Deuteronomy 32:15

32:15-18 Here are two instances of the wickedness of Israel, each was apostacy from God. These people were called Jeshurun, an upright people, so some; a seeing people, so others: but they soon lost the reputation both of their knowledge and of their righteousness. They indulged their appetites, as if they had nothing to do but to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it. Those who make a god of themselves, and a god of their bellies, in pride and wantonness, and cannot bear to be told of it, thereby forsake God, and show they esteem him lightly. There is but one way of a sinner's acceptance and sanctification, however different modes of irreligion, or false religion, may show that favourable regard for other ways, which is often miscalled candid. How mad are idolaters, who forsake the Rock of salvation, to run themselves upon the rock of perdition!

Deuteronomy 32:15 . Jeshurun — Israel is called Jeshurun, both here and chap. Deuteronomy 33:5 ; Deuteronomy 33:26 ; as also Isaiah 44:2 . Some consider the word as being derived from שׁור , shur, to see, and think the appellation was given them because they were so highly favoured with divine manifestations. But it is much more probable that it is derived from ישׁר , jashar, to be right, upright, or righteous, and that they are called Jeshurun, because they were a people professing righteousness, and were governed by righteous laws. Moses might also give them this name by way of instruction, to remind them what they ought to be, and by way of reproof, to show them what a shame it was that they should degenerate so far from their name and profession. Waxed fat and kicked — As well-fed cattle were wont to do: he grew insolent and rebellious against God, and against his word and Spirit. Moses here, transported in his mind to future scenes, speaks in the prophetic style, which often represents future events as actually present, or already past, to denote the certainty of the things foretold. The meaning is, that Israel, in the days of their prosperity, would make a very bad use of the blessings bestowed on them, would spurn at the yoke of God’s law, and become wanton and ungovernable, like pampered horses.

And lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation — That is, his mighty Saviour and Deliverer; as if he had said, I see the time approaching when they shall notoriously abuse the goodness of God, and behave with the utmost ingratitude toward the Author of all their mercies. The Hebrew word ינבל jenabel, which we render, He lightly esteemed, signifies, He rejected with the greatest contempt. Thus the Jews, in after ages, rejected their Messiah, who was in the most eminent sense the Rock of their salvation, and thereby again most awfully fulfilled this prophecy, after they had fulfilled it several times before. But prosperity is but too apt to make men forget and forsake God, and lightly to esteem both him and his salvation.

(15) Jeshurun is a diminutive—a term of endearment. Either “the child of the upright,” or “the beloved Israel.” The letters of the diminutive of Israel, if slightly abbreviated, would make “Jeshurun.” It is peculiar to Deuteronomy (here and in Deuteronomy 33:5 ; Deuteronomy 33:26 ) and Isaiah ( Isaiah 44:2 ). Two of the Targums render the word by “Israel here.” The third retains the word itself. The LXX. translate it “the beloved one.” Kicked.—Only in 1Samuel 2:29 : “Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and mine offering . . . to make yourselves fat?" Grown thick.—As Rehoboam said, “My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.” Both these parallels illustrate the spirit of the verse.

Verses 15-18. - Israel's ungrateful return for the Lord's benefits. Verse 15. - Jeshurun . This name, formed from יָשַׂר , righteous, designates Israel as chosen to be a righteous nation; and in the use of it here lies the keenest reproach of apostate Israel, as fallen into a state the opposite of that to which it was destined. "By using the name righteous in place of Israel , Moses ironically censures those who had swerved from rectitude; by recalling to memory with what dignity they had been endowed, he the more sharply rebukes the perfidy which was their crime" (Calvin). This name appears also in Deuteronomy 33:5, 26 , and in Isaiah 44:2 ; but in these places without any implied censure. By some the word is regarded as a diminutive from יָשׂוּר , the same as יָשָׂר , in the sense of rectulus , justulus , " the good little people" (Gesenius); others as a diminutive from XXX, Israel, as a sort of term of endearment (Grotius). But the latter of these derivations is impossible; and as to the former, there lacks evidence of the termination un having a diminutive significance in Hebrew. Besides, neither here nor in Deuteronomy 33:5 would a term of endearment be suitable. Waxed fat, and kicked (cf. Deuteronomy 6:11 ; Deuteronomy 8:10 ; Deuteronomy 31:20 ). The allusion is to an ox that had grown fat through good feeding, and had become unmanageable in consequence (cf. 1 Samuel 2:26 : Hosea 10:4 ). Lightly esteemed .

Joshurun, i.e. Israel, as is agreed by Christian and Jewish interpreters, whom he calls right , or upright , or righteous, (as the word signifies,) not that they were so indeed, but partly by way of instruction, to mind them what they professed, and promised, and ought to be; and partly by way of exprobration, to show them how unlike they were to the people of God, which they pretended to be, and what a shame it was to them to degenerate so much from their their name and profession. Waxed fat, and kicked, as well-fed and wanton cattle used to do; he grew insolent and rebellious against God, and against his word and Spirit. Thou art covered with fatness; which is here rightly understood and supplied, by comparing this place with Job 15:27 Psalm 17:10 .

Jesbarun - This word, found again only in Deuteronomy 33:5 , Deuteronomy 33:26 , and Isaiah 44:2 , is not a diminutive but an appellative (containing an allusion to the root, "to be righteous"); and describes not the character which belonged to Israel in fact, but that to which Israel was called. Compare Numbers 23:21 . The prefixing of this epithet to the description of Israel's apostasy contained in the words next following is full of keen reproof.

15. But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked—This is a poetical name for Israel. The metaphor here used is derived from a pampered animal, which, instead of being tame and gentle, becomes mischievous and vicious, in consequence of good living and kind treatment. So did the Israelites conduct themselves by their various acts of rebellion, murmuring, and idolatrous apostasy.

15 . The line ( And ) Jacob ate and was full is added by Sam. to the previous v ., but by the LXX to this one to which it is more suitable; cp. Deuteronomy 31:20 , Nehemiah 9:25 . Jeshurun ] Deuteronomy 33:5 ; Deuteronomy 33:26 , Isaiah 44:2 , a name for the people (cp. Jashar , Joshua 10:13 , 2 Samuel 1:18 ) with a play upon the name Israel ; and, as it means honest or upright, it is used here sarcastically of so delinquent and perverse a race. Thou wast waxen fat … plump … sleek ] Note the change to the 2nd pers. and the fact that if the additional line from the Sam. and LXX be prefixed to the v . this line forms an odd one among its couplets; which may be taken as an argument against either its originality or that of the line added by the LXX. Sleek , perhaps we should read the same vb. as in Jeremiah 5:28 (Grätz); the Heb. vb. here means thou art gorged . God ] Heb. ’Eloah , ‘probably only a secondary form obtained inferentially from ‘Elohîm,’ only in late writings, chiefly poetry. lightly esteemed ] Rather held , or treated , as a fool , Micah 7:6 . How often in their superstition men act as if God could be tricked, and in their immorality as if He were senseless. Yet God is sensitive, as the next v . declares, and as Isaiah says is wise . On Rock see Deuteronomy 32:4 . 15–18. The Fulness and Apostasy of Israel 15 Jacob ate and was full, Fat waxed Jeshurun and kicked, —Thou wast fat, thou wast plump, thou wast sleek!

He forsook the God who had made him, And befooled the Rock of his succour. 16 With strangers they moved Him to jealousy, With abominations provoked Him, 17 They sacrificed to demons not God, Gods whom they never had known, New ones, lately come in, Your sires never trembled at them. 18 Of the Rock that thee bare thou wast mindless, And forgattest the God that had travailed with thee.