Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 32:43

Rejoice, O ye nations, [with] his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, [and] to his people.

43. For this LXX gives eight lines, part quoted in Rom 15:10.

Sing ] Heb. harnn, the most ringing of the vbs with this meaning.

assoils ] Covers, or clears, from guilt, cp. Deu 21:8.

the land of His people ] So Sam., LXX, etc., doubtless rightly. Heb. as in R.V.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Rejoice, O ye nations, with His people – Some prefer the marginal rendering.

In this profound passage, there is shadowed forth the purpose of God to overrule:

(1) the unbelief of the Jews to the bringing in of the Gentiles; and

(2) the mercy shown to the Gentries to the eventual restoration of the Jews (compare Rom 11:25-36).

The Song closes as it began Deu 32:1-3, with an invitation to praise. It has reached, through a long series of divine interpositions, its grandest theme in this call to the Gentiles, now pagan no more, to rejoice over Gods restored people, the Jews.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 43. Rejoice, O ye nations] Ye Gentiles, for the casting off of the Jews shall be the means of your ingathering with his people, for they shall not be utterly cast off. (See Ro 15:9, for in this way the apostle applies it.) But how shall the Gentiles be called, and the Jews have their iniquity purged? He will be merciful unto his land and to his people, vechipper, he shall cause an atonement to be made for his land and people; i. e., Jesus Christ, the long promised Messiah, shall be crucified for Jews and Gentiles, and the way to the holiest be made plain by his blood.

The people have long been making atonements for themselves, but to none effect, for their atonements were but signs, and not the thing signified, for the body is Christ; now the Lord himself makes an atonement, for the Lamb of God alone taketh away the sin of the world. This is a very proper and encouraging conclusion to the awfully important matter of this poem.

Israel shall be long scattered, peeled, and punished, but they shall have mercy in the latter times; they also shall rejoice with the Gentiles, in the common salvation purchased by the blood of the Saviour of all mankind.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

With his people. This translation is justified by St. Paul, Rom 15:10, the particle with being oft understood, as Lev 26:42. He calls upon the nations to rejoice and bless God for his favours, and especially for the last wonderful deliverance which shall be given to the Jews when they shall be converted unto the gospel in the last days, which they have all reason to do, not only kern that duty of sympathy which they owe to all people, and especially to Gods ancient people, whereby they are to rejoice with them that rejoice, but because of that singular advantage and happiness which all nations will have at that time, and upon that occasion. Or, Rejoice, O ye Gentiles, his people; i.e. O you Gentiles, who once were not Gods people, but now are his people, do you rejoice for Gods mercies to the Jews his ancient people, bless God for their conversion and salvation.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Rejoice, O ye nations, [with] his people,…. Or, “rejoice, ye nations”, who are “his” people; so Kimchi and Ben Melech interpret it; the Gentiles, who are the Lord’s chosen and covenant people, redeemed and called, and the fulness of them now brought in, and so matter of great rejoicing; or rather, as the Septuagint, which is approved and confirmed by the Apostle Paul, “rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people”, Ro 15:10; and as it is there applied to the then state of the Christian church, when Jews and Gentiles were incorporated and united together; so here it respects future time, when, as the fulness of the Gentiles will be brought in, so the Jews will be converted, and the “loammi”, Ho 1:9, will be taken off from them, and they will be reckoned among the people of God; and Jews and Gentiles will be joined together in the same Gospel church state, and so are called upon to rejoice in their common salvation, and in their common blessings and privileges, and particularly for what follows:

for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries; by his servants are meant the martyrs of Jesus, whose blood has been shed by antichrist, and the antichristian powers, his adversaries; as the blood of the Waldenses in the valleys of Piedmont, the Albigenses in Spain, and the Petrobrussians in France, the Bohemians in Germany, the Wickliffites, Lollards and the “martyrs” in Queen Mary’s days in England, with many others; and when inquisition is made for blood, the blood of those will be found out, and vengeance rendered for it:

