Deuteronomy 32:35 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
This study note uses an AI-assisted editorial workflow with source, duplication, and quality checks. See how verse explanations are prepared.
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Violent power can look stable because judgment does not arrive on an observer's schedule. Moses' song answers that appearance with divine ownership and timing. God retains vengeance, preserves the record, and knows when the oppressor's footing will fail. Delay never erases accountability.
Vengeance and repayment belong to the LORD, who keeps account until the appointed moment when hostile feet slip and long-prepared calamity arrives swiftly.
The Context of Deuteronomy 32:35
Moses teaches Israel a song as a witness for future generations. It praises the faithful Rock, remembers His care of Jacob, and foresees Israel forsaking the God who made them. Divine judgment follows idolatry, while later verses also address enemies whose corrupt fruit is compared with Sodom's vine, bitter grapes, and venomous wine. Verse 34 says this record is stored and sealed with God. Verse 35 declares His ownership of vengeance and recompense and the nearness of calamity. Verse 36 turns toward the LORD judging His people and having compassion on His servants when their strength is gone. The song ultimately calls nations to rejoice with God's people because He avenges His servants' blood and is merciful to His land and people.
What Does Deuteronomy 32:35 Mean?
'To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence' reserves final repayment to the LORD. Vengeance here is His righteous answer to evil, not uncontrolled temper. The sealed store of the previous verse suggests no offense has escaped His knowledge. 'Their foot shall slide in due time' pictures apparently secure offenders losing stability at the appointed moment. Calamity is near and approaching events 'make haste,' so delayed judgment should never be mistaken for permanent immunity. God's timing remains His own even when human observers feel the delay intensely.
The song keeps vengeance beside judgment of God's people and compassion for His powerless servants. The LORD addresses evil within the covenant and among hostile powers, showing impartial moral authority. He alone knows the full record, motives, consequences, and proper time. This unique knowledge explains why personal vengeance is forbidden. Human anger easily exceeds truth, misidentifies guilt, or injures bystanders. God's recompense remains exact while His covenant purpose still moves toward mercy for land and people. Justice and mercy remain His.
Paul directly quotes this line when commanding Christians to leave room for God's wrath and overcome evil with good. That use does not abolish courts, protective action, or reporting; Paul soon describes public authority as accountable for restraining wrongdoing. It does remove personal revenge as the injured person's sacred duty. Christ Himself refuses retaliation, bears witness to truth, and entrusts judgment to God. His followers can seek safety and justice while releasing fantasies of repayment that keep an offender controlling their inner life.
Bible Verses Related to Deuteronomy 32:35
“O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself.”
- Psalm 94:1
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
- Romans 12:19
“For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”
- Hebrews 10:30
“And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”
- Revelation 6:10
Where Deuteronomy 32:35 Echoes in Scripture
Romans 12:19 directly quotes, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord,' as the reason believers should not avenge themselves. Paul then calls for practical good toward enemies and for evil to be overcome with good, placing Deuteronomy's divine ownership within Christian nonretaliation.
How to Apply Deuteronomy 32:35 Today
When harmed, document facts, protect vulnerable people, seek qualified support, and use lawful processes where appropriate. Releasing personal vengeance does not require dropping safety boundaries or withholding truthful testimony. It means refusing to become judge, jury, and punisher in one's own anger. Prayer can name the wrong plainly and ask God for just action. Over time, healing may include releasing constant rehearsal of the offender's downfall while continuing to support accountability. God's sealed knowledge means justice does not depend on our capacity to carry revenge forever.
Reflection & Prayer
Which urgent desire for personal repayment can we place into God's hands while still pursuing truthful safety and justice? Pray: Righteous Judge, remember every harm, protect the vulnerable, guide lawful accountability, and free us from revenge without weakening truth. Amen.