Deuteronomy 28
BSA1 “Now if you faithfully obey [diligently hearken unto] the voice [sound or expression] of the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] and are careful [to observe and do] to follow all His commandments [laws or instructions] I am giving you today [in this present time], the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God will set you high [on high, exalted] above all the nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew peoples] of the earth [land, territory]. word study 2 And all [everything, every blessing] these blessings [gifts from God, prosperity] will come [approach, enter] upon you [on your life, in your circumstances] and overtake [reach, catch up to] you, if you will obey [listen to, heed] the voice [sound, word] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God]: word study 3 You [as an individual, a person of faith] will be blessed [receive divine favor, prosper] in the city [a place of community, urban settlement] and blessed [receive divine favor, prosper] in the country [rural area, field, or countryside]. word study 4 The fruit [offspring, progeny] of your womb [belly, seat of emotions] will be blessed [praised, honored], as well as the produce [fruit, crops] of your land [earth, soil] and the offspring [young, descendants] of your livestock [animals, cattle]— the calves [young, increase] of your herds [cattle, oxen] and the lambs [flocks, sheep] of your flocks [sheep, goats]. word study 5 Your [and all your provisions, store] basket [container, woven osiers] and kneading bowl [trough, dough rising place] will be blessed [praised, honored by God, happy]. word study 6 You [as an individual, personally] will be blessed [praised, honored by God] when you come [enter, arrive] in and blessed [highly favored, fortunate] when you go [depart, exit] out. word study 7 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will cause the enemies [adversaries, those who oppose] who rise up [stand against, rebel] against you to be defeated [smitten, struck down] before you. They will march out [come out, approach] against you in one [single, united] direction but flee [run away, escape] from you in seven [many, abundant]. word study 8 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will decree [command, give orders] a blessing [a gift from God, bringing prosperity and praise] on your barns [storehouses, places to store crops] and on everything [all that you have] to which you put your hand [your strength, direction, and power]; the LORD your God [Elohim, the supreme God] will bless [praise, honor] you in the land [the soil, ground, country, or territory] He is giving [providing, granting] you. word study 9 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will establish you as His holy [set apart, sacred] people, just as He has sworn [made a promise, vowed] to you, if you keep [obey, protect] the commandments [laws, rules] of the LORD [Elohim, the supreme God] your God and walk [follow, journey] in His ways [path, manner of life]. word study 10 Then all [every single one] the peoples [nations, tribes] of the earth [land, world] will see [perceive, understand] that you are called [invoked, proclaimed] by the name [reputation, character] of the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], and they will stand in awe [fear, reverence] of you. word study 11 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will make you prosper abundantly [to remain or have more than enough, in every good thing]—in the fruit [the product or result] of your womb [belly, the seat of emotions and hunger], the offspring [children, young ones] of your livestock [animals, cattle], and the produce [fruit, crops] of your land [the earth, soil, or ground]—in the land [the earth, the promised territory] that the LORD [the supreme God] swore [made an oath, promised] to your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] to give [provide, bestow] you. word study 12 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will open [to engrave or carve] the heavens [the visible universe and the abode of God], His abundant storehouse [treasure house, a depository], to send rain [water from the sky] on your land [the soil or ground, a country or territory] in season [at the right time, in due season] and to bless [to praise or honor, to kneel in worship] all the work [deeds, actions, or labors] of your hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share]. You will lend [to join or borrow, implying obligation] to many [a large number, a multitude] nations [Gentiles, non-Hebrew or non-Israeli people], but borrow [to take or receive with the promise to repay] from none [not a single one, no one]. word study 13 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will make you the head [chief, leader] and not the tail [end, lowest part]; you will only move upward [above, in a higher position] and never downward [beneath, in a lower position], if you hear [listen, obey] and carefully follow [keep, observe] the commandments [laws, instructions] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one true God], which I am giving [commanding, instructing] you today [at this present time]. word study 14 Do not [in no way, under no circumstances] turn aside [depart, stray] to the right [the direction of strength] or to the left [the direction of weakness] from any of the words [commands, instructions] I command [give orders, appoint] you today [in this present time], and do not go [walk, follow] after [behind, in pursuit of] other [different, foreign] gods [Elohim, divine beings] to serve [worship, obey] them. word study 15 If, however, you do not obey [refuse to listen, disobey] the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God by carefully following [diligently observing, keeping] all His commandments [instructions, laws] and statutes [ordinances, decrees] I am giving you today, all these curses [punishments, judgments] will come upon you and overtake [catch up to, reach] you: word study 16 You [as individuals, as a nation] will be cursed [to be under God’s judgment, to suffer] in the city [town, urban area] and cursed [to be under God’s judgment, to suffer] in the country [field, rural area, countryside]. word study 17 Your [woven, osier] basket [and thy store] and kneading [trough, dough] bowl [basin, container] will be [utterly, completely] cursed [to be execrated, under divine judgment]. word study 18 The