Deuteronomy 32:32-33
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The verse vividly illustrates Israel's moral and spiritual decay by comparing their "vine" (their nature and actions) to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. This isn't just about bad fruit; it points to a fundamental corruption that mirrors the very wickedness for which those cities were destroyed.
For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison; their clusters are bitter; their wine is the poison of serpents and the cruel venom of asps.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses is concluding his song of warning and prophecy to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. He has recounted God's faithfulness and Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, culminating in a description of their corrupt nature. This verse highlights how Israel has become morally akin to the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose ruin serves as a perpetual example of God's judgment.
God compares Israel to a vine, but not just any vine – one that has lost its way. What does it mean for a people, or even us, to become a 'degenerate vine'?
The imagery of a 'vine' in Scripture often represents God's chosen people, planted and nurtured by His hand. In Deuteronomy 32:32, however, this vine is described as coming 'from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah.' This isn't a literal vine, but a powerful metaphor for the nation's moral and spiritual state.
Lost Identity
When God 'planted' Israel, He intended them to be a 'noble vine, a right seed' (Jeremiah 2:21). They were meant to bear fruit that honored Him. However, by turning away from God, they adopted the characteristics of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, notorious for their extreme depravity.
Bearing Poisonous Fruit
The verse states, 'their grapes are grapes of poison; their clusters are bitter.' This means their actions, their choices, and their overall way of life were not just disappointing but actively harmful and destructive. They were producing 'gall' and bitterness instead of the sweetness of obedience and righteousness.
This transformation from a chosen vine to a source of poison highlights the devastating consequences of apostasy – turning away from God. It shows how a people, once set apart for God, can become so corrupted that their very nature produces what is harmful.
The description of 'grapes of gall' and 'bitter clusters' is intense. What does this profound bitterness represent in terms of spiritual consequences?
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The language in Deuteronomy 32:32 goes beyond mere disappointment; it speaks of a deep-seated corruption that results in profound bitterness. This isn't just about bad actions, but the very quality of their being and the outcomes they produce.
The Taste of Rebellion
'Grapes of gall' and 'bitter clusters' paint a picture of something that is fundamentally offensive and harmful. In ancient times, 'gall' (often translated as wormwood or poison) was associated with extreme bitterness, rendering things unusable or even deadly. For Israel, this represented the poisonous nature of their sin and rebellion against God.
Self-Destructive Fruits
These bitter fruits were not only loathsome to God but also detrimental to others and, ultimately, to themselves. The commentary notes that their actions were 'mischievous to others, and at last will be pernicious to themselves.' Their choices, stemming from a heart turned away from God, were sowing seeds of destruction.
The very essence of their 'vine' had become corrupted, producing a harvest that was inherently bitter and poisonous. This illustrates how turning away from the source of life and goodness inevitably leads to a bitter, self-destructive existence.
Understand the original words
Sedom · Hebrew Noun
A city in the plain of Jordan known for extreme wickedness and divine judgment. In Scripture, it serves as the archetypal symbol of corruption, immorality, and impending judgment.
Amorah · Hebrew Noun
A city associated with Sodom that experienced divine destruction due to its great sin. It is often cited as a warning of the certainty of God's judgment upon the ungodly.
rosh · Hebrew Noun
A general term referring to toxic or deadly substances. In a theological context, it is often used metaphorically to describe the corrupting, destructive nature of sin, idolatry, and evil behavior.
The imagery of the 'vine of Sodom' powerfully illustrates Israel's deep corruption. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah were notorious for their utter depravity, Israel, despite being divinely planted as a 'noble vine,' had degenerated into a source of poison and bitterness through its persistent idolatry and disobedience.
c. 1800 BC
God's Covenant with Abraham
God establishes a foundational covenant with Abraham, promising him descendants and a land. This marks the beginning of His special relationship with Abraham's lineage, the future nation of Israel.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt through Moses, a pivotal moment of redemption and the formation of Israel as a distinct nation under God's law.
c. 1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan
Following 40 years in the wilderness, the Israelites, under Joshua, conquer and settle the Promised Land, fulfilling God's covenant promises.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
After the reigns of Saul, David, and Solomon, the united monarchy splits into two kingdoms: Israel in the north and Judah in the south, leading to increased idolatry and division.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom of Israel
The Assyrian Empire conquers and deports the northern kingdom of Israel, scattering its people and marking a significant divine judgment for their persistent disobedience.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Neo-Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling many of the people of Judah. This event represents a severe consequence of their prolonged apostasy.
c. 1400 BC - 1300 BC— this verse
Moses Delivers the Song of the Lord
Moses, on the plains of Moab, presents this song as a testimony to Israel before they enter the Promised Land, recounting God's faithfulness and warning of the consequences of disobedience. The verse in question is part of this prophetic song.
This passage echoes the sentiment of Deuteronomy 32:32, describing Israel as a degenerated vine that has turned into the wild shoots of a foreign plant, highlighting a theme of spiritual unfaithfulness and corruption.
Hosea 10:1Hosea directly calls Israel 'an empty vine' that yields fruit to itself, directly paralleling the idea in Deuteronomy that their produce (actions and character) is corrupt and self-serving rather than God-honoring.
Isaiah 5:1-7This prophecy likens Israel to a vineyard that was meant to produce good grapes but yielded only 'wild grapes,' illustrating the same concept of a good foundation producing bitter, corrupted results, much like the 'grapes of gall' mentioned in Deuteronomy.
Genesis 19:24-25This passage describes the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by fire and brimstone from the LORD, providing the historical context for why these cities became synonymous with extreme wickedness and divine judgment, serving as the origin of the metaphor used in Deuteronomy.
Romans 10:19Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:21, showing how the Gentile nations, previously considered 'no people,' provoked Israel (and God) to jealousy, connecting the theme of divine judgment and the reversal of fortunes found in Deuteronomy with the spread of the Gospel.
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…
barnesDeuteronomy 32:32: "For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:"
Their vine - i. e., the nature and character of Israel: compare for similar expressions Psalm 80:8 , Psalm 80:14 ; Jeremiah 2:21 ; Hosea 10:1 . Sodom ... Gomorrah - Here, as elsewhere, and often in the prophets, emblems of utter depravity: compare Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 23:14, Gall - Compare Deuteronomy 29:18 note.
The verse vividly illustrates Israel's moral and spiritual decay by comparing their "vine" (their nature and actions) to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. This isn't just about bad fruit; it points to a fundamental corruption that mirrors the very wickedness for which those cities were destroyed.
Moses is concluding his song of warning and prophecy to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. He has recounted God's faithfulness and Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, culminating in a description of their corrupt nature. This verse highlights how Israel has become morally akin to the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose ruin serves as a perpetual example of God's judgment.
Moses is concluding his song of warning and prophecy to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land. He has recounted God's faithfulness and Israel's persistent unfaithfulness, culminating in a description of their corrupt nature. This verse highlights how Israel has become morally akin to the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, whose ruin serves as a perpetual example of God's judgment.
"For their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of poison; their clusters are bitter; their wine is the poison of serpents and the cruel venom of asps." — The verse vividly illustrates Israel's moral and spiritual decay by comparing their "vine" (their nature and actions) to that of Sodom and Gomorrah. This isn't just about bad fruit; it points to a fu…
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Last reviewed October 2026
