Deuteronomy 32:42

⁴⁰ For I lift up My hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,

⁴¹ when I sharpen My flashing sword, and My hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on My adversaries and repay those who hate Me.

I will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh— the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”

⁴³ Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries and repay those who hate Him; He will cleanse His land and His people.

⁴⁴ Then Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.

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 will make My arrows drunk with blood, while My sword devours flesh— the blood of the slain and captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”
KJV: I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
WEB: I will make my arrows drunk with blood. My sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the head of the leaders of the enemy.”
ASV: I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, And my sword shall devour flesh; With the blood of the slain and the captives, From the head of the leaders of the enemy.
DARBY: Mine arrows will I make drunk with blood, And my sword shall devour flesh; [I will make them drunk] with the blood of the slain and of the captives, With the head of the princes of the enemy.
BLB: I will make drunk My arrows with blood, and My sword shall devour flesh, with the blood of the slain and captives, from the heads of the leaders of the enemy.”

ÅB: jeg vil gjøre mine piler drukne av blod, og mitt sverd skal spise kjøtt, blod av falne og fangne, av fiendtlige høvdingers hode.
OTB: Jeg vil gjøre mine piler gjennomtrukket av blod, og mitt sverd skal fortære kjøtt— med blodet av de drepte og fangene, fra fiendens langhårede hoder.’
B1930: jeg vil gjøre mine piler drukne av blod, og mitt sverd skal ete kjøtt, blod av falne og fangne, av fiendtlige høvdingers hode.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Deuteronomy 32:23
I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend My arrows against them.
Read in context
Jeremiah 46:10
For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
Read in context
Jeremiah 30:14
All your lovers have forgotten you; they no longer seek you, for I have struck you as an enemy would, with the discipline of someone cruel, because of your great iniquity and your numerous sins.
Read in context
Lamentations 2:5
The Lord is like an enemy; He has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces and destroyed her strongholds. He has multiplied mourning and lamentation for the Daughter of Judah.
Read in context
Ezekiel 38:21–22
And I will summon a sword against Gog on all My mountains, declares the Lord GOD, and every man’s sword will be against his brother.
Read in context
Ezekiel 35:6–8
therefore as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will give you over to bloodshed and it will pursue you. Since you did not hate bloodshed, it will pursue you.
Read in context
Jeremiah 16:10
When you tell these people all these things, they will ask you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great disaster against us? What is our guilt? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’
Read in context
Job 13:24
Why do You hide Your face and consider me as Your enemy?
Read in context