Deuteronomy 32:24
New International Version
I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.

New Living Translation
I will weaken them with famine, burning fever, and deadly disease. I will send the fangs of wild beasts and poisonous snakes that glide in the dust.

English Standard Version
they shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured by plague and poisonous pestilence; I will send the teeth of beasts against them, with the venom of things that crawl in the dust.

Berean Standard Bible
They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust.

King James Bible
They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

New King James Version
They shall be wasted with hunger, Devoured by pestilence and bitter destruction; I will also send against them the teeth of beasts, With the poison of serpents of the dust.

New American Standard Bible
They will be wasted by famine, and emaciated by plague And a bitter epidemic; And the teeth of beasts I will send against them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.

NASB 1995
They will be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.

NASB 1977
They shall be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.

Legacy Standard Bible
They will be wasted by famine, and consumed by plague And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts I will send upon them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.

Amplified Bible
‘They will be wasted by hunger, and consumed by plague And a bitter destruction; And I will send the teeth of beasts against them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.

Christian Standard Bible
They will be weak from hunger, ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will unleash on them wild beasts with fangs, as well as venomous snakes that slither in the dust.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They will be weak from hunger, ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will unleash on them wild beasts with fangs, as well as venomous snakes that slither in the dust.

American Standard Version
They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust.

Contemporary English Version
You'll be struck by starvation and deadly diseases, by the fangs of wild animals and poisonous snakes.

English Revised Version
They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They will be starved by famines and ravaged by pestilence and deadly epidemics. I will send vicious animals against them along with poisonous animals that crawl on the ground.

Good News Translation
They will die from hunger and fever; they will die from terrible diseases. I will send wild animals to attack them, and poisonous snakes to bite them.

International Standard Version
Emaciated from famine, feverish from plague, and destroyed by bitterness, I'll send fanged beasts against them, along with poisonous snakes that glide through the dust.

Majority Standard Bible
They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust.

NET Bible
They will be starved by famine, eaten by plague, and bitterly stung; I will send the teeth of wild animals against them, along with the poison of creatures that crawl in the dust.

New Heart English Bible
They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction. I will send the teeth of animals on them, With the poison of crawling creatures of the dust.

Webster's Bible Translation
They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

World English Bible
They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat and bitter destruction. I will send the teeth of animals on them, with the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Exhausted by famine, "" And consumed by heat and bitter destruction—I also send the teeth of beasts on them, "" With poison of fearful things of the dust.

Young's Literal Translation
Exhausted by famine, And consumed by heat, and bitter destruction. And the teeth of beasts I send upon them, With poison of fearful things of the dust.

Smith's Literal Translation
Exhausted with hunger, consumed with burning, And bitter destruction: And I will send upon them the tooth of beasts, With the wrath of those crawlers of the dust.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
They shall be consumed with famine, and birds shall devour them with a most bitter bite: I will send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the fury of creatures that trail upon the ground, and of serpents.

Catholic Public Domain Version
They will be consumed by famine, and birds with a very bitter bite will devour them. I will send forth the teeth of wild beasts among them, along with the fury of creatures that scurry across the ground, and of serpents.

New American Bible
Emaciating hunger and consuming fever and bitter pestilence, And the teeth of wild beasts I will send among them, with the venom of reptiles gliding in the dust.

New Revised Standard Version
wasting hunger, burning consumption, bitter pestilence. The teeth of beasts I will send against them, with venom of things crawling in the dust.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
They shall be disabled with hunger, and I will deliver them to evil spirits, and I will deliver them to vultures; I will also stir up wild beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents which creep in the dust.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they shall be disabled with hunger and evil spirits shall be handed over to them, and I shall hand them over to the bird of prey, and I shall lead a living creature of teeth to them, with the venom of serpents that slither in the dust.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
The wasting of hunger, and the devouring of the fiery bolt, And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the venom of crawling things of the dust.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
They shall be consumed with hunger and the devouring of birds, and there shall be irremediable destruction: I will send forth against them the teeth of wild beasts, with the rage of serpents creeping on the ground.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Song of Moses
23I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them. 24They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust. 25Outside, 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.…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:22
I will send wild animals against you to rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and reduce your numbers, until your roads lie desolate.

