Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 32:42
I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh—the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses delivers this declaration at the conclusion of the Song of Moses, addressing Israel in the plains of Moab as he outlines God’s future judgment on hostile nations.
The words — The Hebrew אַשְׁכִּיר ('ashkir) literally means "I will make drunk," describing arrows saturated with blood, while חָלָל (chalal) identifies "the slain" whose blood and the heads of enemy leaders fuel the divine slaughter.
The thread — This same motif of blood-drunk arrows and a devouring sword appears in Deuteronomy 32:23 and Jeremiah 46:10 to mark moments of active divine retribution against opposing forces.
Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to acknowledge that God’s judgment executes complete, unmitigated consequences on adversaries, leaving no ambiguity about the finality of divine justice.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
Cross-references
- Deuteronomy 32:23 I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them.
- Jeremiah 46:10 For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
- Jeremiah 30:14 All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins.
- Lamentations 2:5 The Lord is like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for the Daughter of Judah.
- Ezekiel 38:21 And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother.
- Job 13:24 Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
- Psalms 45:5 Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes; the nations fall beneath your feet.
- Psalms 68:23 that your foot may be dipped in the blood of your foes—the tongues of your dogs in the same.”
- Jeremiah 16:10 When you tell these people all these things, they will ask you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’
- Jeremiah 46:14 “Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it in Memphis and Tahpanhes: ‘Take your positions and prepare yourself, for the sword devours those around you.’