What is the meaning of Deuteronomy 32:28?

Israel is a nation

– Moses speaks of a real, covenant people chosen by God (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).

– Their national identity carries privilege: they alone received God’s law, presence, and promises (Exodus 19:5-6; Romans 9:4-5).

– Yet the verse reminds us that being “a nation” does not guarantee obedience. Like later generations who said, “We are Abraham’s descendants” (John 8:39), Israel could rely on pedigree while drifting from the God who formed them.

– The context of Deuteronomy 32 (Moses’ Song) warns the whole nation that, if they abandon the LORD, their collective standing will not shield them from judgment (vv. 19-21).

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devoid of counsel

– “Counsel” is God’s wisdom—truth that guides choices (Proverbs 19:20-21).

– To be “devoid” means they were living without the divine direction already revealed to them in the Law (Deuteronomy 4:5-6).

• They ignored covenant commands (Deuteronomy 31:27).

• They preferred their own schemes (Isaiah 30:1) or pagan advice (1 Samuel 8:5).

– Scripture teaches that true counsel comes when hearts remain soft toward the LORD (Psalm 32:8-9). Israel’s hardness closed their ears, so the Song predicts disaster (Deuteronomy 32:29-30).

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with no understanding among them

– “Understanding” is insight that discerns good from evil (Proverbs 2:3-6).

– Their spiritual dullness shows up repeatedly:

• They forgot God’s works (Psalm 106:7).

• They misread His discipline as absence (Numbers 14:3-4).

• Prophets later echo the charge: “My people are foolish… they have no understanding” (Jeremiah 4:22; Hosea 4:6).

– Lack of understanding is never merely intellectual; it is moral rebellion (Romans 1:21). When hearts reject truth, minds grow dark, and behavior follows (Judges 2:10-12).

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summary

Deuteronomy 32:28 pictures Israel—a real nation set apart by God—as spiritually bankrupt: ignoring divine counsel and lacking basic understanding of His ways. The verse warns that covenant privilege does not substitute for obedient faith. Refusing God’s wisdom leaves any people, however chosen or blessed, exposed to ruin.