Deuteronomy 32:15

Jeshurun . This name, formed from יָשַׂר , righteous, designates Israel as chosen to be a righteous nation; and in the use of it here lies the keenest reproach of apostate Israel, as fallen into a state the opposite of that to which it was destined. "By using the name righteous in place of Israel , Moses ironically censures those who had swerved from rectitude; by recalling to memory with what dignity they had been endowed, he the more sharply rebukes the perfidy which was their crime" (Calvin). This name appears also in Deuteronomy 33:5 , Deuteronomy 33:26 , and in Isaiah 44:2 ; but in these places without any implied censure. By some the word is regarded as a diminutive from יָשׂוּר , the same as יָשָׂר , in the sense of rectulus, justulus , " the good little people" (Gesenius); others as a diminutive from יִשְׂרָאֶל , Israel, as a sort of term of endearment (Grotius). But the latter of these derivations is impossible; and as to the former, there lacks evidence of the termination un having a diminutive significance in Hebrew. Besides, neither here nor in Deuteronomy 33:5 would a term of endearment be suitable. Waxed fat, and kicked (cf. Deuteronomy 6:11 ; Deuteronomy 8:10 ; Deuteronomy 31:20 ). The allusion is to an ox that had grown fat through good feeding, and had become unmanageable in consequence (cf. 1 Samuel 2:26 : Hosea 10:4 ). Lightly esteemed . The Hebrew is strongly expressive here: Thou hast treated as a fool ( נִבֵּל , from נָבַל to be foolish (cf. Micah 7:6 ).