Discovery BoxDeuteronomy 32:5 
Context32:5 His people have been unfaithful 1 to him;
they have not acted like his children 2 – this is their sin. 3
They are a perverse 4 and deceitful generation.
Deuteronomy 32:20
Context32:20 He said, “I will reject them, 5
I will see what will happen to them;
for they are a perverse generation,
children 6 who show no loyalty.
1 tc The 3rd person masculine singular שָׁחַת (shakhat) is rendered as 3rd person masculine plural by Smr, a reading supported by the plural suffix on מוּם (mum, “defect”) as well as the plural of בֵּן (ben, “sons”).
tn Heb “have acted corruptly” (so NASB, NIV, NLT); NRSV “have dealt falsely.”
2 tn Heb “(they are) not his sons.”
3 tn Heb “defect” (so NASB). This highly elliptical line suggests that Israel’s major fault was its failure to act like God’s people; in fact, they acted quite the contrary.
4 tn Heb “twisted,” “crooked.” See Ps 18:26.
5 tn Heb “I will hide my face from them.”
6 tn Heb “sons” (so NAB, NASB); TEV “unfaithful people.”
