Saadia's Tafsir on Devarim 32 (Parashat Ha’azinu)

Devarim 32:1

הַאֲזִינוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וַאֲדַבֵּרָה וְתִשְׁמַע הָאָרֶץ אִמְרֵי-פִי

.

Let the inhabitants of the heavens be silent, that I may speak; and let the inhabitants of the earth hear the words of my mouth.

Devarim 32:2

יַעֲרֹף כַּמָּטָר לִקְחִי תִּזַּל כַּטַּלאִמְרָתִי כִּשְׂעִירִם עֲלֵי-דֶשֶׁא וְכִרְבִיבִים עֲלֵי-עֵשֶׂב

. . .

My discourse shall pour forth like rain, and my utterance shall fall like dew — like a shower upon open spaces, and like drizzle upon the grasses.

Devarim 32:3

כִּי שֵׁם יְהוָה אֶקְרָא הָבוּ גֹדֶל לֵאלֹהֵינוּ

.

For I call you by the name of God — so give greatness to our Lord.

Devarim 32:4

הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ כִּי כָל-דְּרָכָיו מִשְׁפָּט אֵל אֱמוּנָה וְאֵין עָוֶל צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר הוּא

. . .

The Creator — upright is His work; all His conduct is by judgment; the Capable One, possessed of faithfulness, no wrong is with Him; He is the just, the upright.

Devarim 32:5

שִׁחֵת לוֹ לֹא בָּנָיו מוּמָם דּוֹר עִקֵּשׁ וּפְתַלְתֹּל

.

They corrupted before Him — not like His faithful ones; rather they are the fault-finders: a generation that is stubborn and twisted.

Devarim 32:6

הַ לְיְהוָה תִּגְמְלוּ-זֹאת-- עַם נָבָל וְלֹא חָכָם הֲלוֹא-הוּא אָבִיךָ קָּנֶךָ הוּא עָשְׂךָ וַיְכֹנְנֶךָ

. . .

Is it to God that you repay with these deeds, O people ignorant and unwise? Is He not your Originator, who possesses you? He made you and perfected you.

Devarim 32:7

זְכֹר יְמוֹת עוֹלָם בִּינוּ שְׁנוֹת דֹּר-וָדֹר שְׁאַל אָבִיךָ וְיַגֵּדְךָ זְקֵנֶיךָ וְיֹאמְרוּ לָךְ

. .

Nay, remember the days of eternity, and understand the years of generation upon generation; ask your father and he will inform you, your elders and they will tell you.

Devarim 32:8

בְּהַנְחֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹיִם בְּהַפְרִידוֹ בְּנֵי אָדָם יַצֵּב גְּבֻלֹת עַמִּים לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. . .

That the Most High, when He allotted the nations and dispersed the sons of Adam, set the boundaries of the nations according to the count of the sons of Israel.

Devarim 32:9

כִּי חֵלֶק יְהוָה עַמּוֹ יַעֲקֹב חֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ

.

For the chosen portion of God is His people, and the house of Jacob is His preferred one and His special possession.

Devarim 32:10

יִמְצָאֵהוּ בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְבָּר וּבְתֹהוּ יְלֵל יְשִׁמֹן יְסֹבְבֶנְהוּ יְבוֹנְנֵהוּ-- יִצְּרֶנְהוּ כְּאִישׁוֹן עֵינוֹ

. . .

He sustained him in the land of the wilderness, and in the wandering waste of the open expanse; He encompassed him and enlightened him, and kept him as the pupil of His eye.

Devarim 32:11

כְּנֶשֶׁר יָעִיר קִנּוֹ עַל-גּוֹזָלָיו יְרַחֵף יִפְרֹשׂ כְּנָפָיו יִקָּחֵהוּ יִשָּׂאֵהוּ עַל-אֶבְרָתוֹ

. . .

And like the eagle when it stirs its nest and hovers over its fledglings — it spreads its wings and takes them up and bears them upon its plumage.

Devarim 32:12

יְהוָה בָּדָד יַנְחֶנּוּ וְאֵין עִמּוֹ אֵל נֵכָר

.

So God alone guided him, and there were no other objects of worship with Him.

Devarim 32:13

יַרְכִּבֵהוּ עַל-במותי (בָּמֳתֵי) אָרֶץ וַיֹּאכַל תְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי וַיֵּנִקֵהוּ דְבַשׁ מִסֶּלַע וְשֶׁמֶן מֵחַלְמִישׁ צוּר

. . .