and will be merciful unto his land, [and] to his people: or “will atone for” z, expiate, cleanse, and purge both land and people; clear the whole earth, which is the Lord’s, from Mahometanism, Paganism, and Popery, and cover it with the knowledge of the Lord by the everlasting Gospel, which will be preached to all nations; and particularly the land of Canaan, laid under an anathema or curse, as threatened, Mal 4:6; under which it has lain ever since the destruction of it by the Romans, and has ever since been inhabited by Pagans, Mahometans, and Papists; and, though once a land flowing with milk and honey, has been turned into a barren wilderness, and will thus remain, and Jerusalem, its metropolis, trodden down by the Gentiles, until their times are fulfilled; which now will be, and then it will be restored to its former fruitfulness and fertility, Lu 21:24; and will be inhabited by the converted Jews, to whom the Lord will be pacified, upon the foot or Christ’s atonement, which now will be made known and applied unto them, with the full and free pardon of all their sins, Ro 11:25; and thus ends this most excellent and wonderful song, which is of such a large extent and compass, as to reach from the beginning of the Jewish nation, and before it, to the conversion of the Jews in the latter day; an history of more than four thousand years already; and how long more is yet to come before all in it is fulfilled no man call say.

z “propitiabitur”, Pagninus, Montanus; “expiabit”, Vatablus; “expiat”, Junius & Tremellius.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people. The appositive reading, which some prefer, “Praise him, O nations, His people,” supplying the word “God,” is constrained. For there is no incongruity in the notion that the Gentiles should celebrate the benefits which God has conferred upon His people; at any rate, it is more simple to take it thus, that so conspicuous was the favor of God towards the Israelites, that the knowledge and favor of it should diffuse itself far and wide, and be renowned even among the Gentiles. For Scripture thus magnifies some of the more memorable exertions of God’s power, especially when reference is made to the redemption of the elect people, and commands His praise to be proclaimed among the nations, since it would be by no means fitting that it should be confined within the narrow limits of Judea. A question, however, occurs, because Paul seems to quote this passage differently; for he says, “Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people,” (Rom 15:10😉 and undoubtedly the word נקם , nakam, which Moses uses, also signifies to rejoice. (299) If we admit that Paul took this sentence from Moses, the same Spirit, who spoke both by Moses and Paul, is the best interpreter of His own words; nor will it be inconsistent that the Gentiles should rejoice at the felicity of God’s people. But it may have been the case that Paul did not take this testimony from any particular place, but from the general teaching of Scripture. At any rate, the dignity of the people is celebrated on the ground that God esteems their blood precious, and will deem their persecutors His own adversaries.

The word כפר , capbar, at the end of the verse, some render to expiate, others, to be propitious, which is the rendering I have preferred, although I do not reject the former meaning. The verb כפר , caphar, signifies that an expiation is made with sacrifice to appease God; and it is probable that Moses alludes to the legal mode of reconciliation; nevertheless, in my judgment, he means that God will restore His land and people to His favor.

(299) It would scarcely be conceded now that נקם ever means to rejoice. — W

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(43) Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people.[9]This is cited by St. Paul to show that the Gentiles must also glorify God for His mercy in sending Jesus Christ. But it is not wholly fulfilled yet. If the fall of Gods people was the wealth of the world . . . what will the receiving of them be. but life from the dead? (See Rom. 11:12; Rom. 11:15; Rom. 15:10.)

[9] The LXX. have a longer version of this verse, Rejoice, ye heavens, with Him, and let all the angels of God worship Him (Heb. 1:7); Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with His people, and let all the sons of God be strong in Him; for, &c.

And will be merciful unto.Literally, will reconcile or make atonement for His land, the land of His people, or for the land of His people. He will cleanse, forgive, and be merciful to it. The very last words speak of local restoration of the land to the people, and the people to the land. Of no other land has He said The land is mine Israel alone is called His firstborn.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

43. Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people Or, rather, Praise, O ye nations, his people. The English versions follow the reading of the Septuagint. And the passage is thus quoted in Rom 15:10.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Yahweh Will Deliver His People And Restore Them ( Deu 32:43 ).

Deu 32:43

“Praise, O nations, his people,

For he will avenge the blood of his servants,

And will render vengeance to his adversaries,

And will make expiation for his land, for his people.”

For in the end He will deliver His people. And the nations, who had previously looked on His people with scant respect, were now called on to praise them for what they have now become, for He will have avenged the blood of His servants, and rendered vengeance on His enemies, and provided a ‘covering for sin’ (making atonement) for His land and people. Thus in the end will Yahweh triumph. Justice will have been exacted and the sins of His people atoned for.

The cry of triumph and praise is echoed throughout Scripture by the true people of God. For He is always faithful to His people, and in the end sees them through all their troubles.

Note:

It will be noted that there is no mention in the song of exile or of a king. It was clearly written before either came to prominence. Its unspecific content is precisely what we would expect before any particular enemies came into prospect.

(End of note.)

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett