Duet 32.1-52 has a song in what is called the “Ha’azeinu” and it means to “give ear” in v 1-43. Moses knows the people will rebel against the Lord and he tells the people to assemble before him and he will tell them about the evil that will befall them in the “latter days”-Deut 31.28-30.
The Ha’azeinu is very eschatological and it was sung by the Levitical choir when the drink offering was poured in the Temple on the Sabbath and Mussaf (additional offerings on Sabbath). It has six sections (verses 1-6, 7-12, 13-18, 19-28- 29-39 and 40-43) and one section is sung every Sabbath.
Here is an important concept to remember. If you want to see what prayer and worship really is, study the Temple services. If you lived in the first century and wanted to know what prayer and worship was, you went to the Temple. Num 28-29, 1 Chr 28.11-19 and Ezek 43.10-12 says that God gave the services to the people to teach these concepts, so it is important to know what is being prayed and when.
The Temple is a choreographed epic on a stage. The Torah is the script and the music, and the priests and the people are the actors. There was a set time when everything is done, with no impromptu demonstrations. For example, you can’t start the Tamid service till sunrise. The priests would look south towards Hebron to see if the sun was up. If it was, then they said, “Bar Chai” (sunrise), and that was the signal to start the morning Tamid service. Now, why was Hebron significant? You could see other towns in the area from the Temple, so what made Hebron so special?
The cave of Machpelah is there and that is where Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah are buried. Rachel is buried near Bethlehem. It is the belief that the resurrection of the righteous will begin there in Jewish eschatology. Every dawn is a rehearsal for the resurrection. The people “sleep” and then arise to a brighter day. Everything during the Tamid service is timed, conveying a message.
After the mizbeach (altar) is cleansed, the priests go into the Lishkat Ha Gazit (Chamber of Hewn Stone) for certain prayers. Why do they go to the Chamber of Hewn Stone? The mizbeach was not to be made of hewn stone (man’s action) because whatever business was conducted there was all of God. Man’s works and judgments were not recognized, but it is a place of God’s judgment. But the Chamber of Hewn Stone conveys man’s action, man’s self-evaluation and judgment. They were the “living stones.” But, not all business was conducted in the Temple.
There is a place on the Mount of Olives called “the Seat of the Shekinah.” Another name is “Ha Rosh” or “the head.” Ezek 8 through 11 tells us the Shekinah departed from the Temple and rested on the Mount of Olives for three years, waiting for the people to repent, but they didn’t. So, The Shekinah lifted into heaven from the mount. The Mount of Olives had four significant things happen there. David went over the mount when he fled from Absalom. He wept over the city like Yeshua did, in the same place (11 Sam 15.30; Luke 19.37-41). We also have the departure of the presence of God, as we have said, in Ezek 8-11, and the Shekinah departed just like Yeshua did in Acts 1.4-12. Lastly, we have a ceremony called the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer) performed at the Miphkad (appointed place) Altar outside of the Temple, on the Mount of Olives. David’s altar was there and both of these altars were seen as part of the Temple (1 Chr 21.24-26; 2 Sam 24.18-25).
Previously, we talked about, “Hear, O Israel” and how the people were instructed to “choose the blessing, not the curse.” But here we have a special Torah portion called the “Song of Moses in v 1-44.” Like David, Moses sings at certain times. In Exo 15 we have another song called the “Shirat ha Yam” or the “Song at the Sea.” This was sung after Israel was delivered from Pharaoh at the Red Sea. Both of these songs are very eschatological and were recited in the Temple. The Shirat ha Yam is sung in the Temple on the Sabbath, but it may be sung in Rev 15.1-4 when Israel is victorious over the False Messiah. But, this is a prophetic song and it is in seven parts which allude to the seven thousand year plan of God, and it is called a “new song” in Jewish thought (Hertz Siddur, p. 449). But, let’s get back to the Ha’azeinu.
Israel is entering the land and Moses is at the end of his life. He has done what the Lord asked and has seen a whole generation die in the wilderness. Now, their children are getting ready to cross over the Jordan into Canaan and into the promises of God. Deut 29.14 has already told us that this was spoken to a future generation and Deut 31.29 says this is also about the “latter years.” Deut 32 contains a message for this future generation.
This was one of the first things prayed daily in the Temple. It begins with an appeal to the universe (v 1-3). Teaching in the Scriptures is seen as drops of rain and the “dew” (tal). Rain and dew are seen as “resurrection” also because it brings life. Moses is telling the people to not look elsewhere for truth. His teaching (Torah) is seen as the dew (resurrection/life). Mic 5.7, Isa 45.8, Isa 26.19, Joel 2.23 and James 5.7-8 also will convey this idea. We have three types of rain in Deut 32.2 and this alludes to three types of student. Moses is saying that the Lord will punish Israel at the “end of days” or the “latter years” but they will be resurrected with true teaching (Hos 6.1-3).
