28For they are a nation that never takes advice,
and they understand nothing.
29If only they had been wise,
they would have comprehended this.
They would have understood
what the final outcome would be.
30How could one pursue a thousand,
and two chase away ten thousand,
unless their Rock had sold them,
and the Lord had handed them over?
31Yes, their rock is not like our Rock,
as our enemies themselves recognize.
32For their vine grows from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are poison grapes.
They have bitter clusters.
33Their wine is burning snake venom
and the deadly poison of cobras.
34Do I not have all this stored up with me?
Is this not sealed up in my storehouses?
35To me belongs vengeance and repayment.
It will come at the time when their foot slips.
Indeed, the day of their disaster is near,
and their impending doom is coming quickly.
36Yes, the Lord will judge his people,
but he will change his course of action toward his servants
when he sees that their strength is exhausted,
and that there are none left, either as prisoners or still free.
37Then he will say:
Where are their gods,
the rock in which they sought refuge,
38the gods that ate the fat of their sacrifices,
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up and help you.
Let them be a shelter over you.
39Now see that I, only I, am he,
and there is not a god comparable to me.
I put to death and I make alive.
I wound and I heal.
There is no one who can deliver out of my hand.
40For I lift up my hand to heaven,
and I swear: “As I live forever,
41if I sharpen the lightning, which is my sword,
and my hand grabs hold of judgment,
I will take revenge against my adversaries,
and I will repay those who hate me.
42I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
and my sword will devour flesh
from the blood of the slain and the captives,
from the long-haired heads of the enemy.”
43Shout out with a cry of joy, you nations, because of his people,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants,[] and he will return vengeance to his adversaries,
but he will atone for the ground, for his people.
44Moses came along with Hoshea[] son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45Then when Moses had finished speaking all of these words to all Israel, 46he also said to them:
“Direct your heart to all the words that I am calling as a witness against you today. Instruct your children with them so that they may be careful to carry out all the words of this law, 47for it is not empty talk for you, because it is your life. By this word you will live long on the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”
48On this same day the Lord spoke to Moses:
49“Go up to Mount Nebo, this mountain of the Abarim range, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and view the land of Canaan that I am giving to the people of Israel as a possession, 50and die on the mountain that you are about to ascend and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people. 51This will happen because you broke faith with me among the people of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the Wilderness of Zin, by not treating me as holy among the people of Israel. 52You may view the land from a distance, but you will not go into the land that I am giving to the people of Israel.”
