Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 7:10
But those who hate Him He repays to their faces with destruction; He will not hesitate to repay to his face the one who hates Him.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses Israel on the plains of Moab, framing God’s covenant justice immediately after His covenant faithfulness in verse 9 and before the command to keep the statutes in verse 11.
The words — מְשַׁלֵּם (me.sha.Lem) means “repays” or “pays back,” and יְאַחֵר (ye.'a.Cher) means “delays” or “hesitates,” highlighting the immediacy of divine retribution.
The thread — This pattern of God’s direct repayment to His opponents runs through Isaiah 59:18, Nahum 1:2, and Romans 12:19.
Why it lands — The text states that God will swiftly destroy those who oppose Him, requiring readers to acknowledge that divine justice operates without delay and to refrain from taking vengeance into their own hands.
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
And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 59:18 So He will repay according to their deeds: fury to His enemies, retribution to His foes, and recompense to the islands.
- Nahum 1:2 The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD is avenging and full of wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on His foes and reserves wrath for His enemies.
- Romans 12:19 Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, says the Lord.”
- Deuteronomy 32:35 Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.”
- Exodus 20:5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,
- Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- Deuteronomy 32:25 Outside, the sword will take their children, and inside, terror will strike the young man and the young woman, the infant and the gray-haired man.
- Psalms 21:8 Your hand will apprehend all Your enemies; Your right hand will seize those who hate You.
- Proverbs 11:31 If the righteous receive their due on earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner!
- John 15:23 Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.