And He mounted him upon the heights of the earth, until he ate of the produce of the meadows; and as if He had suckled him with milk from the rock, and honey from the hard flint.

Devarim 32:14

חֶמְאַת בָּקָר וַחֲלֵב צֹאן עִם-חֵלֶב כָּרִים וְאֵילִים בְּנֵי-בָשָׁן וְעַתּוּדִים עִם-חֵלֶב כִּלְיוֹת חִטָּה וְדַם-עֵנָב תִּשְׁתֶּה-חָמֶר

. . . .

And the butter of cattle, and the milk of the flock, together with the fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and he-goats — together with the finest of ground wheat; and the blood of the grape he would drink as an intoxicating drink.

Devarim 32:15

וַיִּשְׁמַן יְשֻׁרוּן וַיִּבְעָט שָׁמַנְתָּ עָבִיתָ כָּשִׂיתָ וַיִּטֹּשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ עָשָׂהוּ וַיְנַבֵּל צוּר יְשֻׁעָתוֹ

. .

And when the one thus described grew fat, he gave himself over to excess — for it was said to him: 'You have grown fat, and become thick, and become coarse' — and he forsook the God who made him, and put to the test the One he relied upon for his deliverance.

Devarim 32:16

יַקְנִאֻהוּ בְּזָרִים בְּתוֹעֵבֹת יַכְעִיסֻהוּ

And they set about provoking Him with foreigners, and with abominations they angered Him.

Devarim 32:17

יִזְבְּחוּ לַשֵּׁדִים לֹא אֱלֹהַּ-- אֱלֹהִים לֹא יְדָעוּם חֲדָשִׁים מִקָּרֹב בָּאוּ לֹא שְׂעָרוּם אֲבֹתֵיכֶם

. . .

They sacrifice to demons — which are no divinities — objects of worship that they did not know; things new, that came from nearby, and which the worthy men of your fathers did not regard.

Devarim 32:18

צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחֹלְלֶךָ

.

And so it was said to him: 'The Creator, your Originator, you forget, and the Capable One, your Begetter.'

Devarim 32:19

וַיַּרְא יְהוָה וַיִּנְאָץ מִכַּעַס בָּנָיו וּבְנֹתָיו

.

And when God saw that, He rejected them — on account of what had angered Him from them: the sons and the daughters.

Devarim 32:20

וַיֹּאמֶר אַסְתִּירָה פָנַי מֵהֶם-- אֶרְאֶה מָה אַחֲרִיתָם כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה בָּנִים לֹא-אֵמֻן בָּם

. . .

And He said: 'I shall conceal My mercy from them; I shall show them what their end shall be — for they are a generation of reversals, sons in whom there is no faithfulness.'

Devarim 32:21

הֵם קִנְאוּנִי בְלֹא-אֵל כִּעֲסוּנִי בְּהַבְלֵיהֶם וַאֲנִי אַקְנִיאֵם בְּלֹא-עָם בְּגוֹי נָבָל אַכְעִיסֵם

. .

And just as they provoked Me with what is no god, and angered Me with their vanities — so I shall provoke them with what is no people, and with a clan devoid of knowledge I shall anger them.

Devarim 32:22

כִּי-אֵשׁ קָדְחָה בְאַפִּי וַתִּיקַד עַד-שְׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּית וַתֹּאכַל אֶרֶץ וִיבֻלָהּ וַתְּלַהֵט מוֹסְדֵי הָרִים

. . .

For fire is kindled from My anger, and it burns down to the lowest depth of the earth; and it consumes the earth and its vegetation, until it reaches the foundations of the mountains.

Devarim 32:23

אַסְפֶּה עָלֵימוֹ רָעוֹת חִצַּי אֲכַלֶּה-בָּם

.

So shall I increase upon them evils, and My arrows I shall scatter among them:

Devarim 32:24

מְזֵי רָעָב וּלְחֻמֵי רֶשֶׁף וְקֶטֶב מְרִירִי וְשֶׁן-בְּהֵמֹת אֲשַׁלַּח-בָּם עִם-חֲמַת זֹחֲלֵי עָפָר

. . .

the fever of hunger, and burning heat, and bitter sudden death; and the teeth of beasts I shall loose upon them, together with the venom of the crawling things of the dust.

Devarim 32:25

מִחוּץ תְּשַׁכֶּל-חֶרֶב וּמֵחֲדָרִים אֵימָה גַּם-בָּחוּר גַּם-בְּתוּלָה--יוֹנֵק עִם-אִישׁ שֵׂיבָה

. . .

