Heaven and earth summoned; the Lord the Rock, whose work is perfect (Deuteronomy 32:1–6)

Says "Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth" (32:1, BSB). Moses had said he would "call heaven and earth to witness against them" (31:28, BSB), so heaven and earth are summoned as witnesses. Deuteronomy uses the same summons in 4:26 and 30:19; see the historical note on heaven and earth as witnesses.

Uncertain Whether the Song follows a covenant-lawsuit form. This commentary leans, with the Hebrew note on 32:1–6, that it echoes one: heaven and earth are summoned as hearers, and 32:5–6 charge the people with corruption against their Father. The alternative is a teaching poem that uses legal language, since 32:2 calls the Song לִקְחִי (liqkhi, "my teaching"). The historical note sets out the prophetic and psalm summonses (Isa 1:2; Mic 6:2; Ps 50:4) and takes no position on the form.

Says "He is the Rock, His work is perfect; all His ways are just" (32:4, BSB). "His people have acted corruptly toward Him" (32:5, BSB), the verb of Moses' warning that they "will become utterly corrupt" (31:29, BSB).

Says The Hebrew of 32:5 is hard, and the BSB smooths it. The Greek and the Aramaic Targum construe the same Hebrew words differently, so no different Hebrew text is shown and no textual record is made; see the textual note on 32:43, which also covers 32:5.

Uncertain Whether קָּנֶךָ (qanekha, 32:6) means "created you" or "acquired you." This commentary leans to "created," with the Hebrew note, beside "made you" and "established you" in the same verse (BSB "Father and Creator"). The alternative is "acquired," Israel as the Lord's own people (32:9).

Uncertain Whether Phil 2:15 alludes to "a perverse and crooked generation" (32:5, BSB). No lean is taken; the wording has not been compared here.