Lest the enemy misunderstand: the Lord's restraint and "Vengeance is Mine" (Deuteronomy 32:26–35)

Says The Lord would have blotted out their memory "if I had not dreaded the taunt of the enemy" (32:27, BSB), lest they say, "Our own hand has prevailed; it was not the Lord who did all this" (32:27, BSB).

Uncertain Whether 32:28–29 speak of Israel or of the enemy. The Hebrew does not name the nation; the BSB's "Israel" is an interpretive addition. Israel is called foolish in 32:6, but the enemy is the subject of 32:27, and 32:31 speaks of "their rock." This commentary takes no lean, with the Hebrew note on 32:26–35.

Says "For their rock is not like our Rock, even our enemies concede" (32:31, BSB). "Vengeance is Mine; I will repay" (32:35, BSB). The Hebrew reads "Mine are vengeance and recompense," with a noun where the BSB has "I will repay." The Septuagint has "in the day of vengeance I will repay."

The text printed here follows the MT, with medium confidence (see the textual note on 32:35).

Says Rom 12:19 and Heb 10:30 quote 32:35 as Ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω ("vengeance is mine, I will repay," literal). "Mine" agrees with the Hebrew against the Septuagint, and "I will repay" shares the Septuagint's verb. Rom 12:19 adds "says the Lord," which neither text of 32:35 has. See the cross-reference notes on Rom 12:19 and Heb 10:30.

Uncertain Where the shared form comes from. This commentary leans, with the cross-reference note on Rom 12:19, to a Greek wording Paul shared rather than coined, since Hebrews has the same words. The alternative is Paul's own rendering of the Hebrew with the Septuagint's verb.