Deuteronomy 32:35
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The verse doesn't just state that God will enact vengeance; it reveals that this vengeance is already "laid up" and "sealed among His treasures" (as verse 34 describes it). This implies God's judgment isn't a reactive outburst, but a precisely planned retribution held in reserve until the appointed moment when their "foot shall slide."
Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes from Moses' final song to Israel, a sweeping poetic review of their history and God's faithfulness, contrasted with their persistent rebellion. It's a song intended to serve as a witness, calling both heaven and earth to observe their covenant relationship with God and the consequences of their choices. The verses immediately preceding this one describe Israel's corrupt practices, their turning to false gods, and God's increasing anger over their unfaithfulness.
Have you ever felt wronged and wanted to take matters into your own hands? This verse speaks directly to that urge.
Deuteronomy 32:35 boldly declares, 'Vengeance is mine, and recompense.' This isn't just a statement about God's power; it's a profound ethical command.
Why Vengeance Belongs to God:
This means that while we are called to seek justice and stand against wrongdoing, the act of final vengeance and retribution is reserved for God. It's a call for us to trust His timing and His perfect administration of justice, rather than seeking to enact it ourselves.
The Bible often uses physical metaphors to describe spiritual realities. What does a 'slipping foot' reveal about the wicked's fate?
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The phrase 'their foot shall slide in due time' paints a vivid picture of impending doom. It’s not a sudden, unexpected fall, but a process – a loss of stability that inevitably leads to a crash.
Understanding the 'Slide':
This imagery serves as a powerful reminder that ungodliness is inherently unstable. While the wicked may seem to prosper for a time, their foundation is crumbling, and their fall is assured.
Understand the original words
naqam · Hebrew Noun
A term referring to the righteous judgment and retribution of God. It signifies that God alone has the authority and the character to balance the scales of justice and punish evildoers according to His holy standard.
shillem · Hebrew Noun
The act of paying back or rewarding someone for their actions. Biblically, it refers to God's retributive justice where He responds to the deeds of the wicked with appropriate consequences.
ed · Hebrew Noun
A state of deep distress, disaster, or misfortune. In Scripture, it is often the direct result or manifestation of divine judgment against unrepentant individuals or nations.
Deuteronomy, spoken by Moses as Israel stands on the brink of the Promised Land, functions as a final exhortation and warning. This verse, appearing in Moses' final song, is a powerful declaration of God's ultimate justice, spoken in the context of Israel's repeated historical failures. While written before the Babylonian Exile, its themes of divine vengeance and impending doom resonated powerfully with those experiencing that catastrophe and subsequent exilic periods, serving as both a judgment on unfaithfulness and a promise of God's sovereign justice.
c. 1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivers the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, forming them into a nation.
c. 1406 BC
Entry into the Promised Land
After 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites enter and begin to conquer Canaan.
c. 1050 BC
Establishment of the Monarchy
Saul is anointed king, establishing a unified monarchy over Israel.
c. 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's reign, the united kingdom splits into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
722 BC
Fall of the Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, leading to the exile of its people.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Babylonian Empire conquers Jerusalem, destroys the Temple, and exiles much of the population of Judah. This period of exile is the backdrop for much of the prophetic literature emphasizing God's coming judgment and eventual restoration.
539 BC
Cyrus's Edict and Return from Exile
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon and issues a decree allowing the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple.
Paul directly quotes this verse, emphasizing that believers should not take personal vengeance but leave it to God, who is the ultimate judge.
Hebrews 10:30This passage also quotes Deuteronomy 32:35, using it to underscore the severity of rejecting God's grace and the certainty of His judgment and retribution.
Psalm 94:1This psalm echoes the sentiment that God is a God to whom vengeance belongs, calling Him the 'God of vengeance' who will eventually repay.
2 Thessalonians 1:8-9This passage describes God's judgment on those who do not obey the gospel, portraying a fiery retribution and eternal punishment, which aligns with the theme of divine recompense found in Deuteronomy.
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…
gillDeuteronomy 32:35: "To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste."
To me belongeth vengeance and recompense,.... Or, I will repay, or recompence, as it is quoted in Romans 12:19 ; and so all the three Targums, the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions, here, and so Jarchi interprets it. Vengeance belongs only to a divine Person, not to an Heathen deity called Dice, or…
The verse doesn't just state that God will enact vengeance; it reveals that this vengeance is already "laid up" and "sealed among His treasures" (as verse 34 describes it). This implies God's judgment isn't a reactive outburst, but a precisely planned retribution held in reserve until the appointed moment when their "foot shall slide."
This passage comes from Moses' final song to Israel, a sweeping poetic review of their history and God's faithfulness, contrasted with their persistent rebellion. It's a song intended to serve as a witness, calling both heaven and earth to observe their covenant relationship with God and the consequences of their choices. The verses immediately preceding this one describe Israel's corrupt practices, their turning to false gods, and God's increasing anger over their unfaithfulness.
This passage comes from Moses' final song to Israel, a sweeping poetic review of their history and God's faithfulness, contrasted with their persistent rebellion. It's a song intended to serve as a witness, calling both heaven and earth to observe their covenant relationship with God and the consequences of their choices. The verses immediately preceding this one describe Israel's corrupt practices, their turning to false gods, and God's increasing anger over their unfaithfulness.
"Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.’" — The verse doesn't just state that God will enact vengeance; it reveals that this vengeance is already "laid up" and "sealed among His treasures" (as verse 34 describes it). This implies God's jud…
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Last reviewed October 2026
