25 The LORD H3068 shall cause H5414 thee to be smitten H5062 before H6440 thine enemies: H341 thou shalt go out H3318 one H259 way H1870 against them, and flee H5127 seven H7651 ways H1870 before H6440 them: and shalt be removed H2189 into all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth. H776
One H259 thousand H505 shall flee at H6440 the rebuke H1606 of one; H259 at H6440 the rebuke H1606 of five H2568 shall ye flee: H5127 till ye be left H3498 as a beacon H8650 upon the top H7218 of a mountain, H2022 and as an ensign H5251 on an hill. H1389
And I will deliver H5414 them to be removed H2189 H2113 into all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth H776 for their hurt, H7451 to be a reproach H2781 and a proverb, H4912 a taunt H8148 and a curse, H7045 in all places H4725 whither I shall drive H5080 them.
And upon them that are left H7604 alive of you I will send H935 a faintness H4816 into their hearts H3824 in the lands H776 of their enemies; H341 and the sound H6963 of a shaken H5086 leaf H5929 shall chase H7291 them; and they shall flee, H5127 as fleeing H4499 from a sword; H2719 and they shall fall H5307 when none pursueth. H7291 And they shall fall H3782 one H376 upon another, H251 as it were before H6440 a sword, H2719 when none pursueth: H7291 and ye shall have no power to stand H8617 before H6440 your enemies. H341
And it shall come to pass, if they say H559 unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? H3318 then thou shalt tell H559 them, Thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Such as are for death, H4194 to death; H4194 and such as are for the sword, H2719 to the sword; H2719 and such as are for the famine, H7458 to the famine; H7458 and such as are for the captivity, H7628 to the captivity. H7628 And I will appoint H6485 over them four H702 kinds, H4940 saith H5002 the LORD: H3068 the sword H2719 to slay, H2026 and the dogs H3611 to tear, H5498 and the fowls H5775 of the heaven, H8064 and the beasts H929 of the earth, H776 to devour H398 and destroy. H7843 And I will cause H5414 them to be removed H2189 H2113 into all kingdoms H4467 of the earth, H776 because H1558 of Manasseh H4519 the son H1121 of Hezekiah H3169 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 for that which he did H6213 in Jerusalem. H3389 For who shall have pity H2550 upon thee, O Jerusalem? H3389 or who shall bemoan H5110 thee? or who shall go aside H5493 to ask H7592 how thou doest? H7965 Thou hast forsaken H5203 me, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 thou art gone H3212 backward: H268 therefore will I stretch out H5186 my hand H3027 against thee, and destroy H7843 thee; I am weary H3811 with repenting. H5162 And I will fan H2219 them with a fan H4214 in the gates H8179 of the land; H776 I will bereave H7921 them of children, I will destroy H6 my people, H5971 since they return H7725 not from their ways. H1870 Their widows H490 are increased H6105 to me above the sand H2344 of the seas: H3220 I have brought H935 upon them against the mother H517 of the young men H970 a spoiler H7703 at noonday: H6672 I have caused him to fall H5307 upon it suddenly, H6597 and terrors H928 upon the city. H5892 She that hath borne H3205 seven H7651 languisheth: H535 she hath given up H5301 the ghost; H5315 her sun H8121 is gone H935 down while it was yet day: H3119 H3117 she hath been ashamed H954 and confounded: H2659 and the residue H7611 of them will I deliver H5414 to the sword H2719 before H6440 their enemies, H341 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068
And I will persecute H7291 them H310 with the sword, H2719 with the famine, H7458 and with the pestilence, H1698 and will deliver H5414 them to be removed H2189 H2113 to all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth, H776 to be a curse, H423 and an astonishment, H8047 and an hissing, H8322 and a reproach, H2781 among all the nations H1471 whither I have driven H5080 them:
Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 Ye have not hearkened H8085 unto me, in proclaiming H7121 liberty, H1865 every one H376 to his brother, H251 and every man H376 to his neighbour: H7453 behold, I proclaim H7121 a liberty H1865 for you, saith H5002 the LORD, H3068 to the sword, H2719 to the pestilence, H1698 and to the famine; H7458 and I will make H5414 you to be removed H2189 H2113 into all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth. H776
And G2532 they shall fall G4098 by the edge G4750 of the sword, G3162 and G2532 shall be led away captive G163 into G1519 all G3956 nations: G1484 and G2532 Jerusalem G2419 shall be G2071 trodden down G3961 of G5259 the Gentiles, G1484 until G891 the times G2540 of the Gentiles G1484 be fulfilled. G4137
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Deuteronomy 28
Commentary on Deuteronomy 28 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 28
This chapter is a very large exposition of two words in the foregoing chapter, the blessing and the curse. Those were pronounced blessed in general that were obedient, and those cursed that were disobedient; but, because generals are not so affecting, Moses here descends to particulars, and describes the blessing and the curse, not in their fountains (these are out of sight, and therefore the most considerable, yet least considered, the favour of God the spring of all the blessings, and the wrath of God the spring of all the curses), but in their streams, the sensible effects of the blessing and the curse, for they are real things and have real effects.
Deu 28:1-14
The blessings are here put before the curses, to intimate,
Deu 28:15-44
Having viewed the bright side of the cloud, which is towards the obedient, we have now presented to us the dark side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive of all misery as the blessing is of all happiness. Observe,
Deu 28:45-68
One would have thought that enough had been said to possess them with a dread of that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. But to show how deep the treasures of that wrath are, and that still there is more and worse behind, Moses, when one would have thought that he had concluded this dismal subject, begins again, and adds to this roll of curses many similar words: as Jeremiah did to his, Jer. 36:32. It should seem that in the former part of this commination Moses foretells their captivity in Babylon, and the calamities which introduced and attended that, by which, even after their return, they were brought to that low and poor condition which is described, v. 44. That their enemies should be the head, and they the tail: but here, in this latter part, he foretels their last destruction by the Romans and their dispersion thereupon. And the present deplorable state of the Jewish nation, and of all that have incorporated themselves with them, by embracing their religion, does so fully and exactly answer to the prediction in these verses that it serves for an incontestable proof of the truth of prophecy, and consequently of the divine authority of the scripture. And, this last destruction being here represented as more dreadful than the former, it shows that their sin, in rejecting Christ and his gospel, was more heinous and more provoking to God than idolatry itself, and left them more under the power of Satan; for their captivity in Babylon cured them effectually of their idolatry in seventy years' time; but under this last destruction now for above 1600 years they continue incurably averse to the Lord Jesus. Observe,