Deuteronomy 32

The Rock

Rock — the sure, unchanging foundation of salvation

Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God. Deuteronomy 32:3–4

Moses opens his song by publishing the LORD's name and calling Him 'the Rock,' whose work is perfect and whose ways are judgment. Paul says the Rock that followed Israel was Christ, and Helaman teaches that Christ is the rock on which we must build.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · the verse itself names Him · another scripture interprets it of Him · a Church study aid lists it

• interpreted by 1 Corinthians 10:4 — 'they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.'
• the same title in Helaman 5:12 — 'it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.'
• the same title in 2 Samuel 22:2-3 — David: 'The LORD is my rock... The God of my rock; in him will I trust... my saviour.'

Redeemer — the Father who bought Israel

Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? Deuteronomy 32:6

The LORD is Israel's father who 'bought' them — the language of redemption, of a kinsman paying a price. Isaiah joins the same two words: 'thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer.' Latter-day Saints know Christ as the Father of the covenant people, who purchased them and spiritually begets them.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him

• the same title in Isaiah 63:16 — 'thou, O LORD, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting' — the Church footnote on this verse.
• the same title in Mosiah 5:7 — Covenant people become 'the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for... this day he hath spiritually begotten you.'

Jehovah — whose portion is His people

Most High (Elyon) / LORD (Jehovah)

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:8–9

The Most High divides the nations, and Israel becomes the LORD's own portion and inheritance. Latter-day Saint teachers often read the Most High as the Father and the LORD as Jehovah, the Son, who received Israel as His covenant people; the text itself does not settle it.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4) · the verse itself names Him · proposed by the reading

Jehovah — the eagle who bears Israel

He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. Deuteronomy 32:10–12

The LORD finds Israel lost in the wilderness and carries them as an eagle carries her young. This is the tender care of Jehovah, the premortal Christ, who alone led His people, 'and there was no strange god with him.'

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4) · the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him

• alludes to Exodus 19:4 — 'I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself' — the Church footnote on verse 11.

The blood of the grape

Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape. Deuteronomy 32:14

In the list of the land's abundance, Moses says Israel drank 'the pure blood of the grape.' The Church footnote sends that phrase to the sacrament — the Savior's 'blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins' — and to His promise to drink of the fruit of the vine with His servants again.

How we know: a footnote points to Him

• alluded to by Matthew 26:28 — At the Last Supper: 'this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins' (the Church footnote on this phrase).
• alluded to by D&C 27:5 — 'the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth' (the second Church footnote on this phrase).

Rock of his Salvation

Rock of salvation — the sure source of deliverance

But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. Deuteronomy 32:15

Prosperous Israel ('Jeshurun') grew fat and treated the Rock of their salvation as unimportant. The Rock of salvation is Christ, and the warning is that comfort can make us forget the One who saves us.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a Church study aid lists it · another scripture interprets it of Him

• the same title in Psalms 89:26 — 'Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.'
• the same title in 2 Nephi 4:35 — Nephi: 'my rock and mine everlasting God.'

The Rock that Begat Thee

Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee. Deuteronomy 32:18

The Rock is also the One who 'begat' Israel — the Hebrew, the Church footnote says, is 'gave you birth.' Latter-day Saint scripture teaches that Christ spiritually begets those who covenant with Him, so forgetting the Rock is forgetting the One who gave us that new life.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · another scripture interprets it of Him

• interpreted by 1 Corinthians 10:4 — 'that Rock was Christ.'

Jehovah — the gospel turned to the Gentiles

They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation. Deuteronomy 32:21

Jehovah warns that He will turn to another people to stir Israel to jealousy. Paul quotes this line in the middle of his argument about preaching Christ, applying it to the gospel going to the Gentiles.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · a footnote points to Him

• quoted by Romans 10:19 — 'First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you' (the Church footnote on this verse).
• alluded to by Romans 11:11 — 'through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.'

Our Rock

How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? Deuteronomy 32:30–31

Israel's enemies could only prevail if Israel's own Rock gave them up, because no false god compares with Israel's Rock. The true Rock, Christ, has no rival.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in 1 Samuel 2:2 — Hannah: 'there is none holy as the LORD... neither is there any rock like our God.'
• the same title in 2 Samuel 22:32 — 'For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?' — the Church footnote on verse 31.

Judgment

To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste. Deuteronomy 32:35–36

Jehovah declares that vengeance and repayment belong to Him, and that He will judge His people and relent toward His servants. The Topical Guide lists this verse under 'Jesus Christ, Judge' — the Father has committed all judgment to the Son.

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · the verse itself names Him · another scripture interprets it of Him

• quoted by Romans 12:19 — 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.'
• quoted by Hebrews 10:30 — 'Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people' — both clauses of these two verses.
• the same title in John 5:22 — 'the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.'

I, even I, am He

'I am he' (ani hu) — the self-declaration of the ever-living God

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. Deuteronomy 32:39–40

Jehovah speaks as the only true God: He alone can take life and give it back, wound and heal, and He lives forever. The Church footnotes send this to the Lord who introduces Himself as 'Jesus Christ, the Great I AM' and to Jehovah in the Kirtland Temple saying 'I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain.'

How we know: a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it · the verse itself names Him · another scripture interprets it of Him

• the same title in D&C 38:1 — 'Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, the Great I AM' — the Church footnote on verse 39.
• the same title in D&C 110:4 — 'I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain' — the Church footnote on verse 40.
• the same title in Isaiah 43:11 — 'I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.'
• the same title in John 8:28 — Jesus: 'When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he.'
• the same title in Revelation 1:18 — 'I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore.'

Atonement for His land and people

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. Deuteronomy 32:43

The song ends calling all nations to rejoice with Israel, because the Lord will be merciful to His land and people — the Hebrew verb behind 'be merciful' is kipper, to make atonement. Paul quotes this line to show that the Gentiles would praise God together with His covenant people through Christ.

How we know: another scripture interprets it of Him · a traditional type, cited

• quoted by Romans 15:10 — 'And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people' — in Paul's chain of prophecies about Christ receiving the Gentiles.

Jehovah at the waters of Meribah

Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:51

Jehovah tells Moses why he will not enter the land: at Meribah he did not sanctify the Lord before Israel, the day he struck the rock instead of speaking to it. The One who was to be honoured there is the premortal Christ.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · a footnote points to Him

• the same event in Numbers 20:11-12 — Moses smites the rock twice; 'Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land' (the Church footnote on this verse).