Focused Passage

Leviticus 26:14-17

Covenant Blessings, Covenant Discipline, Exile, Confession, and Remembered Mercy

The chapter begins by prohibiting idols and commanding Sabbath observance and sanctuary reverence. It then promises covenant blessings for obedience: rain, harvest, peace, victory, fruitfulness, God's dwelling presence, and covenant fellowship. The chapter then turns to escalating covenant discipline if Israel refuses to listen: terror, disease, defeat, drought, wild beasts, sword, plague, famine, siege, cannibalism, sanctuary desolation, land desolation, scattering among nations, and exile. Yet the chapter concludes with hope: if Israel confesses sin and humbles their uncircumcised hearts, the LORD will remember His covenant with Jacob, Isaac, Abraham, and the land. Even in exile He will not reject or destroy them completely, because He remains the LORD their God.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

14 If, however, you fail to obey Me and to carry out all these commandments,

15 and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,

16 then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.

17 And I will set My face against you, so that you will be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when no one pursues you.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 14

Cross-references

Leviticus 20 BSB references Deuteronomy 28:15 BSB references Proverbs 3:33 Classic cross-references 2 Chronicles 7:19 Classic cross-references Daniel 9:13 Classic cross-references Lamentations 2:17 Classic cross-references

Original words

If, however וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction you fail לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to obey תִשְׁמְע֖וּ H8085 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Me לִ֑י Preposition | first person common singular . . . וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle and to carry out תַעֲשׂ֔וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֵ֥ת H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct these הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural commandments הַמִּצְוֺ֖ת H4687 Article | Noun - feminine plural

Verse 15

Cross-references

2 Kings 17:15 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 31:16 Classic cross-references Leviticus 26:43 Classic cross-references Ezekiel 16:59 Classic cross-references Isaiah 24:5 Classic cross-references

Original words

and if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction you reject תִּמְאָ֔סוּ H3988 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural . . . וְאִ֥ם H518 Conjunction - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My statutes בְּחֻקֹּתַ֣י H2708 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular despise תִּגְעַ֣ל H1602 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . נַפְשְׁכֶ֑ם H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural My ordinances מִשְׁפָּטַ֖י H4941 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular and neglect לְבִלְתִּ֤י H1115 Preposition-l to carry out עֲשׂוֹת֙ H6213 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct My commandments מִצְוֺתַ֔י H4687 Noun - feminine plural construct | first person common singular and so break לְהַפְרְכֶ֖ם H6565 Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My covenant בְּרִיתִֽי׃ H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular

Verse 16

Cross-references

Job 31:8 Classic cross-references Deuteronomy 28:22 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 15:3 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 5:17 Classic cross-references Judges 6:4 Classic cross-references

Original words

then אַף־ H637 Conjunction this is what זֹּ֣את H2063 Pronoun - feminine singular I אֲנִ֞י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will do אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to you לָכֶ֗ם Preposition | second person masculine plural I will bring וְהִפְקַדְתִּ֨י H6485 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular upon you עֲלֵיכֶ֤ם H5921 Preposition | second person masculine plural sudden terror בֶּֽהָלָה֙ H928 Noun - feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker wasting disease הַשַּׁחֶ֣פֶת H7829 Article | Noun - feminine singular and וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker fever הַקַּדַּ֔חַת H6920 Article | Noun - feminine singular that will destroy מְכַלּ֥וֹת H3615 Verb - Piel - Participle - feminine plural your sight עֵינַ֖יִם H5869 Noun - cd and drain וּמְדִיבֹ֣ת H1727 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Participle - feminine plural your life נָ֑פֶשׁ H5315 Noun - feminine singular You will sow וּזְרַעְתֶּ֤ם H2232 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural your seed זַרְעֲכֶ֔ם H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural in vain לָרִיק֙ H7385 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular because your enemies אֹיְבֵיכֶֽם׃ H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural will eat it וַאֲכָלֻ֖הוּ H398 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural | third person masculine singular

Verse 17

Cross-references

1 Peter 3:12 Classic cross-references Proverbs 28:1 Classic cross-references Leviticus 17:10 Classic cross-references 1 Kings 8:33 Classic cross-references Jeremiah 19:7 Classic cross-references

Original words

And I will set וְנָתַתִּ֤י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular My face פָנַי֙ H6440 Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular against you בָּכֶ֔ם Preposition | second person masculine plural so that you will be defeated וְנִגַּפְתֶּ֖ם H5062 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural by לִפְנֵ֣י H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct your enemies אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם H341 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Those who hate you שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֔ם H8130 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural will rule וְרָד֤וּ H7287 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural over you בָכֶם֙ Preposition | second person masculine plural and you will flee וְנַסְתֶּ֖ם H5127 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural when no one וְאֵין־ H369 Conjunctive waw | Adverb pursues רֹדֵ֥ף H7291 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular you אֶתְכֶֽם׃ס H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural

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