The Meaning of Deuteronomy 32:24 Explained

Deuteronomy 32:24

KJV: They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

YLT: Exhausted by famine, And consumed by heat, and bitter destruction. And the teeth of beasts I send upon them, With poison of fearful things of the dust.

Darby: They shall be consumed with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, And with poisonous pestilence; And the teeth of beasts will I send against them, With the poison of what crawleth in the dust.

ASV: They shall be wasted with hunger, and devoured with burning heat And bitter destruction; And the teeth of beasts will I send upon them, With the poison of crawling things of the dust.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[They shall be] burnt  with hunger,  and devoured  with burning heat,  and with bitter  destruction:  I will also send  the teeth  of beasts  upon them, with the poison  of serpents  of the dust. 

What does Deuteronomy 32:24 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 32:15-35 - Moses' Song: Israel's Response
"Jeshurun" is a pet name for Israel, implying affection and endearment. The metaphor employed is derived from a pampered animal which, in consequence of rich and plentiful feeding, becomes mischievous and vicious.
Let us be warned by these denunciations against backsliding and willful sin. The greatness of our privileges will be the measure of the anguish of our doom. They who are exalted to Heaven by privilege must be cast down to Hades if they refuse and reject. The most fervent love becomes the hottest fire when it turns to jealousy. O my soul, it becomes thee to fear God as well as love Him. Remember Hebrews 10:26.
But what privileges await those who obey! When we abide in God, no enemy can stand against us. Five, strong in His miraculous fellowship, can chase a hundred, and a hundred, ten thousand. See Leviticus 26:8; also 1 Samuel 14:1, etc. God shows "Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." See 2 Chronicles 16:9. [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 32:24 mean?

[They shall be] wasted with hunger and Devoured by pestilence and destruction bitter and the teeth of beasts I will send against them with the poison of serpents of the dust
מְזֵ֥י רָעָ֛ב וּלְחֻ֥מֵי רֶ֖שֶׁף וְקֶ֣טֶב מְרִירִ֑י וְשֶׁן־ בְּהֵמוֹת֙ אֲשַׁלַּח־ בָּ֔ם עִם־ חֲמַ֖ת זֹחֲלֵ֥י עָפָֽר

מְזֵ֥י  [They  shall  be]  wasted 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural construct
Root: מָזֶה  
Sense: sucked out, empty, exhausted.
רָעָ֛ב  with  hunger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
וּלְחֻ֥מֵי  and  Devoured 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural construct
Root: לָחַם 
Sense: to fight, do battle, make war.
רֶ֖שֶׁף  by  pestilence 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶשֶׁף  
Sense: flame, firebolt, spark.
וְקֶ֣טֶב  and  destruction 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶטֶב  
Sense: destruction.
מְרִירִ֑י  bitter 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מְרִירִי  
Sense: bitter.
וְשֶׁן־  and  the  teeth 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular construct
Root: שֵׁן  
Sense: tooth, ivory.
בְּהֵמוֹת֙  of  beasts 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
אֲשַׁלַּח־  I  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
בָּ֔ם  against  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
חֲמַ֖ת  the  poison 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.
זֹחֲלֵ֥י  of  serpents 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: זָחַל 
Sense: to shrink back, crawl away.
עָפָֽר  of  the  dust 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.