Deuteronomy 32

The chapter functions as a courtroom song, where the history of Israel is laid out as evidence. The structure shifts from a praise of God's character to a lament over Israel's rebellion, culminating in a promise of final restoration.

• God will eventually avenge the blood of His servants and be merciful to His land (v43).
• God will preserve a remnant when power is gone (v36).

• Ascribe greatness unto our God (v3).
• Remember the days of old (v7).
• Set your hearts unto all the words (v46).
• Command your children to observe to do the law (v46).

• Do not forsake the Rock of salvation (v15).
• Do not forget the God that formed you (v18).
• Consider your latter end (v29).

• Moses is in the final days of his life on the plains of Moab.
• The song serves as a 'covenant lawsuit' (rib) structure common in ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties, where the suzerain calls upon witnesses to testify against the vassal.

• The imagery of 'dew' (טַל [H2919]) and 'rain' (מָטַר [H4306]) was essential to an agrarian society in Canaan, signifying the life-giving nature of divine instruction.
• The mention of 'the apple of his eye' reflects the ancient understanding of the pupil as the most protected and vital part of the human eye.

• The poem follows the Pentateuch's pattern of embedding songs (e.g., Exod 15) at critical junctures of redemptive history.
• It bridges the gap between the giving of the Law and the entry into the Land.

• This chapter sets the pattern for Israel's recurring cycle of sin and deliverance seen throughout Judges.
• Matthew Henry observes: 'He is a Rock. This is the first time God is called so in Scripture. The expression denotes that the Divine power, faithfulness, and love, as revealed in Christ and the gospel, form a foundation which cannot be changed or moved.'
• The eschatological hope in v43 is echoed in Romans 15:10, linking the vindication of God's people to the inclusion of the Gentiles.

• Deuteronomy 32:43 is quoted by Paul in Romans 15:10 to demonstrate the inclusion of Gentiles in God's promises.
• The 'song of Moses' is also referenced in Revelation 15:3, linking the deliverance from Egypt to the final deliverance of the saints.

• צּוּר (Tsur, H6697): Translated as 'Rock.' The root relates to compressing or binding; it suggests an immovable, fortified refuge.
• שָׁחַת (Shachath, H7843): 'Corruptedly.' The word implies a marring or ruining of something originally good.
• דָבַר (Dabar, H1696): 'Speak.' Note the distinction between this and the noun 'speech' (אִמְרָה, H565) in verse 2, emphasizing the authoritative communication of God.
• There is a noted interpretive tension regarding verse 30 ('except their Rock had sold them'). Calvinist interpretations view this as God's sovereign control over the defeat of His people as a means of discipline, while some Arminian readings emphasize that God 'sold' them only after they had already forsaken Him and emptied their own defenses.

• The song is a 'witness' (Deut 31:19) meant to be memorized by the people so that when they fall into sin, the song itself testifies against them.
• The irony of v31, where the enemies of Israel are forced to admit that Israel's God is superior to their own idols.
• The transition in v48-52, where God commands Moses to his death, linking Moses' personal 'trespass' (the failure to honor God at Meribah) to the strict requirements of covenant leadership.

• The exact identity of the 'foolish nation' in v21 is debated, though in the context of later canonical fulfillment, it is often understood as the Gentiles/Nations who would be provoked to jealousy by the gospel (cf. Rom 10:19).