Deuteronomy 32:26–27

I would have said, “I will cut them to pieces;

I will wipe them from human memory,”

had I not feared provocation by the enemy,

lest their adversaries should misunderstand,

lest they should say, “Our hand is triumphant,

it was not the Lord who did all this.” ’

I said I would scatter them

and erase their name from human memory,

but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,

lest the adversary misunderstand

and say, ‘Our hand has triumphed;

the Lord has not done all this.’ ”

“I would have said: I will cut them to pieces

and blot out the memory of them from mankind,

if I had not feared provocation from the enemy,

or feared that these foes might misunderstand

and say, ‘Our own hand has prevailed;

it wasn’t the Lord who did all this.’ ”

I would have annihilated them,

wiping out even the memory of them.

But I feared the taunt of Israel’s enemy,

who might misunderstand and say,

“Our own power has triumphed!

The Lord had nothing to do with this!” ’

I thought, “I will wipe them out;

I will make people forget they ever existed.”

If I had not feared a provocation of the enemy,

lest their foes might misunderstand,

lest they should say, “Our hand is

triumphant, and Yahweh did not do all this.” ’

I said, I would scatter them into corners,

I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:

Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy,

Lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely,

And lest they should say, Our hand is high,

And the Lord hath not done all this.