The Meaning of Deuteronomy 32:38 Explained

Deuteronomy 32:38

KJV: Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.

YLT: Which the fat of their sacrifices do eat, They drink the wine of their libation! Let them arise and help you, Let it be for you a hiding-place!

Darby: Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, That there may be a protection over you.

ASV: Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, And drank the wine of their drink-offering? Let them rise up and help you, Let them be your protection.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Which did eat  the fat  of their sacrifices,  [and] drank  the wine  of their drink offerings?  let them rise up  and help  you, [and] be your protection. 

What does Deuteronomy 32:38 Mean?

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 32:38 mean?

Who the fat of their sacrifices ate [And] drank the wine of their drink offering let them rise and help you - [And] be your refuge
אֲשֶׁ֨ר חֵ֤לֶב זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙ יֹאכֵ֔לוּ יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין ؟ נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם יְהִ֥י עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם סִתְרָֽה

חֵ֤לֶב  the  fat 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֵלֶב  
Sense: fat.
זְבָחֵ֙ימוֹ֙  of  their  sacrifices 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: זֶבַח  
Sense: sacrifice.
יֹאכֵ֔לוּ  ate 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
יִשְׁתּ֖וּ  [And]  drank 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
יֵ֣ין  the  wine 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יַיִן  
Sense: wine.
؟ נְסִיכָ֑ם  of  their  drink  offering 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נָסִיךְ 
Sense: poured out, libation, molten image, one anointed.
יָק֙וּמוּ֙  let  them  rise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם  and  help  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural, second person masculine plural
Root: עָזַר  
Sense: to help, succour, support.
יְהִ֥י  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם  [And]  be 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
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.
סִתְרָֽה  your  refuge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: סֵתֶר 
Sense: covering, shelter, hiding place, secrecy.