Deuteronomy 32:29

29. consider their latter end] This is weak and omits the preposition to which conveys the full sense understand, or see through, to their ultimate fate, past this temporary triumph over Israel to the punishment God has in store for them, Deu_32:34. Deu_32:29-31 are regarded by some as a later intrusion by one who wrongly interpreted Deu_32:28 of Israel; and indeed Deu_32:32 more naturally connects with 28, which it confirms, than with 31. Note also that God is not the speaker in them.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 32:29 O that they were wise, [that] they understood this, [that] they would consider their latter end!

Ver. 29. Oh that this people were wise.] Sapiens est, cui res sapiunt prout sunt, saith Bernard.

That they would consider their latter end.] This is a high point of heavenly wisdom. Moses himserf desires to learn it. {Psa 90:12} David also would fain be taught it. {Psa 39:4} Solomon sets a "better" upon it. {Ecc 7:2} "Jerusalem’s filthiness was in her skirts, because she remembered not her latter end; therefore also she came down wonderfully." {Lam 1:9} The kite by the turning of his tail directs and winds about all his body. Consideratio finis tanquam caudae, ad vitam optime regendam confert, saith Berchorins. I meet with a story of one that gave a prodigal a ring with a death’s head, with this condition, that he should one hour daily, for seven days together, look and think upon it, which bred a strange alteration in his life; like that of Thesposius in Plutarch; or that more remarkable of Waldus the rich merchant of Lyons, &c. {a}

{a} Mr Ward’s Sermons

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Deu 32:29-30. O that they were wise — O that they would duly and wisely consider the dealings of God toward them, and so happily prevent the evils that will otherwise befall them in the generations to come How should one chase a thousand — One Israelite. Except their rock had sold them — Their God, who was their refuge and defence, had quitted them, and delivered them up to the will of their enemies. Shut them up — As it were, in the net which their enemies had laid for them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

32:29 their fate (literally their latter end): Israel’s future had not been predetermined; this statement expresses how things would turn out if Israel continued on its rebellious course.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

They would consider the felicity, that was prepared for them, if they had obeyed God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Oh, . . . that they would consider their latter end--The terrible judgments, which, in the event of their continued and incorrigible disobedience, would impart so awful a character to the close of their national history.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 29. That they would consider their latter end!] אחריתם archaritham, properly, their latter times-the glorious days of the Messiah, who, according to the flesh, should spring up among them. Should they carefully consider this subject, and receive the promised Saviour, they would consequently act as persons under infinite obligations to God; his strength would be their shield, and then:-

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(29) Consider their latter end.—Have some discernment as to their hereafter, what their destiny was, and what they will miss, if they fail to fulfil it.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight,.... This is said for the conviction of the Pagan Romans of their folly in behaving strangely, attributing to their gods what belonged to the true God; for since the Jews were more numerous than they, both in Judea, in the times of Titus Vespasian, when the country was subdued by him; and in other parts of the world, in the times of Adrian, when the Jews rose up in vast numbers, greatly superior to the Romans, and yet were conquered; which, allowing the phrase to be hyperbolical, was like one to a thousand, and two to ten thousand: now since this was what was promised to the Jews in case of obedience, that they should in this manner chase their enemies, Lev 26:8; it cannot be accounted for that they should in like manner be chased by their enemies, as threatened Isa 30:17,

except their rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up; that is, unless the Lord, who was their rock and fortress, and in whom they should have trusted as such, had forsaken them, and given them up into their enemies' hands, shut up as they were in the city of Jerusalem in the times of Titus, and afterwards in Bither in the times of Adrian; it is a plain case that this was of God, and not owing to the idols of the Gentiles; see Psa 44:9; Cocceius and Van Till interpret this of Constantine overcoming Maxentius, Licinius, and Maximinius, whereby the whole Roman empire on a sudden became Christian nominally, when but a little before Dioclesian had erected a trophy with this inscription on it,"the Christian name blotted out;''so that the odds between the Christians and Pagans were as one to a thousand, and two to ten thousand, and the victory therefore must be ascribed to God; this could never have been unless Satan, the great red dragon, had given his kingdom to the beast, which was done by the permission and sovereign will of God; see Rev 6:14; so those interpreters, but the former sense seems best.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

What their end will be; and that although God spare them long, yet at last judgment will certainly overtake them.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29, 30. O that they were wise — Better, If they were wise, they would understand this. They would consider their future.

How should one chase a thousand — How could one pursue a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight were it not that their Rock had sold them, and Jehovah had given them up?

Sold them — Delivered them to their foes as one delivers what he has sold.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Oh that they were wise, that they understood this; rather, If they were wise they would understand this. They would consider their latter end! i.e. the end to which they were going, the inevitable issue of the course they were taking.

