Deuteronomy 32:15
“But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrase "Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked" uses a name that means "upright" to highlight how this "upright" nation, despite receiving God's abundant blessings, became spoiled and rebellious, like a pampered animal that kicks against its owner. This stark contrast underscores the depth of their ingratitude toward the very God who made them, portraying their apostasy not just as a departure, but as an active rejection of their Savior.
This passage occurs within Moses' final song to the Israelites, a powerful poetic warning delivered before their entry into the Promised Land. It follows a lengthy section where Moses recounts God's faithfulness and provision, from their miraculous deliverance from Egypt to their sustenance in the wilderness. The song then shifts, moving into a stark denunciation of Israel's inevitable future disobedience and ingratitude, foreseeing their prosperity leading to pride and a turning away from God.
God lavished blessings on Israel, but this abundance led them down a dangerous path. Discover how comfort can become a catalyst for rebellion.
The Fattened Calf's Rebellion
Moses uses a vivid image: Jeshurun (a poetic name for Israel, meaning 'upright one') growing 'fat, stout, and sleek.' This isn't just about physical abundance; it represents the immense blessings God poured out on His people – fertile land, safety, prosperity. Think of it like a child being given everything they could ever want.
But here’s the gut-punch: this abundance didn't lead to greater devotion. Instead, it led to rebellion. The 'fatness' made them arrogant, complacent, and ultimately, dismissive of the One who provided it all. Like a pampered animal that kicks its owner, Israel turned on God.
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This is a profound warning: prosperity is not inherently bad, but it carries a unique temptation. When life is easy, it's easy to forget the One who made it easy.
Israel was called 'Jeshurun,' a name meaning 'upright.' But in this verse, the name becomes a stark contrast to their actions. Explore the irony and the calling behind the name.
The Ironic Name of 'Upright'
Moses calls Israel 'Jeshurun,' a name derived from the Hebrew word for 'upright' or 'righteous.' This wasn't just a random nickname; it was a name packed with meaning and expectation.
A Name of Calling
A Name of Rebuke
Jeshurun wasn't just a historical name; it's a potent reminder that God gives us names and roles, not just to describe us, but to define our purpose and challenge us to live up to them.
Understand the original words
Yeshurun · Hebrew Noun
A poetic and symbolic name for Israel, meaning 'the upright one,' used to remind the people of their high calling and covenantal status before God, often serving as an ironic contrast to their actual conduct.
natash · Hebrew Verb
The act of abandoning or turning away from one's covenant relationship with God; it signifies a deliberate rejection of His authority, law, and presence, often associated with apostasy.
yeshu'ah · Hebrew Noun
The divine act of rescue from danger, bondage, or destruction. In the Old Testament, it is primarily associated with physical deliverance by God, prefiguring the ultimate spiritual salvation found in the Messiah.
This passage, spoken by Moses, acts as a profound prophecy of Israel's future behavior. It uses the metaphor of a well-fed animal kicking against its owner to describe how prosperity would lead Israel to forget God, turn to idols, and ultimately face severe judgment. The name 'Jeshurun' (meaning 'upright' or 'beloved') is used ironically to highlight their shameful apostasy from the people God had called to be righteous.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt and Wilderness Wanderings
After centuries of oppression in Egypt, God powerfully delivered the Israelites through Moses. This pivotal event marked the beginning of their covenant relationship with God, leading them through the wilderness for forty years.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Upon entering the Promised Land under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites were commanded to drive out the existing inhabitants and establish themselves in the land God had promised to Abraham. This set the stage for their settlement and future.
c. 1350-1050 BC
Period of the Judges
Following the conquest, Israel entered a cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance throughout the era of the Judges. This period was characterized by a lack of centralized leadership and a recurring failure to fully obey God.
c. 1050 BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
The people's desire for a king like other nations led to the anointing of Saul, followed by David and Solomon. This era saw Israel reach its zenith of power and influence but also sowed seeds of future division.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death and the oppressive reign of his son Rehoboam, the unified kingdom split into two: the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom (Israel)
The Northern Kingdom, characterized by persistent idolatry and rebellion against God, was conquered by the Assyrian Empire, and its people were exiled and scattered.
c. 586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
After repeated warnings and periods of unfaithfulness, the Southern Kingdom (Judah) was conquered by the Babylonians, its temple destroyed, and its people taken into exile.
This passage describes Israel's repeated turning away from God after He had delivered them, highlighting the theme of unfaithfulness and forgetting God's past mercies, similar to Jeshurun's ingratitude.
Psalm 106:7-12This psalm recounts Israel's history of forgetting God's mighty deeds and rebelling against Him, even after experiencing His salvation, echoing the sentiment of Jeshurun growing fat and kicking against the Rock of his salvation.
Jeremiah 2:5-6Here, the prophet questions Israel's abandonment of God, describing their journey into the desert and their subsequent neglect of the One who led them, mirroring Jeshurun's forsaking of the God who made him.
Hosea 13:5-8This passage speaks of God's care for Israel in the wilderness and their subsequent prosperity, which led to pride and forgetting Him, directly paralleling the 'waxed fat and kicked' imagery of Deuteronomy 32:15.
Romans 1:21-23This New Testament passage describes how people, knowing God, did not honor Him and became foolish in their thinking, turning from the truth to falsehood, which resonates with Jeshurun's rejection of the 'Rock of his salvation'.
calvinDeuteronomy 32:1-52: "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Ipsi ad zelum provocaverunt me, in eo quod non est Deus, ad iracundiam me provocaverunt in vanitatibus suis: et ego ad zelum provocabo eos in eo qui non…
clarkeDeuteronomy 32:15: "But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation."
Jeshurun - ישרון the upright. This appellative is here put for Israel, and as it comes from ישר yashar, he was right, straight, may be intended to show that the people who once not only promised fair, but were really upright, walking in the paths of righteousness, should, in the time…
The phrase "Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked" uses a name that means "upright" to highlight how this "upright" nation, despite receiving God's abundant blessings, became spoiled and rebellious, like a pampered animal that kicks against its owner. This stark contrast underscores the depth of their ingratitude toward the very God who made them, portraying their apostasy not just as a departure, but as an active rejection of their Savior.
This passage occurs within Moses' final song to the Israelites, a powerful poetic warning delivered before their entry into the Promised Land. It follows a lengthy section where Moses recounts God's faithfulness and provision, from their miraculous deliverance from Egypt to their sustenance in the wilderness. The song then shifts, moving into a stark denunciation of Israel's inevitable future disobedience and ingratitude, foreseeing their prosperity leading to pride and a turning away from God.
This passage occurs within Moses' final song to the Israelites, a powerful poetic warning delivered before their entry into the Promised Land. It follows a lengthy section where Moses recounts God's faithfulness and provision, from their miraculous deliverance from Egypt to their sustenance in the wilderness. The song then shifts, moving into a stark denunciation of Israel's inevitable future disobedience and ingratitude, foreseeing their prosperity leading to pride and a turning away from God.
"“But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation." — The phrase "Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked" uses a name that means "upright" to highlight how this "upright" nation, despite receiving God's abundant blessings, became spoiled and rebellious, like a p…
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