51 And he shall eat H398 the fruit H6529 of thy cattle, H929 and the fruit H6529 of thy land, H127 until thou be destroyed: H8045 which also shall not leave H7604 thee either corn, H1715 wine, H8492 or oil, H3323 or the increase H7698 of thy kine, H504 or flocks H6251 of thy sheep, H6629 until he have destroyed H6 thee.
When I heard, H8085 my belly H990 trembled; H7264 my lips H8193 quivered H6750 at the voice: H6963 rottenness H7538 entered H935 into my bones, H6106 and I trembled H7264 in myself, that I might rest H5117 in the day H3117 of trouble: H6869 when he cometh up H5927 unto the people, H5971 he will invade them with his troops. H1464 Although the fig tree H8384 shall not blossom, H6524 neither shall fruit H2981 be in the vines; H1612 the labour H4639 of the olive H2132 shall fail, H3584 and the fields H7709 shall yield H6213 no meat; H400 the flock H6629 shall be cut off H1504 from the fold, H4356 and there shall be no herd H1241 in the stalls: H7517
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,