Vers. 29-35. The short-sightedness of sinners.

that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" Such is the moan with which this paragraph begins. By "this" is meant the consequence which will certainly follow on their departure from God. By "their latter end" is meant the latter days of their history, when sins which were beforehand in germ should have wrought out to full development. We need not again recount the historical aspects of this serious outlook. We will but note, in a series of consecutive thoughts, the truths which are here indicated, and which are of universal and perpetual application to individuals, families, and nations.

I IT IS A MARK OF A VICIOUS SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS TO TAKE NO HEED TO THE CONSEQUENCES OF A COURSE OF CONDUCT. If men take no reckoning of their "latter end," it is the reverse of wise. Our Savior asks, "What shall it profit a man?" etc. To take heed only to present appearances and to avoid all preparations for the future, is folly in the extreme.

II WHETHER WE WILL OR NO, CERTAIN CONSEQUENCES ARE BOUND UP WITH CONDUCT BY A LAW WHICH NO CREATED POWER CAN AVERT OR MODIFY. They may be sealed up hidden from sight at present, but they are "laid up in store". (Rom_2:5; 1Th_5:3)

III THE MOST HIGH RESERVES TO HIMSELF THE EXECUTION OF HIS OWN LAWS. "To me belongeth vengeance." Vengeance cannot safely be entrusted to frail and passionate man. Only in the hands of "the Judge of all the earth" is there an absolute guarantee that in its infliction there will be neither excess nor defect. No weakness will cause delay or halt. No vindictiveness will induce any variation from the right.

IV HOWEVER LONG VENGEANCE MAY BE DELAYED, IT WILL NOT BE POSTPONED TOO LONG. "Their feet shall slide in due time." Time is on God"s side. In the moral world there is not a moment"s pause. Character is ripening for good or for ill, and great issues are working out at every tick of the dial.

V IN THE RIPENING OF CHARACTER AND THE ADVANCED ISSUES OF CONDUCT THERE WILL BE AWFUL RESULTS ON THE SIDE OF EVIL. The figurative expressions in each clause are of terrific significance. They indicate:

1. The failure of the refuge to which they had fled.

2. The collapse of their strength in great emergencies.

3. Bitterness of misery.

4. Venomous poison as the fruit of their vine of Sodom.

Now is the day for accumulating; hereafter will be the day for the manifestation, of these hidden treasures of ill.

VI THIS DAY OF AWFUL RECOMPENSE WILL COME UPON SINNERS SUDDENLY. "The things that shall come upon them make haste". (cf. Mat_24:36-44; Mar_13:35-37; 2Pe_3:10) It is one remarkable feature of the Mosaic outlook, that the lawgiver scarcely ever refers to another life, but to the working out of God"s judgments in this. The future life comes into view in the New Testament. The law of sowing and reaping holds good for both worlds. (Gal_6:7)

VII WITH AN OUTLOOK SO GRIEVOUS, THE THOUGHTLESSNESS OF SINNERS IS AN EVIL GREATLY TO BE LAMENTED. "Oh that they were wise!" etc.. (cf. Jer_9:1; Psa_119:136)

IN CONCLUSION. There is at least a threefold application of the text, which should be made use of to warn men against sin.

1. Those who have to direct or influence national affairs should remember that a wrong policy is a foolish one. No nation will continue to thrive that fights against God.

2. Heads of families should remember that, by a course of disloyalty to God, they are sowing the seeds of dishonor, grief, and shame in their families, and are entailing sorrow on the children of their care.

3. Let each individual learn that whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap, both in this world and in that which is to come. "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker!

God"s pathetic appeal to men.

Wisdom is far-seeing. Not content with estimating present experiences and fortunes, it embraces the remoter issues of our choice; it takes in all the possibilities of the future.

I AS THERE HAS BEEN A BEGINNING OF THE PRESENT LIFE, SO THERE WILL COME AN END.

II THE END OF PROBATIONARY LIFE DEMANDS OUR SERIOUS CONSIDERATION.

III THE HIGHEST WISDOM FORECASTS THE WHOLE REACH OF LIFE, BOTH PRESENT AND FUTURE. D.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They - Israel. Latter end - What their end will be, and that tho' God spare them long, yet at last judgment will certainly overtake them.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

יבינו לאחריתם THEY WOULD CONSIDER THEIR LATTER END — i.e. they would set their heart to comprehend the ultimate reason for the misfortune of the Israelites,

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

Were they wise. If they were wise enough to understand that Hashem did all of this to the Jewish people due to their sins, then they would understand their end, that this is what Hashem will do to them in the future if they sin.

Ibn Ezra on the Tanakh — English translations: “Sefaria Community Translation” (CC0 1.0 (public-domain dedication)); “Yalkut, Sifsei Chachomim Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009” (CC BY 4.0); and “Commentary of Ibn Ezra on Isaiah - trans. by M. Friedlander, 1873” (public domain). Text via Sefaria.