Deuteronomy 32 · Verse 5

Deuteronomy 32:5

They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
Deuteronomy 32:5, King James Version

Deuteronomy 32:5 in other translations

BSBHis people have acted corruptly toward Him; the spot on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation.
WEBThey have dealt corruptly with him. They are not his children, because of their defect. They are a perverse and crooked generation.
ASVThey have dealt corruptly with him, they are not his children, it is their blemish; They are a perverse and crooked generation.
YLTIt hath done corruptly to Him; Their blemish is not His sons', A generation perverse and crooked!
DARBYThey have dealt corruptly with him; Not his children's is their spot: — A crooked and perverted generation!
BBEThey have become false, they are not his children, the mark of sin is on them; they are an evil and hard-hearted generation.
WebsterThey have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

What does Deuteronomy 32:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. They have corrupted themselves--that is, the Israelites by their frequent lapses and their inveterate attachment to idolatry. their spot is not the spot of his children--This is an allusion to the marks which idolaters inscribe on their foreheads or their arms with paint or other substances, in various colors and forms--straight, oval, or circular, according to the favorite idol of their worship.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Their spot is not the spot of his children - This verse is variously translated and variously understood. They are corrupted, not his, children of pollution - Kennicott. They are corrupt, they are not his children, they are blotted - Houbigant. This is according to the Samaritan. The interpretation commonly given to these words is as unfounded as it is exceptionable: "God's children have their spots, i. e., their sins, but sin in them is not like sin in others; in others sin is exceedingly sinful, but God does not see the sins of his children as he sees the sins of his enemies," etc. Unfortunately for this bad doctrine, there is no foundation for it in the sacred text, which, though very obscure, may be thus translated: He (Israel) hath corrupted himself. They (the Israelites) are not his children: they are spotted. Coverdale renders the whole passage thus: "The froward and overthwart generation have marred themselves to himward, and are not his children because of their deformity." This is the sense of the verse. Let it be observed that the word spot, which is repeated in our translation, occurs but once in the original, and the marginal reading is greatly to be preferred: He hath corrupted to himself, that they are not his children; that is their blot. And because they had the blot of sin on them, because they were spotted with iniquity and marked idolaters, therefore God renounces them. There may be here an allusion to the marks which the worshippers of particular idols had on different parts of their bodies, especially on their foreheads; and as idolatry is the crime with which they are here charged, the spot or mark mentioned may refer to the mark or stigma of their idol. The different sects of idolaters in the East are distinguished by their sectarian marks, the stigma of their respective idols. These sectarian marks, particularly on the forehead, amount to nearly one hundred among the Hindoos, and especially among the two sects, the worshippers of Seeva, and the worshippers of Vishnoo. In many cases these marks are renewed daily, for they account it irreligious to perform any sacred rite to their god without his mark on the forehead; the marks are generally horizontal and perpendicular lines, crescents, circles, leaves, eyes, etc., in red, black, white, and yellow. This very custom is referred to in Rev 20:4, where the beast gives his mark to his followers, and it is very likely that Moses refers to such a custom among the idolatrous of his own day. This removes all the difficulty of the text. God's children have no sinful spots, because Christ saves them from their sins; and their motto or mark is, Holiness to the Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:3-6

"He is a Rock." This is the first time God is called so in Scripture. The expression denotes that the Divine power, faithfulness, and love, as revealed in Christ and the gospel, form a foundation which cannot be changed or moved, on which we may build our hopes of happiness. And under his protection we may find refuge from all our enemies, and in all our troubles; as the rocks in those countries sheltered from the…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 32:3-6 →

Deuteronomy 32:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

שִׁחֵ֥תshi.Chetit has acted corruptlyH7843
ל֛וֹloto <the> him
לֹ֖אlo'notH3808
בָּנָ֣יוba.Navchildren hisH1121
מוּמָ֑םmu.Mamblemish theirH3971
דּ֥וֹרDora generationH1755
עִקֵּ֖שׁ'i.KeshperverseH6141
וּפְתַלְתֹּֽל\׃u.fe.tal.Toland crookedH6618

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 32:5

  • Philippians 2:15

    That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

  • Isaiah 1:4

    Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.

  • Deuteronomy 31:29

    For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

  • Matthew 17:17

    Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.

  • Luke 9:41

    And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

  • Psalms 78:8

    And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.

  • Hosea 9:9

    They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

  • Matthew 16:4

    A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

  • Judges 2:19

    And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

  • 2 Corinthians 11:3

    But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

  • Zephaniah 3:7

    I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

  • Matthew 3:7

    But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
They have corrupted themselves. Heb. He hath corrupted tohimself.
4:16; 31:29; Ge 6:12; Ex 32:7; Jud 2:19; Isa 1:4; Ho 9:9; Zep 3:7
2Co 11:3
their spot, etc. or, that they are not his children, that istheir blot.
Joh 8:41
a perverse.
9:24; Ps 78:8; Isa 1:4; Mt 3:7; 16:4; 17:17; Lu 9:41; Ac 7:51
Php 2:15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Deuteronomy 32:4

    He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

  • Deuteronomy 32:5

    They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

  • Deuteronomy 32:6

    Do ye thus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?

Read all of Deuteronomy 32

Deuteronomy 32:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
La corrupción no es suya: á sus hijos la mancha de ellos, generación torcida y perversa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Ils se sont corrompus à son égard, leur tache n’est pas celle de ses fils; c’est une génération tortue et perverse.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Es hat sich gegen ihn verderbt-nicht seiner Kinder ist ihr Schandfleck-ein verkehrtes und verdrehtes Geschlecht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Peccaverunt ei, et non filii ejus in sordibus: generatio prava atque perversa.