Deuteronomy 32:30
in Deuteronomy 32How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
How should one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Except their Rock had sold them, And Jehovah had delivered them up?
KJV
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?
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This verse in Deuteronomy 32
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Israel is a nation devoid of counsel
on Deuteronomy 32:28-30
The words “their Rock had sold them” use the verb Judges 2:14 and 3:8 use for what God does with Israel when it turns. The defeat is put as a transaction.
This site's exposition
How could one man pursue a thousand
Isaiah 30:17 turns the same reversal on Judah, where a thousand flee at the threat of one. The verb behind given them up means to shut in or hand over. Psalm 78:62 uses it of God giving His people to the sword, so defeat is traced to God.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Their rock - Their God, who was their refuge and defense. Sold them - Namely, for bond-slaves, had given themselves up into their enemies hands. Shut them up - As it were in the net which their enemies had laid for them.
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight,....
A promise of the destruction of their enemies and oppressors at last, and the glorious deliverance of a remnant of Israel,
When he was turned to be their enemy, as here, and fought against them for their sins, then he remembered the days of old, saying, Where is he that brought them out of the sea?
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
How should one chase a thousand - If therefore they had not forgotten their Rock, God their author and defense, it could not possibly have come to pass that a thousand of them should flee before one of their enemies.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵיכָ֞ה | ʾeikhah | how? | H349 → | 82 times |
| יִרְדֹּ֤ף | yirdof | will he pursue | H7291 → | 143 times |
| אֶחָד֙ | ʾechad | one [person] | H259 → | 971 times |
| אֶ֔לֶף | ʾelef | a thousand | H505 → | 505 times |
| וּשְׁנַ֖יִם | ushenayim | and two [people] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| יָנִ֣יסוּ | yanisu | will they put to flight? | H5127 → | 159 times |
| רְבָבָ֑ה | revavah | ten thousand | H7233 → | 16 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| לֹא֙ | lo' | in- | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| כִּי־ | ki- | deed | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| צוּרָ֣ם | tzuram | rock their | H6697 → | 78 times |
| מְכָרָ֔ם | mekharam | he had sold them | H4376 → | 80 times |
| וַֽיהוָ֖ה | vayahweh | and Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הִסְגִּירָֽם׃ | hisgiram | he had delivered up them | H5462 → |
אֵיכָ֞הhow?
ʾeikhahH349 →82 times
יִרְדֹּ֤ףwill he pursue
yirdofH7291 →143 times
אֶחָד֙one [person]
ʾechadH259 →971 times
אֶ֔לֶףa thousand
ʾelefH505 →505 times
וּשְׁנַ֖יִםand two [people]
ushenayimH8147 →768 times
יָנִ֣יסוּwill they put to flight?
yanisuH5127 →159 times
רְבָבָ֑הten thousand
revavahH7233 →16 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
לֹא֙in-
lo'H3808 →5168 times
כִּי־deed
ki-H3588 →4482 times
צוּרָ֣םrock their
tzuramH6697 →78 times
מְכָרָ֔םhe had sold them
mekharamH4376 →80 times
וַֽיהוָ֖הand Yahweh
vayahwehH3068 →6520 times
הִסְגִּירָֽם׃he had delivered up them
hisgiramH5462 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Joshua 23:10One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.
it leads to
- Leviticus 26:8
Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 3:22
Do not be afraid of them, for the LORD your God Himself will fight for you.”
- Exodus 14:14
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
- Psalms 35:1
Contend with my opponents, O LORD; fight against those who fight against me.
- Deuteronomy 20:4
For the LORD your God goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory.”
- Leviticus 26:8
Through
Leviticus 26:8Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
it leads to
- Joshua 23:10
One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 28:7
The LORD will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you in one direction but flee from you in seven.
- Joshua 23:10
Through
Psalms 31:8You have not delivered me to the enemy; You have set my feet in the open.
it leads to
- Job 36:16
Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
- Job 36:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.