And outside, the bereaving sword; and dread from within the chambers — striking down youth and maiden alike, the suckling together with all those of hoary age.

Devarim 32:26

אָמַרְתִּי אַפְאֵיהֶם אַשְׁבִּיתָה מֵאֱנוֹשׁ זִכְרָם

.

And I had said: 'I shall reduce their number as they deserve, and cause their memory to cease from among the people.'

Devarim 32:27

לוּלֵי כַּעַס אוֹיֵב אָגוּר-- פֶּן-יְנַכְּרוּ צָרֵימוֹ פֶּן-יֹאמְרוּ יָדֵנוּ רָמָה וְלֹא יְהוָה פָּעַל כָּל-זֹאת

. . .

But for My taking precaution against the scheming of the enemy — lest their enemies deny this, lest they say: 'Our hand has prevailed, and it was not God who did all these things to them' —

Devarim 32:28

כִּי-גוֹי אֹבַד עֵצוֹת הֵמָּה וְאֵין בָּהֶם תְּבוּנָה

.

for they are a clan that has squandered wisdom, and there is no understanding in them.

Devarim 32:29

לוּ חָכְמוּ יַשְׂכִּילוּ זֹאת יָבִינוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָם

.

And would that they were wise, they would have comprehended both, and by those two things would understand their fate.

Devarim 32:30

אֵיכָה יִרְדֹּף אֶחָד אֶלֶף וּשְׁנַיִם יָנִיסוּ רְבָבָה אִם-לֹא כִּי-צוּרָם מְכָרָם וַיהוָה הִסְגִּירָם

. . .

And that is for them to say: 'How could one pursue a thousand, and two put a myriad to flight, were it not that their mainstay had delivered them over, and God had made it possible to overpower them?'

Devarim 32:31

כִּי לֹא כְצוּרֵנוּ צוּרָם וְאֹיְבֵינוּ פְּלִילִים

.

For their mainstay is not like our mainstay — nor do our enemies comprehend this.

Devarim 32:32

כִּי-מִגֶּפֶן סְדֹם גַּפְנָם וּמִשַּׁדְמֹת עֲמֹרָה עֲנָבֵמוֹ עִנְּבֵי-רוֹשׁ-- אַשְׁכְּלֹת מְרֹרֹת לָמוֹ

. .

For they are punished as though their vine were from the vine of Sodom, and from the tendrils of Gomorrah; so their grapes are grapes of poison, and their clusters are bitter to them.

Devarim 32:33

חֲמַת תַּנִּינִם יֵינָם וְרֹאשׁ פְּתָנִים אַכְזָר

.

And like the venom of serpents is their wine, and the poison of the spotted viper — the ferocious among them.

Devarim 32:34

הֲלֹא-הוּא כָּמֻס עִמָּדִי חָתוּם בְּאוֹצְרֹתָי

.

Yet all that is treasured away with Me, and sealed in My storehouses.

Devarim 32:35

לִי נָקָם וְשִׁלֵּם לְעֵת תָּמוּט רַגְלָם כִּי קָרוֹב יוֹם אֵידָם וְחָשׁ עֲתִדֹת לָמוֹ

. . .

Mine is the vengeance and the full recompense, at the time when their foot shall slip — for how near is the day of their misery, and how swiftly come are the things prepared for them.

Devarim 32:36

כִּי-יָדִין יְהוָה עַמּוֹ וְעַל-עֲבָדָיו יִתְנֶחָם כִּי יִרְאֶה כִּי-אָזְלַת יָד וְאֶפֶס עָצוּר וְעָזוּב

. . .

When God shall render judgment for His people, and grant pardon to His servants — when He shall see that the power has gone from them, and those left, whether confined or abandoned, are all broken under their oppression.

Devarim 32:37

וְאָמַר אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ-- צוּר חָסָיוּ בוֹ

.

When the enemy shall say: 'Where is their God, the Mainstay upon whom they relied?'

Devarim 32:38

אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ יִשְׁתּוּ יֵין נְסִיכָם יָקוּמוּ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶם-- יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָה

. . .

'Those who would eat the fat of their sacrifices and drink the wine of their libations — let them arise now and help you; let them be a shield over you.'

Devarim 32:39

רְאוּ עַתָּה כִּי אֲנִי אֲנִי הוּא וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים עִמָּדִי אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא וְאֵין מִיָּדִי מַצִּיל

. . . . .

