Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 32:41
If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
41. whet ] See on Deu 6:7. Jehovah as warrior, as often in later prophecy, e.g. Isaiah 63.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
If once I begin to prepare for war, and for the execution of my sentence.
Take hold on judgment, i.e. of the instruments of judgment, of the weapons of war. A metaphor from warriors that take their weapons into their hand when they intend to fight.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
If I whet my glittering sword,…. That is, I will do it as sure as I live, if I do not, be it so and so; what that is is not said, but left to be concluded. A glittering sword is a sword drawn, the blade of it drawn out of the scabbard, cleaned and polished, whetted and made sharp, that it may more easily penetrate and pierce; and this, being brandished, glitters like lightning, as the word used signifies. Whetting the sword is a preparation for doing execution with it; and is a warning, a giving notice of it, as girding: the sword on the thigh also is ascribed to Christ, Ps 45:3. This sword intends a sword of justice, the sharp sword said to proceed out of the mouth of Christ, the judiciary sentence which he will pronounce and execute on antichrist, and all his followers, Re 19:15;
and my hand take hold on judgment: in order to execute it; the allusion is to the laying hold on the instruments of justice and death, as the glittering sword before mentioned, and arrows afterwards; and may have respect to the four sore judgments, or at least to some of them, which the Lord will execute on mystical Babylon, Eze 14:21; and particularly to the seven vials of God’s wrath, which will be poured out on the antichristian states, Re 16:1;
I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and I will reward them that hate me; his enemies that hate him, and will not have him to rule over them, are the followers of antichrist, who has his name from his opposition to Christ, his hatred of him, and enmity against him; opposing him in his kingly office, taking upon him to exercise dominion and tyranny over the consciences of men, making new laws, and imposing them on them, and dispensing with the laws of Christ; and setting aside his priestly office by the sacrifice of the Mass, granting pardons and indulgences, and advancing the works and merits of men, in opposition to the righteousness of Christ, and pretending even to works of supererogation; making of none effect, as much as in him lies, his prophetic office, by setting up unwritten traditions before the word of God, and making them the rule of faith and practice, and assuming to himself an infallible interpretation of the sense of Scripture. The vengeance Christ will render, as a righteous reward to those his enemies, is expressed by destroying antichrist with the breath of his mouth; by the beast going into perdition; by leading them captive who have led others; by killing them with the sword who have killed others with it; by pouring out the vials of his wrath on them; by giving them the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath; by smiting them with the sword that comes out of his mouth, and by bringing upon them death, mourning, and famine, and burning them with fire; all which he will most surely render unto them, 2Th 2:8
Re 19:15.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
41 If I whet my glittering sword. The conditional particle does not leave the matter doubtful, or in suspense, but must be resolved into an adverb of time; as though He had said, As soon as He should take up arms, the destruction of the enemies would be certain; not indeed that God wants arms for the overthrow of His enemies; just as when He adds directly afterwards, “When my hand shall have taken hold of judgment,” He does not mean that it ever is taken away from Him, or escapes Him, but He thus designates its present and manifest operation. (295) Since, therefore, God, when He spares His enemies, seems, as it were, to have thrown aside His weapons, and to be at rest, having ceased to execute the office of judge, He declares that His arms shall be ready wherewith to destroy His enemies; and again, that then He will once more take upon Him the judgment which He had seemed to lay aside; in which words He indirectly animadverts upon the foolish security of those who conceive that His power is annihilated, unless He openly exerts it, and that the judgment which He postpones is altogether extinct.
(295) “C’est pour signifier un effet present et manifest, lequel n’estoit point apparu devant;” it is to signify a present and manifest effect, which had appeared before. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
41. I will render vengeance As the divine Ruler Jehovah will administer justice. His enemies will be surely punished. Retribution will come upon the ungodly.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
He Threatens Judgment On His Enemies ( Deu 32:41-42 ).
Deu 32:41-42
“If I whet my glittering (lightning) sword,
And my hand takes hold on judgment,
I will render vengeance to mine adversaries,
And will recompense them that hate me.
I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
And my sword will devour flesh,
With the blood of the slain and the captives,
From the head of the long haired ones of the enemy.”
When He wills He can take vengeance on His enemies. He has but to sharpen His sword which is like lightning, and take in His hand the means of judgment, and then He can render vengeance on all of them, whether the unfaithful of Israel or their enemies. He can recompense all of them for their hatred of Him. His arrows will slay innumerable foes, and His sword will devour their flesh. It will be covered with the blood of the slain and the blood of captives, and blood will flow from the long haired ones of the enemy. The long haired ones were probably the elite troops who let their hair grow long in order to give them extra power in battle (compare Jdg 5:2 in a literal rendering)
Yahweh is here pictured as a mighty Conqueror and Judge whom none can resist, for He is invincible and can do whatever He will, and brings His judgment on all alike Who resist His will.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Deu 32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
Ver. 41. If I whet my glittering sword. ] God first whets, before he smites; and first takes hold on judgment, before his judgments take hold on men. Est piger ad poenas, ad praemia velox. See the like, Psa 7:12 . God was but six days in making the whole world, yet was he seven days in destroying that one city of Jericho, as Chrysostom observeth. “Fury is not in me.” Isa 27:4 As a bee stings not till provoked, so God punisheth not “till there be no other remedy.” 2Ch 36:16
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
sword. Figure of speech Anthropopatheia. App-6. Compare Rev 19:15.
judgment = justice, or retribution. Compare Isa 1:24.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
whet: Psa 7:12, Isa 27:1, Isa 34:5, Isa 34:6, Isa 66:16, Eze 21:9-15, Eze 21:20, Zep 2:12
I will: Deu 32:35, Isa 1:24, Isa 59:18, Isa 66:6, Mar 1:2
them that hate: Deu 5:9, Exo 20:5, Rom 1:30, Rom 8:7, 2Ti 3:4
Reciprocal: Lev 26:25 – will bring Deu 7:10 – repayeth Deu 32:43 – render Jdg 2:15 – had sworn 2Ch 19:2 – hate the Lord Job 20:25 – drawn Job 21:19 – he rewardeth Psa 35:2 – General Psa 94:1 – General Isa 34:8 – General Isa 47:3 – I will take Jer 47:6 – thou sword Jer 50:15 – for it Jer 51:6 – for this Lam 1:21 – they shall Eze 9:10 – but Eze 21:3 – will draw Eze 30:24 – and put Eze 32:10 – my sword Amo 1:7 – I will Nah 1:2 – reserveth Zec 13:7 – O sword 2Th 1:6 – General 2Th 1:8 – taking