v 1…”Give ear, you heavens, and I will speak; and let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
v 2…Let my teaching drop (drip) as the rain (like the early and latter rain; teaching from the “moray tzedakah” or the teacher of righteousness-Joel 2.23), my speech distill as the dew (“tal” and related to “talit”); as the droplets on the fresh grass and as the showers on the herb (rain and dew are idioms for teaching).
v 3…For I proclaim the name of the Lord (Yehovah), ascribe greatness to our God!
v 4…The Rock, his work is perfect, for his (all) his ways are just (The word “rock” is tzur” and will be used in verses 4,15,18,30 and 31. Now, the “rock” is a clear allusion to the Messiah in Gen 28.10-22, Isa 51.1, 1 Cor 10.4 and Matt 16.18. The “rock” was also an issue that most strongly affected the life of Moses. He did not honor the rock correctly by striking it instead of speaking to it in Num 20.8-12. He could not enter the promised land because of this interaction with the “rock.” There are several other words for “rock” in the Scriptures. One is “cela” and that is a clefted rock in Num 20.8, which is different than “tzur” in Exo 17. Also, the word for “stone” is “aven” which consists of an aleph, beit and nun. If you take the first two letters, aleph, beit, you spell “Av” or “father.” If you take the last two letters, Beit, Nun, it spells “Ben” or “son.” The Father and the Son are alluded to in the concept of the rock/stone. Moses is a person who most embodied Israel, and Israel will “strike the rock down” alluding to Messiah in the future, and they will eventually be driven out of the land also-Acts 2.36, 3.14-15, 5.30. The rock is God in Psa 18.2. This tell us also that God’s work is perfect and his ways are just. There is perfect justification for what happens in the world, even when we don’t see it. We must try to understand that certain events are beneficial for us. His work is perfect, which also includes the Torah). A God of faithfulness (emunah) and without injustice. Just and upright is he.
v 5…They (the people) have acted corruptly towards him and they are not his children because of this defect (The word “defect” alludes to the marks people make on their skin or foreheads with paint in various colors to their favorite gods). They are a perverse and crooked generation (or their works, and natures-Matt 17.17. Their ingratitude and lack of wisdom led to rejecting him in Deut 32.15).
v 6…Do you thus repay the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is not he your Father who has bought you? He has made you and established you (This verse has the first usage of “Father” in the Tanak).
v 7…Remember the days of old (Israel’s birth as nation), consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you; your elders and they will tell you (the depositories of biblical truth).
v 8…When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance (after the flood and Babel; or the nations of Canaan-Gen 10.15-18), when he separated the sons of men (adam). He set the boundaries of the peoples (the nations of Canaan) according to the number of the sons of Israel (the country was measured out with borders, preserving enough room for the 12 tribes).
9…For the Lord’s portion is his people (Israel belonged to God and that is why their portion was so early provided for in Canaan); Jacob is the allotment of his inheritance (a parallelism).
v 10…He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of a wilderness (Egypt-Ezek 20.36); he encircled him (covered and protected-Ezek 16.3-6); he cared for him (gave him understanding; instructed him). He guarded him as the pupil of his eye (physically guarded by the orbit of the eye, eyelids and eyebrows; guard upon guard as his very life).
v 11…Like an eagle that stirs up its nest (to get them out of the nest; the mother strikes her wings against the nest gently, so the young can imitate her and fly), that hovers over its young (to teach them and instruct). He spreads his wings and caught them (takes up her timid or weak young in her wings and flies, shaking them off in the air, teaching them to fly), he carried them on his pinions (he cared for them).
v 12…The Lord alone guided him (out of Egypt to Canaan), and there was no foreign god with him (he did not need the help of anything).
v 13…He made him ride on the high places of the earth (or the “land”; forsees the conquest of the forts and towers on the hills of Canaan), and he ate the produce of the field, and he made him suck honey from the rock (a land of milk and honey-v 14; from bees and the rocks), and oil from the flinty rock (olive oil that grows out of the rocks on the hills and mountains-Job 29.6; the Mount of Olives for example).
v 14…Curds of cows, and milk of the flock (a land of milk and honey), with fat of lambs, and rams, the breed of Bashan (famous for cattle), and goats. With the finest of the wheat- and the blood of grapes you drank wine (the best and most nutritious).
v 15…But Yeshurun (Israel the upright one) grew fat (with outward prosperity) and kicked (like an ox who refuses the yoke; against God and the Torah; refusing the yoke-Paul did the same thing-Acts 9.5); you are grown fat, thick and sleek (outwardly). Then he forsook God who made him (voided the word through idolatry and the traditions of men), and scorned the Rock (tzur) of his salvation.
v 16…They made him jealous with strange (gods); with abominations (idols) they provoked him to anger.
v 17…They sacrificed to demons (shedim, the power behind idols to deceive), not God, whom they have not known, new gods who came lately (newly invented), whom your fathers did not dread (or paid attention to).
v 18…You neglected the Rock who begot you (Isa 51.1-2), and forgot the God who gave you birth (a parallelism).
v 19…And the Lord saw this, and spurned them (because of the provocation of his sons and daughters.
