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Deuteronomy 32:38

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 32:38 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [And] drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [And] drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.
Deuteronomy 32:38 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 32

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
35Vengeance is mine, and recompense, At the time when their foot shall slide: For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things that are to come upon them shall make haste.
36For Jehovah will judge his people, And repent himself for his servants; When he seeth that [their] power is gone, And there is none [remaining], shut up or left at large.
37And he will say, Where are their gods, The rock in which they took refuge;
38Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, [And] drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.
39See now that I, even I, am he, And there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; And there is none that can deliver out of my hand.
40For I lift up my hand to heaven, And say, As I live for ever,
41If I whet my glittering sword, And my hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine adversaries, And will recompense them that hate me.
← Deuteronomy 32:37Deuteronomy 32:39 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Song of Moses If Deuteronomy 32:1-3 be regarded as the introduction, and Deuteronomy 32:43 as the conclusion, the main contents of the song may be grouped under three heads, namely, (1) Deuteronomy 32:4-18, the faithfulness of God, the faithlessness of Israel; (2) Deuteronomy 32:19-33, the chastisement and the need of its infliction by God; (3) Deuteronomy 32:34-42, God’s compassion upon the low and humbled state of His people. The Song differs signally in diction and idiom from the preceding chapters; just as a lyrical passage is conceived in modes of thought wholly unlike those which belong to narrative or exhortation, and is uttered in different phraseology. There are, however, in the…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Which did eat - That is, to whom you offered sacrifices and oblations after the manner of the Gentiles. Help you - If they can. Deuteronomy 32:39”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“32:38 ate the fat . . . drank the wine: Most polytheistic religious systems that practice sacrifice include the notion that the gods find nourishment in the sacrifices made to them. Israel fell victim to this superstitious belief for a time before the Lord graciously taught them otherwise and restored them to himself (32:36).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“eat the fat: Lev 21:21; Psa 50:13; Eze 16:18, Eze 16:19; Hos 2:8; Zep 2:11 let them: Jdg 10:14 your protection: Heb. an hiding for you Deuteronomy 32:39”
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Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 32 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification