Deuteronomy 32:26

²⁴ They will be wasted from hunger and ravaged by pestilence and bitter plague; I will send the fangs of wild beasts against them, with the venom of vipers that slither in the dust.

²⁵ Outside, the sword will take their children, and inside, terror will strike the young man and the young woman, the infant and the gray-haired man.

I would have said that I would cut them to pieces and blot out their memory from mankind,

²⁷ if I had not dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest their adversaries misunderstand and say: ‘Our own hand has prevailed; it was not the LORD who did all this.’”

²⁸ Israel is a nation devoid of counsel, with no understanding among them.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: I would have said that I would cut them to pieces and blot out their memory from mankind,
KJV: I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:
WEB: I said that I would scatter them afar. I would make their memory to cease from among men;
ASV: I said, I would scatter them afar, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men;
DARBY: I would say, I will scatter, I will make the remembrance of them to cease from among men,
BLB: I said I would dash them in pieces, I would remove their memory from among men,

ÅB: Jeg ville ha sagt: Jeg vil blåse dem bort, jeg vil slette ut minnet om dem blant menneskene,
OTB: Jeg ville ha sagt, “Jeg vil spre dem langt bort, jeg vil få minnet om dem til å forsvinne blant mennesker,”
B1930: Jeg vilde ha sagt: Jeg vil blåse dem bort, jeg vil slette ut minnet om dem blandt menneskene,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
Read in context
Isaiah 63:16
Yet You are our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us. You, O LORD, are our Father; our Redeemer from Everlasting is Your name.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:38
You will perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies will consume you.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:37
You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:33
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.
Read in context
Psalms 34:16
But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to wipe out all memory of them from the earth.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 4:27
Then the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 28:25
The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
Read in context