Deuteronomy 32:36

32:26-38 The idolatry and rebellions of Israel deserved, and the justice of God seemed to demand, that they should be rooted out. But He spared Israel, and continues them still to be living witnesses of the truth of the Bible, and to silence unbelievers. They are preserved for wise and holy purposes and the prophecies give us some idea what those purposes are. The Lord will never disgrace the throne of his glory. It is great wisdom, and will help much to the return of sinners to God, seriously to consider their latter end, or the future state. It is here meant particularly of what God foretold by Moses, about this people in the latter days; but it may be applied generally. Oh that men would consider the happiness they will lose, and the misery they will certainly plunge into, if they go on in their trespasses! What will be in the end thereof? Jer 5:31. For the Lord will in due time bring down the enemies of the church, in displeasure against their wickedness. When sinners deem themselves most secure, they suddenly fall into destruction. And God's time to appear for the deliverance of his people, is when things are at the worst with them. But those who trust to any rock but God, will find it fail them when they most need it. The rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish nation, is the continuance of their ancient idolatry, apostacy, and rebellion.

For the Lord shall judge his people,.... The true church and members of it, in opposition to the false and apostate church; his chosen and covenant people, whom he gave to Christ, and who are redeemed by his blood, and effectually called by his grace; the people he shall call out of Babylon, or preserve from the corruptions of it before its fall; and who are the objects of his love and delight; a distinct, peculiar, and special people, near unto him, and all righteous: these he will judge at this time, distinguish between them and the followers of antichrist; he will take their cause in hand, and plead it, and do justice to them; he will right their wrongs and injuries, and take vengeance on their enemies; he will protect and defend them, reign and rule over them.

Now will be the time, when the witnesses slain are raised, that he will take to himself his great power and reign, and the time of the dead when they will be judged, and a reward given to his servants and prophets, to his saints, and all that fear his name; and when he will destroy them that have destroyed the earth, Revelation 11:17 ; so the Targum of Jonathan interprets this of the word of the Lord that shall judge his people in mercy: and repent himself for his servants; by whom are meant not only the ministers of the Gospel, his witnesses that prophesy in sackcloth, and who will be slain when they have finished their testimony; but all that are effectually called by grace, who though they have been the servants of sin, and the vassals of Satan, yet by the grace of God become the servants of God and of righteousness; dislike and cast off their old masters; readily, willingly, and cheerfully, take upon them the yoke of Christ, and freely obey him, constrained by his love, and influenced by views of interest in him: and so serve him without any selfish views, owning that, when they have done all they can, they are but unprofitable servants: now for or on account of these he will repent himself, because of the evils he has suffered to come upon them, being moved with pity, and compassion to them in their miserable circumstances, as they will be in when the witnesses his servants will be slain; not that, properly speaking, repentance is in God; he never changes his mind, couns

Deuteronomy 32:36 . For the Lord, &c. — The Hebrew particle here rendered for, may properly be translated nevertheless, as it is Isaiah 9:1 : for here, it seems, a new paragraph begins; and having spoken of the dreadful calamity which would come upon his people, he now turns his discourse into a more comfortable strain, and begins to show that after God had sorely chastised them, he would have mercy upon them and turn their captivity. Judge his people — Shall plead their cause, shall protect and deliver them. Repent — Of the evils he hath brought upon them. None shut up — Either in their strong cities, or castles, or other hiding places, or in the enemy’s hands or prisons, whence there might be some hope or possibility of redemption; and none left, as the poor and contemptible people are neglected and usually left by the conquerors in the conquered land, but all seem to be cut off and destroyed.

(36) For the Lord shall judge His people. —Quoted in Hebrews 10:30 , in connection with the previous verse. According to this view “shall judge” means “shall punish,” not “shall defend.” And repent Himself for His servants.—Or, and will be comforted over His servants. Comp. Ezekiel 5:13, “I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted;” and also Isaiah 1:24, &c. None shut up, or left.—Comp. 1Kings 14:10; 1Kings 21:21; 2Kings 9:8, and especially Deuteronomy 14:26. (37,38) He shall say,Where are their gods? . . . let them rise up and help you.—He did say so in Judges 10:14.

Verse 36. - The Lord shall judge his people (cf. Psalm 135:14 ; 1 Peter 4:17 ). And repent himself for his servants ; rather, and have compassion upon his servants . And there is none shut up, or left . The words rendered "shut up or left" are a proverbial expression for "every one, men of all sorts" (cf. 1 Kings 14:10 ; 1 Kings 21:21 ; 2 Kings 9:8 ; 2 Kings 14:26 ); but how the words are to be rendered or explained is uncertain. Rosenmüller renders as in the Authorized Version; Gesenius has, "the shut up and the let go free, the bond and the flee;" so also Furst and De Wette; De Dieu, "married and single, conjugatus et coelebs ," referring to the Arabic usage in support of his conclusion ('Animad. in Ver. Test.,' p. 114), and this Keil approves. Ewald has "kept in (by legal impurity) or at large." The explanation of Gesenius and Furst seems best. Deuteronomy 32:36

For, or, nevertheless , or, but yet , as the particle chi is sometimes used, as Job 5:7 Isaiah 9:1 49:25 . Having spoken of the dreadful calamity which would come upon his people, he now turns his discourse into a more comfortable strain, according to the usual method of the prophets, and here begins to show that after God had humbled and sorely chastised his people, yet at last he would have mercy upon them, and turn their captivity, as it here follows. Shall judge his people, i.e. shall plead their cause, shall protect and deliver them, as that phrase is oft used. See Psalm 7:8 10:18 Isaiah 1:17 11:4 Jeremiah 5:28 22:16 . Repent himself for his servants, i.e. repent of the evils he hath brought upon them, will change his course and carriage towards them. None shut up, or left: none shut up, either in their strong cities or castles, or other hiding-places, or in the enemy’s hands or prisons, whence there might be some hope or possibility of redemption; and none left , as the poor and contemptible people are neglected and usually left by the conquerors in the conquered land, as 2 Kings 25:12 , but all seem to be cut off; and the people quite destroyed. So this phrase is used 1 Kings 14:10 21:21 2 Kings 9:8 14:26 .

Repent himself for - Rather, have compassion upon. The verse declares that God's judgment of His people would issue at once in the punishment of the wicked, and in the comfort of the righteous. None shut up, or left - A proverbial phrase (compare 1 Kings 14:10) meaning perhaps "married and single," or "guarded and forsaken," but signifying generally "all men of all sorts."

36 For the Lord shall judge for His people, And relent for His servants’ sake, When He sees that their grip is gone, Nor fast nor free remaineth; 37 And shall say, Where be their gods The rock whereon they refuged, 38 Which ate the fat of their sacrifice, Drank the wine of their pouring? Let them arise to your help, Let them be a covert above you! 36 . judge his people ] As the parallel line shows, this means ‘will judge for his people.’ power ] Lit. hand , i.e. hold or grip . nor fast nor free ] Heb. ‘aṣûr we ‘azûb , an alliterative phrase for the whole population. Whether it means in and out of prison, or under and free of taboo or ritual uncleanness, is doubtful.