Bible Study Portion “HaAzinu”
(give ear) DEUT 32:1-52




Before going into this study, I would like to go back to chapter 30:15; “See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil in that I command you this day to love YHVH thy God to walk in his ways and to keep his commandments…”

It is very interesting to see how Moshe words this. We are used to hearing and reading the words “life and death” associated together, and “good and evil” associated together. We see these word comparisons because they are opposites, yet here we see the words “life and good” associated together, as well as “death and evil” associated together. Is there perhaps a connection?

Perhaps the answer is in that “doing good deeds, “mitzvoth, will produce a prosperous life, a life which is blessed by Adonai, be it a short life or a long life. We can also see that living a life doing evil deeds will produce death, perhaps death very soon. It can also bring spiritual death as well as physical death if the person does not repent and turn to Yeshua/Jesus.

That is why Moshe commands us to “Love” Adonai and walk in his ways and keep his commandments. In this way, we are certain to live a life of meaning and reap the rewards when we appear before the judgment seat of the Messiah. Again, keeping the commandments does not bring salvation; salvation is a separate issue based on our faith in our risen Messiah.

“Give ear!” I am sure that we don’t hear that expression very often today, but in the times of Yeshua, it was like saying today, “Yo, listen up, dudes!” “Will ya listen t’me already?” or “Hey, listen, I have something important to say!”

This is Moshe’s last speech, and he wants all of Israel to pay attention. He is looking into the future, and sadly, he sees the nation of Israel in apostasy, going against the commandments of YHVH, going after strange gods, and heading to corruption. He calls all of Heaven and earth as witnesses. We can be assured that the angels of heaven heard this speech, and “His” people who were on earth also heard; they were right there.

“I will proclaim the name of the LORD (YHVH), and the greatness of Our God” Here Moshe mentions two of the many names of God, the most holy, “Yod Hey Vav Hey”(YHVH) When we look at these letters from the ancient Hebraic aspect we get “behold the hand, behold the nail” this takes us directly to Calvary and imagine Messiah Yeshua hanging there by the nails in his hands (wrists). The name “Eloheinu” is the “behold the God who leads (us) and connects (us) to life through his hands” when we go to the ancient Hebraic symbolism of the letters.

“The ROCK, His work is perfect! Here is another name of God, “The ROCK” (HaTzur) from the letter “Tz” which symbolizes “Tzadik” (one who is righteous), and the word “Perfect” (Tamim) from “Tamei” which is “clean and pure” we have heard of God being called the “Rock of Ages” the “Solid Rock.” I remember the words of " B.R. Lakin," an old preacher in his 80s who once said, "I might not know a lot about the age of the rocks, but I do know the ROCK of ages." One thing is to know ABOUT the ROCK of ages, and another is to KNOW the ROCK of ages.

Moshe is saying all of this through the Holy Spirit so that the people can understand that THEY are the problem, not God. In all this song (Shir), he lets Israel know that they will be “doing wrong” and “have been wrong.” Moshe is like a father speaking to his children to change their ways, or curses will follow.

It is very interesting the way verse 5 is written. In the original Hebrew, the word “No” is written twice! It is spelled differently both times. In modern and also ancient Hebrew, the word “No” (Lo) is written with two Hebrew letters, the “Lamed” (L) and “aleph” (silent letter), yet there is a vowel point called a “dagesh” that is written above the “aleph” indicating the vowel “o”. The “dagesh” is just a “dot” or “period”. Yet the word “No” is written a second time, this time with the consonant “Vav” which can also be pronounced as an “o”.

We can ask, “Why is the word 'no' written twice? All we can do is guess. Perhaps as an emphasis on what Adonai is saying. So, what is He saying in verse 5 of chapter 32? I have read three versions, from three Hebrew-English Bibles. One says,

“Children unworthy of Him. That crooked, perverse generation…” Another version states, “They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children; they are a perverse and crooked generation.” Yet the third, to me, is better; “Is corruption His? NO! His children’s is the blemish, a generation crooked and perverse.” In this version (from the Soncino Press), the word “No” is recognized. But only once, while it is written twice. Perhaps we could see it as: “Is corruption His? NO, NO, (it is NOT) it is that of His children, a corrupt and perverse generation.”

