Deuteronomy 32 34

Deuteronomy 32:34 kjv

Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures?

Deuteronomy 32:34 nkjv

'Is this not laid up in store with Me, Sealed up among My treasures?

Deuteronomy 32:34 niv

"Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults?

Deuteronomy 32:34 esv

"'Is not this laid up in store with me, sealed up in my treasuries?

Deuteronomy 32:34 nlt

"The LORD says, 'Am I not storing up these things,
sealing them away in my treasury?

Deuteronomy 32 verses

Deuteronomy 32 34 Meaning

Deuteronomy 32:34 conveys God's declaration that He meticulously observes, remembers, and records all evil deeds and injustices, specifically those committed against His people by their enemies. These deeds are not forgotten but are securely held in God's divine repository, reserved for His perfectly timed and righteous judgment and retribution. It underscores God's omniscience, unyielding justice, and His sovereign control over the execution of vengeance.

Deuteronomy 32 34 Context

Deuteronomy 32:34 is a profound statement made by God Himself within the "Song of Moses," delivered by Moses to the Israelites just before his death and their entry into the Promised Land. This prophetic song (Deut 32:1-43) serves as both a remembrance of God's past faithfulness and a stark warning against future apostasy and a promise of ultimate divine justice.

The preceding verses (32:28-33) lament the foolishness of Israel's enemies, who ascribe their successes to their own idols and not to God's hand in punishing His people. God then rhetorically questions if His enemies understood His power, they would not be so boastful. Verse 34 follows this, shifting the focus to God's reserved judgment. It reveals that the wicked deeds, particularly their boastful arrogance and oppression of Israel, are not overlooked but are precisely recorded and kept by God. This sets the stage for the climactic declaration in verse 35: "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them." The entire song affirms God's unique sovereignty, His unfailing justice, and His ultimate vindication of His name and His people, even through periods of His righteous judgment on them. The concept of God's "treasures" reflects ancient Near Eastern understanding of royal storehouses containing records, wealth, or instruments of judgment, emphasizing His methodical and secure handling of future reckoning.

Deuteronomy 32 34 Word analysis

• Is not this (הֲלֹא־זֶה haloh-zeh): This is a rhetorical question designed to elicit a strong affirmative answer. It means, "Indeed, this is the case!" It powerfully emphasizes the certainty and truthfulness of the statement that follows, leaving no room for doubt.
• laid up in store (צָפוּן tsaphun): This Hebrew verb denotes something hidden, treasured, reserved, or laid away carefully for a specific future purpose. It implies meticulous preservation, protection from external influence, and an intentional act of securing something valuable out of sight until the appointed time. It is not forgotten but is deliberately kept in reserve. This verb appears in contexts like storing wealth (Job 20:26).
• with Me (אִתִּי itti): This preposition emphasizes divine ownership, intimate presence, and direct control. The record is held personally by God; it is not entrusted to another or externalized. It highlights God's immediate involvement and constant awareness of all that transpires.
• sealed up (חָתוּם chatum): This term signifies confirmation, authentication, and security. In ancient contexts, sealing a document, scroll, or container rendered its contents secure, unalterable, and reserved for a specific recipient or revelation. It often implies a closed or secret status, protecting the information until a precise moment of unveiling or execution. It guarantees the integrity and certainty of the divine record, ensuring no corruption or omission. (e.g., Isa 29:11, Dan 12:4).
• among My treasures (בְּאוֹצְרֹתַי b'ots'rotay): Otsar (אוֹצָר) means a storehouse, treasury, or repository. This can be a literal place for valuables or, metaphorically, a reserved collection of something. In the biblical context, God's "treasures" can refer to storehouses of natural elements like snow or hail (Job 38:22), but here, it refers to the precise accounting of wicked deeds and the divine judgments associated with them. This implies that these records are not haphazardly stored but are held as invaluable components of God's sovereign administration and future justice, meticulously ordered and guarded within His divine counsel.

Words-group Analysis:

• "laid up in store... sealed up": This phrase combines the idea of careful preservation with secure reservation. It indicates that the deeds and their corresponding judgments are not only remembered by God but are also purposefully put away in a state of protection and inaccessibility until the appointed time of reckoning. This portrays God's precise and deliberate administration of justice, not impulsive vengeance.
• "laid up in store with Me, sealed up among My treasures": This entire clause conveys an absolute certainty and divine methodical precision. The deeds of Israel's enemies and their due judgment are God's invaluable possessions, securely held in His own divine vaults. This paints a picture of ultimate control, an unshakeable resolve, and a future accounting that is absolutely guaranteed because it is divinely preserved and perfectly orchestrated from within God's own being and sovereign domain.

Deuteronomy 32 34 Bonus section

• This verse provides a powerful image of God's "divine ledger" or "book of records," where all human actions, both good and evil, are meticulously documented by His omniscience. This concept appears later in books like Daniel and Revelation concerning the final judgment.
• The phrase underscores key divine attributes: God's omniscience (He knows and sees all), sovereignty (He is in control of all things, including timing), justice (He will right every wrong), and patience (His delayed action is strategic, allowing wickedness to reach its full measure or providing space for repentance, though not necessarily for these specific 'enemies' mentioned).
• It highlights a crucial distinction: unlike human forgetfulness or misplacing, God's memory and records are flawless and secure. What is "sealed up" with Him cannot be altered, lost, or evaded.
• The Song of Moses serves as a prophetic pattern that recurs throughout Israel's history and finds ultimate fulfillment in the greater cosmic judgment predicted in the New Testament. This verse in Deuteronomy is a foundational text for understanding that the Day of Judgment is not an impulsive act, but a precisely calculated and long-planned divine reckoning.

Deuteronomy 32 34 Commentary

Deuteronomy 32:34 reveals a foundational truth about God's nature: His unyielding justice and perfect memory. Far from being a God who forgets or overlooks sin, He is actively recording and preserving every act of evil, particularly the offenses against His people. This "laying up" and "sealing" indicate a meticulous divine administration where nothing escapes His notice. It's a profound statement of accountability, assuring that vengeance is not overlooked, but precisely stored for the due time. This brings comfort to the oppressed, reminding them that their suffering is witnessed and valued by God, and gives a stern warning to the oppressor, indicating their judgment is not hypothetical but a secured, coming reality from God's divine storehouses. God's patience is thus seen not as indifference but as part of His perfect timing for ultimate retribution. It is a cornerstone for understanding divine judgment throughout the Scriptures, from the Book of Life to the final judgment where books are opened.