn, “Fire Conference,” 5-6 June 2009, Miracle Center Cathedral, Kampala, Uganda.
Deuteronomy 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
Deuteronomy 32:30 “How should one chase a thousand” Comments - We see Samson chasing a thousand with the jawbone of an ass (Judges 15:15-16).
Judges 15:15-16, “And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith. And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.”
Also, see the feats of David's mighty men recorded in 2 Samuel 23:8-23.