Deuteronomy 32 22

Deuteronomy 32:22 kjv

For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

Deuteronomy 32:22 nkjv

For a fire is kindled in My anger, And shall burn to the lowest hell; It shall consume the earth with her increase, And set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

Deuteronomy 32:22 niv

For a fire will be kindled by my wrath, one that burns down to the realm of the dead below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains.

Deuteronomy 32:22 esv

For a fire is kindled by my anger, and it burns to the depths of Sheol, devours the earth and its increase, and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

Deuteronomy 32:22 nlt

For my anger blazes forth like fire
and burns to the depths of the grave.
It devours the earth and all its crops
and ignites the foundations of the mountains.

Deuteronomy 32 verses

Deuteronomy 32 22 Meaning

Deuteronomy 32:22 paints a vivid and fearsome picture of God's righteous and comprehensive judgment. It describes His anger as a raging fire that not only consumes the physical world, its inhabitants, and its produce, but also penetrates to the deepest parts of the unseen realm—the "lowest hell" or deepest Sheol. This intense divine wrath signifies a judgment that is absolute, inescapable, and reaches every dimension of existence, targeting even the most stable elements of creation, such as the foundations of mountains, demonstrating God's ultimate power over all things when sin provokes His holy fury.

Deuteronomy 32 22 Context

Deuteronomy 32:22 is a profound and somber declaration within the "Song of Moses" (Deut 32:1-43), delivered by Moses just before his death. This song serves as a prophetic warning and a covenantal reminder to the Israelites as they are about to enter the Promised Land. The preceding verses (Deut 32:15-18) highlight Israel's unfaithfulness, their rejection of God who made them, and their worship of false gods, leading to God's deep provocation. Verses 19-21 declare God's displeasure and His intention to hide His face from them and to provoke them with a foolish nation.

Therefore, verse 22 introduces the intense and inescapable consequence of Israel's apostasy: God's fiery wrath. It speaks to the seriousness of breaking covenant with the living God, demonstrating that His anger is not arbitrary but a righteous response to profound rebellion. The historical context reinforces this: the covenant between God and Israel, established at Sinai, demanded exclusive loyalty. Disobedience, especially idolatry, had severe, pre-stipulated consequences. This verse articulates the depth of those consequences, reaching beyond the physical land to the very foundations of existence and the realm of the dead, emphasizing that there is no escape from the just judgment of the Holy God.

Deuteronomy 32 22 Word analysis

• For a fire: This signifies God's divine wrath and judgment. The image of fire ('אֵשׁ, 'esh) in Scripture is consistently associated with God's consuming presence, purifying holiness, and righteous anger against sin (e.g., Ex 24:17, Lev 10:2).
• is kindled: Implying an act of divine initiation. This fire does not simply erupt, but is lit or ignited by God Himself, showing intent and controlled execution of His judgment.
• in my anger: This specifies the source of the fire. It is a direct manifestation of God's righteous indignation and holy wrath (אַפִּי, 'appi – literally "my nostrils," a Hebrew idiom for intense anger or fury). It is not capricious rage, but a holy reaction to human rebellion and unfaithfulness.
• and it shall burn: Conveys the relentless and active nature of the judgment. The fire is not static; it is fiercely active and progressing.
• to the lowest hell: Refers to שְׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּיָּה (Sheol tachtiya), the deepest Sheol. Sheol, in the Old Testament, is the general realm of the dead. "Lowest Sheol" indicates the utmost depth of divine judgment, reaching beyond earthly life into the spiritual dimension or the gravest possible consequence in the realm of the departed. It speaks to an inescapable judgment from which no one can hide, whether alive or dead (cf. Amos 9:2; Job 26:6).
• and shall consume: Expresses the utter destructive power. It denotes a complete devouring or annihilating action, leaving nothing remaining.
• the earth with her increase: Refers to אֶרֶץ וְיְבוּלָהּ (eretz v'yevulah), meaning the land and its produce, crops, or fruits. This signifies the total devastation of the natural environment, the sources of sustenance, and all forms of life and livelihood that the earth provides.
• and set on fire: Another active verb emphasizing the persistent and comprehensive nature of this fiery judgment.
• the foundations of the mountains: (מוֹסְדֵי הָרִים, mos'dey harim). Mountains are symbols of strength, stability, and permanence in the natural world. Setting their very foundations ablaze means the judgment reaches the most deep-seated, unshakable elements of creation, indicating an unparalleled, universal, and total cosmic disruption and destruction caused by God's wrath.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "For a fire is kindled in my anger": Establishes the divine origin and motivation of the destructive force. It is not an impersonal calamity but a direct, volitional act rooted in God's provoked, holy nature.
• "and it shall burn to the lowest hell": Reveals the profundity and scope of this judgment. It penetrates not just the surface of the earth, but the very depths of the netherworld, signifying an inescapable reach of God's hand in judgment, affecting all realms of existence.
• "and shall consume the earth with her increase": Describes the devastation of the living world. The judgment utterly eradicates the vitality, sustenance, and fruitfulness of the physical land, symbolizing a complete ecological and existential ruin for those upon it.
• "and set on fire the foundations of the mountains": Elevates the destruction to a cosmic level. By attacking the seemingly most enduring and stable parts of creation, the verse underscores the cataclysmic, all-encompassing, and foundational impact of God's righteous wrath. It means no part of the created order, however strong, can withstand His fury.

Deuteronomy 32 22 Bonus section

This powerful hyperbole used by Moses serves to emphasize the terrifying and utterly comprehensive nature of God's judgment against covenant unfaithfulness. It's not meant to be taken as a literal description of geological events in real-time, but as a hyperbolic statement about the severity and totality of God's wrath. This artistic and prophetic language intends to evoke profound fear and seriousness about provoking God. The phrase "lowest hell" can also imply that no corner or hidden place, however deep or obscure, can provide refuge from the omnipresent reach of divine judgment. This particular verse reflects a strong polemic against the pagan belief systems common among Israel's neighbors, which often attributed localized, limited powers to their deities. The God of Israel is revealed here as having cosmic authority and power over all realms, whether visible or invisible, above or below, active in life or death.

Deuteronomy 32 22 Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:22 profoundly illustrates the unyielding and comprehensive nature of God's wrath when His covenant is defied. This verse, situated within a prophetic poem, warns of the severe consequences of Israel's anticipated apostasy. The imagery of a "fire...kindled in My anger" is not merely poetic but communicates the absolute and pure nature of divine holiness confronting grievous sin. This fire is righteous indignation, stemming from a breach of covenantal faithfulness and a challenge to God's supreme authority.

The fire's reach "to the lowest hell" signifies judgment extending beyond mortal existence to the very core of being and into the spiritual realms, demonstrating God's power over life and death, seen and unseen. The devastation of "the earth with her increase" implies the collapse of all sustenance and fertility, a direct reversal of God's blessing, highlighting the tangible and immediate repercussions of rebellion on human well-being and the land itself. Furthermore, "setting on fire the foundations of the mountains" conveys a cataclysmic, foundational disruption of the cosmic order. This is not just localized punishment but a tearing apart of the fabric of existence, showing that nothing is stable or strong enough to endure God's full, unleashed wrath against sin. Ultimately, this verse serves as a solemn reminder of God's perfect justice and sovereign power, urging reverent obedience to avoid such dire, universal judgment.