v 20…Then he said, “I will hide my face from them (Hos 5.15), I will see what their end shall be; for they are a perverse generation, sons in whom is no faithfulness (emunah/faith).
v 21…They have made me jealous with what is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their idols. So I will make them jealous with those who are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation (non-Jews, vile and ignorant in their habits and methods).
v 22…For a fire (of judgement) in my anger, and burns to the lowest parts of Sheol (an entire destruction), and consumes the earth with its yield (Israel), and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains (Jerusalem-Psa 125.2).
v 23…I will heap misfortunes on them; I will use my arrows (use every one of his arrows in his quiver) on them.
v 24…They shall be wasted by the famine (one arrow), and consumed by the plague (another arrow) and bitter destruction (another arrow); and the teeth of beasts (another arrow) upon them, with the venom of crawling things of the dust (another arrow).
v 25…Outside (the city) the sword (another arrow) shall bereave, and inside terror (another arrow)-both young man and virgin, then nursling and the man with gray hair.
v 26…I would have said (or could have said), ‘I will cut them to pieces, I will remove the memory of them from men,”
v 27…had I not feared the provocation of the enemy, lest their adversaries should misjudge (God speaks as a man here, and Moses brought this point up in Exo 32.12, and he stopped the judgment), lest they should say, “Our hand is triumphant, and the Lord has not done all this (they fail to recognize that God is in control, or they attribute what happened to their gods).” ‘
v 28…For they are a nation lacking in counsel (Israel’ enemies), and there is no understanding in them (of God and spiritual things).
v 29…Would that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would discern their future!
v 30…How could one (of the enemy) chase a thousand (from Israel), and two (of the enemy) put ten thousand (of Israel) to flight, unless their Rock (God) had sold them (into the hand of the enemy), and the Lord had given them up (removed the hedge of protection-Lam 3.37).
v 31…Indeed their rock (false gods) isn not like our Rock, even our enemies themselves judge this (has confessed this-Exo 14.25).
v 32…For their vine is from the vine of Sodom (corrupt in root and fruit), and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison (poison doctrines), their clusters, bitter.
v 33…Their wine (wine is symbolic of teaching) is the venom of asps (poisonous snakes; pagan doctrines and corruption), and the deadly poison of cobras (an idiom for false teaching and used in Mark 16.18).
v 34…Is it not laid up in store with me, sealed up in my treasuries (their punishment is laid up in his memory and will be brought out at the proper time)?
v 35…Vengeance is mine, and retribution, in due time their foot will slip; for the day of their calamity is near, and the impending things are hastening upon them.’
v 36…For the Lord will judge his people, and will have compassion on his servants; when he sees that strength is gone, and there is none (left) bond or free.
v 37…And he will say, ‘Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge?’
v 38…Who ate the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their libation? Let them rise up and help you (the false gods), let them be your hiding place.
v 39…See now that I, I am he (the only true God of Israel)- and there is no god besides me. It is I who put to death and give life, I have wounded, and it is I who heal; and there is no one who can deliver from my hand.
v 40…Indeed, I lift my hand to heaven (in an oath), and say, as I live forever,
v 41…if I sharpen my flashing sword (a sword drawn out of the scabbard and glitters like lightning-Deut 33.2), and my hand takes hold on justice (in order to execute it), I will render vengeance on my adversaries, and I will repay those who hate me (Israel’s enemies are God’s enemies).
v 42…I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh (Rev 19.18). With the blood of the salin and the captives, from the chief (rosh) leaders of the enemy.
v 43…Rejoice, O nations (non-Jews), with his people (Israel-Rom 15.10); for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance on his adversaries (those who bring Israel to the brink of destruction), and he will atone (Yeshua will return on a Yom Kippur-Matt 24.29-31; Rom 11.25-26) for his land and his people (Rom 11.25-26).”
v 44…Then Moses came and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people (the heads), he, and Hoshea (he uses his original name again, not Yehoshua-Num 13.16; now he is his own man and stand before God and the people) the son of Nun.
v 45…When Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel,
v 46…he said to them, “Take to your heart (desires, intentions, thoughts) all the words with which I am warning you today, which you shall command your sons to observe carefully, even all the words of this law (Torah).
v 47…For it (the book of the law) is not an idle word (vain, empty thing) for you, indeed, it is your life (Deut 30.6, 20). And by this word you shall prolong your days in the land, which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.”
v 48…And the Lord spoke to Moses that very same day (the day he finished reading this song; some believe this was Adar 7, the same day he will die), saying,
v 49…”Go up to this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo (prophet), which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho, and look at the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel for a possession.
v 50…Then die (expect to die after you have viewed the land) on the mountain where you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people,
v 51…because you broke faith with me in the midst of the sons of Israel at the waters of Meribah-kadesh (Kadesh Barnea-Num 20.1; known today as Wadi Rum), in the wilderness of Zin, because you did not treat me as holy (with a kedusha) in the midst of the sons of Israel.
v 52…For you shall see the land at a distance, but you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving the sons of Israel.”
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