The Meaning of Deuteronomy 32:36 Explained

Deuteronomy 32:36

KJV: For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.

YLT: For Jehovah doth judge His people, And for His servants doth repent Himself. For He seeth -- the going away of power, And none is restrained and left.

Darby: For Jehovah will judge his people, And shall repent in favour of his servants; When he seeth that power is gone, And there is none shut up or left.

ASV: For Jehovah will judge his people, And repent himself for his servants; When he seeth that their power is gone, And there is none remaining , shut up or left at large.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For the LORD  shall judge  his people,  and repent  himself for his servants,  when he seeth  that [their] power  is gone,  and [there is] none  shut up,  or left. 

What does Deuteronomy 32:36 Mean?

Study Notes

repent
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repented
Repentance (O.T.), Summary: In the O.T., repentance is the English word used to translate the Heb. nacham, to be "eased" or "comforted." It is used of both God and man. Notwithstanding the literal meaning of nacham, it is evident, from a study of all the passages, that the sacred writers use it in the sense of metanoia in the N.T.--a change of mind. Matthew 3:2 (See Scofield " Acts 17:30 ") . As in the N.T., such change of mind is often accompanied by contrition and self-judgment. When applied to God the word is used phenomenally according to O.T. custom. God seems to change His mind. The phenomena are such as, in the case of man, would indicate a change of mind.

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 32:36-52 - Moses Views What Others Shall Possess
Sometimes God leaves us to ourselves that we may learn our weakness and sinfulness. Then, when our power is gone and we seem destined to be destroyed, we begin to repent of our idolatry and apostasy and to long after our former blessed experiences. At such times He draws graciously near to us again, to heal, to quicken and to deliver. He renders swift vengeance to the evils that have desolated us, and is merciful with a great compassion. See Deuteronomy 32:43. In that remarkable verse, quoted in Romans 15:10, the appeal goes forth to all the world to join with God's people in glad acknowledgment of His saving mercy.
This noble song declares for all ages the way of life and peace as contrasted with soul-death and misery. Every line of it has been fulfilled in the history of the Jews. May we not hope, also, that the time is not far distant when Jew and Gentile shall rejoice together in the bonds of common Christian fellowship? Note Deuteronomy 32:46-47. The love and service of God are life. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 32

1  Moses' song, which sets forth God's mercy and vengeance
46  He exhorts them to set their hearts upon it
48  God sends him up to mount Nebo to see the land, and to die

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 32:36 mean?

For will judge Yahweh His people and on His servants have compassion when He sees that is gone [their] power and [there is] no one [remaining] bond or free
כִּֽי־ יָדִ֤ין יְהוָה֙ עַמּ֔וֹ וְעַל־ עֲבָדָ֖יו יִתְנֶחָ֑ם כִּ֤י יִרְאֶה֙ כִּי־ אָ֣זְלַת יָ֔ד וְאֶ֖פֶס עָצ֥וּר וְעָזֽוּב

יָדִ֤ין  will  judge 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דֹּון 
Sense: to judge, contend, plead.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עַמּ֔וֹ  His  people 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
וְעַל־  and  on 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עֲבָדָ֖יו  His  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
יִתְנֶחָ֑ם  have  compassion 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָחַם  
Sense: to be sorry, console oneself, repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
יִרְאֶה֙  He  sees 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
כִּי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אָ֣זְלַת  is  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָזַל  
Sense: to go, to go away, to go about.
יָ֔ד  [their]  power 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
וְאֶ֖פֶס  and  [there  is]  no  one  [remaining] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶפֶס 
Sense: ceasing, end, finality.
עָצ֥וּר  bond 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: עָצַר  
Sense: to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain.
וְעָזֽוּב  or  free 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.