Deuteronomy 32:4

“The Rock: his work is blameless, for all his ways are justice. An El of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is he.”

Deuteronomy 32:4 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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Moses sings of God as the Rock: all his ways are justHoliness

With the Hebrew beneath

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Allusion · Revelation 15:3

Go to Revelation 15:3

The song of Revelation 15:3 uses words of the song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32:4: “work,” “ways,” and “just.”

They share words that are rare in the original, without a quotation.

  • פָּעֳלpaolH6467ἔργαergaG2041“work, deed”
  • צַדִּיקtsadikH6662δίκαιαιdikaiaiG1342“righteous, just”
  • דְּרָכָיderajayH1870ὁδοίhodoiG3598“way”

Deuteronomy 32:4, word by word

The Rockצּוּרtsur

the Rock

YHWH, the firm Rock of his people.

Where else “tsur” appears
his workפָּעֳלpaol

deed

What someone does; what God accomplishes.

Where else “paol” appears
is blamelessתָּמִיםtamim

blameless

Without reproach, whole, like Noah.

Where else “tamim” appears
his waysדְּרָכָיderachay

manner

The way one lives and acts.

Where else “derachay” appears
are justiceמִשְׁפָּטmishpat

justice

What is right and fair.

Where else “mishpat” appears
An Elאֵלel

El, God, god

"El", an ancient Hebrew word for "God". Alone or with another title it is a name of the God of Israel: El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty). Neighboring peoples used the same word for their gods; then this translation writes "god" in lower case. It also means "mighty".

Where else “el” appears
of faithfulnessאֱמוּנָהemuna

faithfulness

Being dependable, always keeping one's word, like YHWH.

Where else “emuna” appears
injusticeעָוֶלavel

injustice, wrong

Injustice; what is crooked, what is not right.

Where else “avel” appears
righteousצַדִּיקtsadik

righteous

Someone who lives uprightly; also YHWH.

Where else “tsadik” appears
and uprightיָשָׁרyashar

upright

Acting well before YHWH, without bending.

Where else “yashar” appears

Translation note

“Rock” is in this song a name of God: firm, secure, a place to take refuge.

The context

3For the name of YHWH I will proclaim; ascribe greatness to our Elohim.

4 · This verse (above)

5They have acted corruptly toward him; they are not his children, because of their defect, a crooked and twisted generation.

Read all of Deuteronomy 32

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