Jeremiah 15:3
I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

Ezekiel 5:17
I will send famine and wild beasts against you, and they will leave you childless. Plague and bloodshed will sweep through you, and I will bring a sword against you. I, the LORD, have spoken.”

Ezekiel 14:21
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast?

Hosea 13:8
Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast tearing them apart.

Revelation 6:8
Then I looked and saw a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed close behind. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the beasts of the earth.

Lamentations 4:9-10
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. / The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

2 Kings 17:25-26
Now when the settlers first lived there, they did not worship the LORD, so He sent lions among them, which killed some of them. / So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The peoples that you have removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the requirements of the God of the land. Because of this, He has sent lions among them, which are indeed killing them off.”

2 Kings 17:33-34
They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods according to the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away. / To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

Isaiah 51:20
Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street, like an antelope in a net. They are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.

Jeremiah 16:4
“They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried, but will lie like dung on the ground. They will be finished off by sword and famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the air and beasts of the earth.”

Jeremiah 19:9
I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another’s flesh in the siege and distress inflicted on them by their enemies who seek their lives.’

Jeremiah 24:10
And I will send against them sword and famine and plague, until they have perished from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.’”

Jeremiah 29:17-18
this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will send against them sword and famine and plague, and I will make them like rotten figs, so bad they cannot be eaten. / I will pursue them with sword and famine and plague. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth—a curse, a desolation, and an object of scorn and reproach among all the nations to which I banish them.

Ezekiel 33:27
Tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, those in the ruins will fall by the sword, those in the open field I will give to be devoured by wild animals, and those in the strongholds and caves will die by plague.


Treasury of Scripture

They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts on them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

burnt

Deuteronomy 28:53
And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:

Jeremiah 14:18
If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.

Lamentations 4:4-9
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them…

burning heat [heb] burning coals

Psalm 18:12-14
At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire…

Psalm 120:4
Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

Habakkuk 3:5
Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.

the teeth

Leviticus 26:22
I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.

Jeremiah 15:3
And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

Jeremiah 16:4
They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.

servants

Genesis 3:14
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

Genesis 49:15
And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.

Isaiah 65:25
The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

Jump to Previous
Animals Beasts Bitter Bolt Burning Burnt Consumed Consuming Crawleth Crawling Deadly Destruction Devoured Devouring Dust Exhausted Heat Hunger Need Overcome Pestilence Poison Poisonous Serpents Teeth Venom Vipers Wasted Wasting Wild Worms
Jump to Next
Animals Beasts Bitter Bolt Burning Burnt Consumed Consuming Crawleth Crawling Deadly Destruction Devoured Devouring Dust Exhausted Heat Hunger Need Overcome Pestilence Poison Poisonous Serpents Teeth Venom Vipers Wasted Wasting Wild Worms
Deuteronomy 32
1. Moses' song, which sets forth God's mercy and vengeance
46. He exhorts them to set their hearts upon it
48. God sends him up to mount Nebo to see the land, and to die














They will be wasted from hunger
The Hebrew word for "wasted" is "מְזֵי" (mezei), which conveys a sense of being emaciated or consumed. This phrase reflects the severe consequences of turning away from God, as hunger in the ancient Near East was often seen as a divine punishment. Historically, famine was a common threat in the region, and it served as a powerful metaphor for spiritual desolation. The imagery of being "wasted" underscores the total depletion of resources and strength, both physically and spiritually, when one is separated from the sustenance that God provides.

and ravaged by pestilence
The term "ravaged" comes from the Hebrew "לָהַט" (lahat), meaning to burn or consume. Pestilence, or "דֶּבֶר" (dever), was a frequent occurrence in biblical times, often associated with divine judgment. This phrase suggests a consuming force that devastates communities, much like the plagues that struck Egypt. It serves as a reminder of the fragility of human life and the need for divine protection. The historical context of pestilence in the ancient world highlights the Israelites' dependence on God for health and safety.

and bitter plague
"Bitter" in Hebrew is "מְרִירִי" (meriri), which conveys a sense of harshness or severity. The word "plague" is "קֶטֶב" (qetev), indicating a destructive force. This phrase emphasizes the intensity and harshness of the afflictions that come as a result of disobedience. In the scriptural context, plagues were often used by God as instruments of correction, urging His people to return to Him. The bitterness of the plague reflects the painful consequences of sin and the urgent need for repentance.

