The Meaning of Deuteronomy 32:11 Explained

Deuteronomy 32:11

KJV: As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:

YLT: As an eagle waketh up its nest, Over its young ones fluttereth, Spreadeth its wings -- taketh them, Beareth them on its pinions; --

Darby: As the eagle stirreth up its nest, Hovereth over its young, Spreadeth out its wings, Taketh them, beareth them on its feathers,

ASV: As an eagle that stirreth up her nest, That fluttereth over her young, He spread abroad his wings, he took them, He bare them on his pinions.

What is the context of Deuteronomy 32:11?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As an eagle  stirreth up  her nest,  fluttereth  over her young,  spreadeth abroad  her wings,  taketh  them, beareth  them on her wings: 

What does Deuteronomy 32:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 32:1-14 - Moses' Song: The Lord's Favor Upon Israel
The song of Moses, like the fabled song of the swan, was his last and sweetest. It is probably the noblest ode in the whole compass of the Bible, and is the source from which subsequent singers derived suggestions for their noblest outbursts. The marginal references prove how deeply it dyed the national sentiment.
It excels in the names and designations of the Almighty. He is the Rock: Deuteronomy 31:4; Deuteronomy 31:15; Deuteronomy 31:18; Deuteronomy 31:30; Jehovah: Deuteronomy 31:6; Father: Deuteronomy 31:6; the Most High: Deuteronomy 31:8; God: El, the strong, Deuteronomy 31:15, etc. What a study are the names of God, scattered through the Bible! Each was coined to meet some need of the human soul. What the rocks of the desert are to its shifting sands God is amid the changes of this mortal existence.
This earlier part of the song is very tender. We are God's portion; the apple of His eye; as young eaglets, whom the mother-bird is carefully teaching to fly, the favored recipients of God's richest gifts, Deuteronomy 31:13, etc. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 32

1  Moses' song, which sets forth God's mercy and vengeance
46  He exhorts them to set their hearts upon it
48  God sends him up to mount Nebo to see the land, and to die

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 32:11 mean?

As an eagle stirs up its nest over its young Hovers Spreading out its wings Carrying them taking them up on its wings
כְּנֶ֙שֶׁר֙ יָעִ֣יר קִנּ֔וֹ עַל־ גּוֹזָלָ֖יו יְרַחֵ֑ף יִפְרֹ֤שׂ כְּנָפָיו֙ יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ עַל־ אֶבְרָתֽוֹ

כְּנֶ֙שֶׁר֙  As  an  eagle 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁר  
Sense: eagle, vulture, griffon-vulture.
יָעִ֣יר  stirs  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּר 
Sense: to rouse oneself, awake, awaken, incite.
קִנּ֔וֹ  its  nest 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קֵן  
Sense: nest.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גּוֹזָלָ֖יו  its  young 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: גֹּוזָל  
Sense: a nestling, young (of birds).
יְרַחֵ֑ף  Hovers 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָחַף 
Sense: (Qal) to grow soft, relax.
יִפְרֹ֤שׂ  Spreading  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
כְּנָפָיו֙  its  wings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּנָף  
Sense: wing, extremity, edge, winged, border, corner, shirt.
יִקָּחֵ֔הוּ  Carrying  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
יִשָּׂאֵ֖הוּ  taking  them  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
אֶבְרָתֽוֹ  its  wings 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶבְרָה  
Sense: pinion, wing.