Deuteronomy 32:6
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 32:6
6 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?
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 32 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of worship, faith, holiness. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-52: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it offers practical wisdom for godly living in a fallen world. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 32:6
6 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?
Analysis
Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise?—the Hebrew naval (foolish) and lo chakam (not wise) indicate moral deficiency, not intellectual limitation. Biblical foolishness is covenant rebellion (Psalm 14:1: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'"). To 'requite' (gamal) means to repay or reward—Israel's ingratitude repays God's goodness with evil.
Is not he thy father that hath bought thee? (ha-lo hu 'abika qaneka)—qanah means "acquired/purchased/redeemed." God is Father by creation AND redemption—He brought Israel into existence and delivered them from Egypt. Hath he not made thee, and established thee? (hu 'aseka wa-yekoneneka)—'asah' (made) recalls creation; 'kun' (established) means to set firmly, prepare, or constitute as a people.
This triple foundation—purchase, creation, establishment—establishes God's parental rights and Israel's filial obligations. The father-son relationship pervades Deuteronomy (1:31; 8:5; 14:1) and anticipates the New Testament's adoption theology (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5-7).
Historical Context
The Song's rhetorical questions prosecute covenant ingratitude in the style of a prophetic lawsuit (rib). The Exodus redemption (referenced by "bought thee") occurred approximately 40 years before this song, making Israel's potential apostasy particularly grievous—they should remember their slavery and deliverance. The father-son covenant language parallels ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties where kings adopted vassal nations, but God's relationship with Israel is infinitely more intimate and gracious. This theology becomes foundational for understanding God's relationship with believers in Christ—we are 'bought with a price' (1 Corinthians 6:20), adopted as sons (John 1:12), and established as God's household (Ephesians 2:19-22).
Reflection
- How does meditating on God as Father—who bought, made, and established you—deepen gratitude and combat spiritual ingratitude?
- What specific ways can you 'requite' God's goodness appropriately rather than responding with foolish rebellion?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References Lord: Isaiah 63:16, 64:8, 2 Peter 2:1
- Creation: Psalms 100:3, 149:2, Isaiah 43:7, 44:2, Acts 20:28
- Parallel theme: Psalms 74:2, 1 John 3:1