I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them
The "fangs" or "שֵׁן" (shen) symbolize the deadly and piercing nature of the threat. Wild beasts, "חַיָּה" (chayah), were a real danger in the wilderness and often represented chaos and judgment in biblical literature. This phrase illustrates the unleashing of natural forces as a form of divine retribution. The historical presence of dangerous animals in the region serves as a vivid reminder of the protective hand of God, which is withdrawn in times of judgment.

with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust
"Venom" or "חֲמַת" (chamat) signifies poison, a slow and painful death. Vipers, "פֶּתֶן" (pethen), are a specific type of snake known for their deadly bite. The imagery of vipers "slithering in the dust" evokes the curse of the serpent in Genesis, symbolizing deceit and enmity. This phrase highlights the insidious and pervasive nature of sin and its consequences. The historical and scriptural context of snakes as symbols of evil reinforces the need for vigilance and reliance on God's protection.

(24, 25)

"Consumed[8] with hunger, and devoured with pestilence, and bitter destruction--

[8] Or, possibly, "Regaled with hunger, and fed with bread of pestilence and bitter destruction," &c.

I will also send the tooth of the beasts upon them, with the poison of crawling things of the dust.

Outside the sword bereaveth, and in the chambers terror:

Both young man and maiden, the suckling with the man of grey hairs."

God's four sore judgments are all depicted here--"the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence." With Deuteronomy 32:25 comp. Jeremiah 14:18, "If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not."

Verses 24, 25. - The evils threatened are famine, pestilence, plague, wild beasts, poisonous reptiles, and war. They shall be burnt with hunger, etc.; render: Sucked out by hunger, consumed with pestilential heat, and bitter plague; I will send against them the tooth of beasts and the poison of things that crawl in the dust. When hunger, pestilence, and contagious disease had wasted and exhausted them, then God would send on them wild beasts and poisonous reptiles. Shall be burnt. The Hebrew word occurs only here; it is a verbal adjective, meaning, literally, sucked out, i.e. utterly exhausted; LXX., τηκομένοι λιμῷ. Tooth of beasts and poison of serpents; poetical for ravenous and poisonous animals ¢cf. Leviticus 26:22). Shall destroy; literally, shall make childless, shall bereave, viz. the land which is thought of as a mother whose children were destroyed. The verb is here sensu prsegnanti, shall bereave by destroying, etc. (cf. 1 Samuel 15:23; Lamentations 1:20; Jeremiah 18:21).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
They will be wasted
מְזֵ֥י (mə·zê)
Adjective - masculine plural construct
Strong's 4198: Sucked out, empty

from hunger,
רָעָ֛ב (rā·‘āḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7458: Famine, hunger

ravaged
וּלְחֻ֥מֵי (ū·lə·ḥu·mê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine plural construct
Strong's 3898: To feed on, to consume, to battle

by pestilence
רֶ֖שֶׁף (re·šep̄)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7565: A live coal, lightning, an arrow, fever

and bitter
מְרִירִ֑י (mə·rî·rî)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 4815: Bitter, poisonous

plague;
וְקֶ֣טֶב (wə·qe·ṭeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6986: Destruction

I will send
אֲשַׁלַּח־ (’ă·šal·laḥ-)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

the fangs
וְשֶׁן־ (wə·šen-)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 8127: A tooth, ivory, a cliff

of wild beasts
בְּהֵמוֹת֙ (bə·hê·mō·wṯ)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 929: A dumb beast, any large quadruped, animal

against them,
בָּ֔ם (bām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

with
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the venom
חֲמַ֖ת (ḥă·maṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 2534: Heat, anger, poison

of vipers that slither
זֹחֲלֵ֥י (zō·ḥă·lê)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct
Strong's 2119: To shrink back, crawl away

in the dust.
עָפָֽר׃ (‘ā·p̄ār)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 32:24 They shall be wasted with hunger (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 32:23
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