You may have come across the name Jeshurun in the Old Testament and wondered—who is this person or group? Interestingly, Jeshurun is not an individual, but a poetic name for the nation of Israel, used to express endearment and divine favor. The name appears four times in the Hebrew Scriptures:
The term Jeshurun is derived from the Hebrew word “Yeshurun” (יְשֻׁרוּן), which means “upright one.” It signifies how God intended Israel to live—upright, righteous, and set apart. However, in its most famous appearance in Deuteronomy 32:15, Jeshurun ironically does the opposite:
“Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior.”
(Deuteronomy 32:15, NIV)
This verse is part of the Song of Moses, a prophetic declaration given to Israel before Moses’ death. In this song, Moses warns the people that after experiencing God’s blessings in the Promised Land—prosperity, abundance, security—they would become complacent, forget God, and turn to idolatry.
Jeshurun represents a blessed people who fall into spiritual complacency. Though they were chosen and uplifted by God, they abandoned the very source of their salvation once they prospered. The song continues:
“They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God—gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your ancestors did not fear.”
(Deuteronomy 32:16–17, NIV)
“You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.”
(Deuteronomy 32:18, NIV)
These verses underscore Israel’s unfaithfulness as spiritual adultery—a major theological theme throughout the Old Testament. God, portrayed as a faithful spouse or parent, is rejected in favor of newly invented or foreign deities. This failure wasn’t just historical—it reflected a spiritual principle: prosperity can lead to pride and spiritual forgetfulness.
Even today, many believers fervently seek God during hardship, but in times of ease and abundance, they begin to rely on their own strength or wealth. This mirrors Jeshurun’s story. The temptation of self-sufficiency is as real now as it was then. Jesus Himself emphasized this danger:
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
(Mark 10:25, NIV)
This doesn’t mean riches are inherently sinful—but when blessings replace the Blesser in our hearts, we fall into the same trap as ancient Israel. The wise words of Agur in the book of Proverbs are especially relevant here:
“Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”
(Proverbs 30:8–9, NIV)
The story of Jeshurun is a timeless reminder. God desires a relationship with us that is not dependent on our circumstances—whether we are in the wilderness or in the land of abundance. Let us not allow comfort, wealth, or worldly success to make us forget the Rock of our salvation.
Let us strive to live as true Yeshurun—upright ones who remember and honor God in both scarcity and plenty.
Stay rooted in Him. Be blessed.
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