Look now — I am He alone, and there is no other god with Me; I put to death and I give life; however long I have weakened, I have ever been healing; and there is none who can deliver from My hand.

Devarim 32:40

כִּי-אֶשָּׂא אֶל-שָׁמַיִם יָדִי וְאָמַרְתִּי חַי אָנֹכִי לְעֹלָם

.

And I swear by the heavens and I say: by My everlasting continuance —

Devarim 32:41

אִם-שַׁנּוֹתִי בְּרַק חַרְבִּי וְתֹאחֵז בְּמִשְׁפָּט יָדִי אָשִׁיב נָקָם לְצָרָי וְלִמְשַׂנְאַי אֲשַׁלֵּם

. . .

I shall whet the gleam of My sword, and My hand shall hold judgment; and I shall bring vengeance upon My enemies, and the dread upon those who hate Me.

Devarim 32:42

אַשְׁכִּיר חִצַּי מִדָּם וְחַרְבִּי תֹּאכַל בָּשָׂר מִדַּם חָלָל וְשִׁבְיָה מֵרֹאשׁ פַּרְעוֹת אוֹיֵב

. . .

As if I were making My arrows drunk from their blood, and My sword were consuming their flesh — that it may be sated from the blood of the slain and the captive, from the heads of the rulers of the enemy nations.

Devarim 32:43

הַרְנִינוּ גוֹיִם עַמּוֹ כִּי דַם-עֲבָדָיו יִקּוֹם וְנָקָם יָשִׁיב לְצָרָיו וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ

. . .

Praise, O you nations, His people — for He shall avenge the blood of His servants, and shall return that vengeance upon His enemies, and shall grant forgiveness to His land and His people.

Devarim 32:44

וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה-הַזֹּאת--בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם הוּא וְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן-נוּן

. .

And it was Moses, when he addressed the people with this hymn of praise — he and Hoshea son of Nun.

Devarim 32:45

וַיְכַל מֹשֶׁה לְדַבֵּר אֶת-כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה--אֶל-כָּל-יִשְׂרָאֵל

.

And when Moses had finished addressing them with this speech,

Devarim 32:46

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם שִׂימוּ לְבַבְכֶם לְכָל-הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מֵעִיד בָּכֶם הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר תְּצַוֻּם אֶת-בְּנֵיכֶם לִשְׁמֹר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת-כָּל-דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת

. . . . .

he said to them: 'Turn your minds to all the words by which I solemnly charge you today, that you command your children to observe and to perform all the matters of this Torah —

Devarim 32:47

כִּי לֹא-דָבָר רֵק הוּא מִכֶּם--כִּי-הוּא חַיֵּיכֶם וּבַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תַּאֲרִיכוּ יָמִים עַל-הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת-הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ

. . . . .

for it is no empty speech for you; rather it is your very life, and by it your span of days shall be lengthened in the land which you are crossing the Jordan to possess.'

Devarim 32:48

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל-מֹשֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לֵאמֹר

.

Then God spoke to Moses on that very same day, saying:

Devarim 32:49

עֲלֵה אֶל-הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה הַר-נְבוֹ אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב אֲשֶׁר עַל-פְּנֵי יְרֵחוֹ וּרְאֵה אֶת-אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲחֻזָּה

. . . . . .

'Go up to this mountain of the Hebrews — Mount Nebo — which is in the land of Moab, which faces Jericho; and behold the land which I am giving to the sons of Israel as a possession.

Devarim 32:50

וּמֻת בָּהָר אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹלֶה שָׁמָּה וְהֵאָסֵף אֶל-עַמֶּיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר-מֵת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ בְּהֹר הָהָר וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל-עַמָּיו

. . . .

And die on the mountain to which you are ascending, and be gathered to your people — just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people —

Devarim 32:51

עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמֵי-מְרִיבַת קָדֵשׁ מִדְבַּר-צִן--עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא-קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. . .

on account of what you two caused: the nation's breach of faith in Me, in the midst of the sons of Israel, at the contention of Raqim in the wilderness of Zin — in that you did not sanctify Me in their midst.

Devarim 32:52

כִּי מִנֶּגֶד תִּרְאֶה אֶת-הָאָרֶץ וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא--אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר-אֲנִי נֹתֵן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

. .

Therefore you shall behold the land from the opposite side — but you shall not enter it, the land which I am giving to the sons of Israel.'