At times, we all say “no” twice, like answering our child when he or she wants some cookies before dinner; “No, No, dear, not before dinner, you’ll spoil your appetite.” But perhaps, we should look beyond the printed words and look deeper into another possible meaning. Now this is just midrash, a commentary; is there perhaps a message behind the two different spellings of “no”? Well, one way we could look at it is: If we combine the two spellings, we will get the word “no” spelled with three letters instead of two; the “Lamed, Vav, and Aleph”

Using ancient Hebrew symbolism, we might understand those three letters together as: “The instruction is that God (aleph) received the nail (vav). His children were corrupt. Israel became corrupt when following false gods later on, as Moshe predicted and foresaw. We are also corrupt with our sin nature, which at times gets out of hand, yet Yeshua, who is God in the flesh, took our “corruption” when he received the “nails” on Calvary’s cross.

So, perhaps a better understanding (my opinion only) when we read this verse is: “Is corruption His? No, No, it is that of His children, a corrupt and perverse generation, yet Yeshua will take his children’s corruption on Himself by bearing their sins in his own body, suffering the agony of the nails on a rugged cross. He is the ROCK which was stained by blood, His own blood, bearing our iniquities from all generations past, present, and future.” (like I said, commentary only) Adonai loved Israel so much as His children, YHVH is a loving Father, and as a loving Father, He provided for their needs. How?

He gave them water from the ROCK. According to the ancient rabbis, the “Rock” that provided water for the Israelites and their cattle for 40 years, followed them” wherever they encamped. Of course, this is also just a commentary, as scripture does not say that it actually did. Yet we read in 1 Corinthians 10:4,

“And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed, and the ROCK was Messiah.”
We see that the identity of the ROCK is Yeshua, yet there was a real “rock” there in the wilderness, which provided real and physical water for 40 years. Did it really get lifted by Adonai and deposited at each campsite to provide the Israelites with the necessary water? Only our Heavenly Father knows that answer, and we can ask Him when we get to Heaven. Physical water is necessary to live our physical life, yet the Word of God is our “Spiritual Water” that is needed to live and grow in our spiritual life.

Now, when Israel goes into the promised land, they will “wax fat”; they will receive blessings from their cattle and crops. YHVH refers to Israel as “Yeshurun,” which is the ancient name for “Yerushalayim.” It was the ROCK (YHVH) who begot thee!

This, of course, refers to ELOHIM as their “father,” so why go against him? It also says that he will “rouse them to jealousy with a no-people and a vile nation” because they provoked YHVH with a “no-god”; the “no-people” and “vile nation” could be the pagan nations outside of Israel. At that time, all the nations outside of Israel were pagan, idolatrous nations, worshiping false gods. Adonai has “called” those nations to worship and recognize HIM as God. In a way, He is saying, “OK, you want to go after false gods, OK, I will look for worshipers in other places, I will accept other 'peoples' to become part of my 'called out ones”.

Not that HE rejected Israel as his people, NEVER! He just “added” more people (the Gentile nations) to become part of his “called out family”. We must remember that Abraham was from Mesopotamia! which was a pagan nation, yet her responded to the “call” to “Leave his people and follow HIM” and the result would be a “New People” a people of the “Book” of the “Torah” who would be a “light to the pagan world”, a people who would bring forth the Messiah.

“For YHVH will judge his people” (vs 36), and yes, he DID, and still does. The word “judge” has two meanings: one is “taking counsel to take a certain kind of action either for or against,” and the other meaning is “condemn, or sentence.” Israel sowed corruption and chased after false gods, and reaped the whirlwind! Yet YHVH is a God of forgiveness and love. (43) “Sing aloud all ye nations of His People (Goyim Amo!)

This verse sees the nations as part of HIS PEOPLE, being grafted into the olive tree, peoples outside of Israel, who have accepted the atonement of Yeshua for their sins, become part of “Am Yisrael” and YHVH will avenge the “blood of his servants” We are all part of HIS PEOPLE, He loves us and has blessings in store for us, whether we were born in Israel or not, it doesn’t matter. His people started with 12 tribes and have extended to the whole world.

The invitation is always open. God invites you to be part of HIS FAMILY, HIS PEOPLE, through Jesus Christ (Yeshua HaMashiach)

Shalom.