fruit [offspring, children] of your womb [belly, seat of emotions] will be cursed [execrated, wished harm upon], as well as the produce [fruit, crops] of your land [earth, soil], the calves [young, increase] of your herds [cattle, oxen], and the lambs [young, flock] of your flocks [sheep, goats]. word study 19 You [as an individual, personally] will be cursed [utterly doomed, under God’s judgment] when you come in [enter, arrive] and cursed [condemned, under a divine curse] when you go out [depart, leave]. word study 20 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will send [dispatch, bring forth] curses [execration, a negative consequence] upon you, confusion [tumult, chaos] and reproof [rebuke, correction] in all [everything, every endeavor] to which you put [undertake, set] your hand [strength, direction], until you are destroyed [annihilated, devastated] and quickly [hastily, swiftly] perish [be lost, die] because of the wickedness [evil, badness] you have committed [done, practiced] in forsaking [abandoning, loosening] Him. word study 21 The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will make the plague cling [to cleave, stick to] to you until He has exterminated [consumed, destroyed] you from the land [the earth, the promised territory] that you are entering [going in, coming to] to possess [take control of, occupy]. word study 22 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will strike you with wasting disease [consumption, a serious illness], with fever [inflammation, a burning condition] and inflammation [a burning fever], with scorching heat [extreme burning, fiery heat] and drought [a lack of rain], and with blight [a destructive crop disease] and mildew [a type of fungal disease]; these will pursue [chase after, follow with hostile intent] you until [as far as, to the point of] you perish [be destroyed, lost]. word study 23 The sky [heaven, the visible universe] over your head [the topmost part of the body] will be [like] bronze [copper, a base metal], and the earth [land, ground] beneath you [under your feet, in your domain] iron [a strong metal]. word study 24 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will turn the rain [water from the sky, precipitation] of your land [the soil, ground, or territory] into dust [small particles, powder] and powder [dry earth]; it will descend [go down, fall] on you from the sky [heaven, the visible universe] until you are destroyed [annihilated, devastated]. word study 25 The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will cause you to be defeated [smitten, struck down] before your enemies [those who hate or oppose you]. You will march out against them in one direction [way, path] but flee from them in seven [many, numerous]. You will be an object of horror [great fear, terror] to all [every, the whole] the kingdoms [nations, territories] of the earth [land, world]. word study 26 Your corpses [dead bodies, carcasses] will be food [something to eat, sustenance] for all [everything, every kind of] the birds [fowl, flying creatures] of the air [heaven, the sky] and beasts [animals, wild creatures] of the earth [land, ground], with no one [nothing, none] to scare [frighten, drive away] them away. word study 27 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will afflict [smite, strike] you with the boils [inflamed spot, leprosy] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa], with tumors [hill, mound] and scabs [skin condition caused by itching] and itch [skin disease] from which you cannot [not able to] be cured [healed, mended]. word study 28 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will afflict [smite, strike] you with madness [intense fury, craziness, or insanity], blindness [physical or spiritual inability to see], and confusion [bewilderment, astonishment] of mind [heart, including mind, will, and emotions], word study 29 and at noon [in the middle of the day, at midday] you will grope about [feel your way, search blindly] like a blind man [one who cannot see, spiritually or physically] in the darkness [a state of gloom, spiritual ignorance]. You will not prosper [succeed, rush forward] in your ways [paths, journeys, manner of life]. Day after day [continually, every day] you will be oppressed [pressed upon, defrauded] and plundered [robbed, taken by force], with no one [nothing, no person] to save [rescue, deliver] you. word study 30 You will be pledged [engaged, promised] in marriage to a woman [wife, female companion], but another [different, next] man will violate [ravish, forcefully take] her. You will build [construct, establish] a house [dwelling place, home] but will not live [dwell, reside] in it. You will plant [establish, cultivate] a vineyard [garden for grapevines] but will not enjoy [use, benefit from] its fruit [grapes, produce]. word study 31 Your ox [cattle, like bulls] will be slaughtered [killed, butchered] before your eyes [in your sight, visibly], but you will not eat [devour, consume] any of it. Your donkey [male ass, reddish-brown animal] will be taken away [plundered, robbed] and not returned [given back, restored] to you. Your flock [sheep, goats, or people] will be given [handed over, delivered] to your enemies [adversaries, haters], and no one [nothing, no person] will save [rescue, deliver] you. word study 32 Your sons [children, descendants] and daughters [female children, or figuratively, a nation] will be given [handed over, surrendered] to another [different, foreign] nation, while your eyes [sources of sight, spiritual perception] grow weary [exhausted, strained] looking for them day after day, with no power [strength, ability] in your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share]. word study 33 A people [a foreign nation, unknown to you] you do not know [are unaware of, have not experienced] will eat [consume, devour] the produce [fruit, crops] of your land [the earth, your territory] and of all [every aspect of] your toil [hard work, labor]. All [every day, throughout your life] your days you will be [exist in a state of] oppressed [crushed, persecuted] and crushed [broken, downtrodden]. word study 34 You will be driven [to the point of insanity, out of your minds] mad [crazy, acting irrationally] by the sights [appearances, visions] you see [look at, gaze upon, experience]. word study 35 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will afflict [smite, strike] you with painful [sore, evil], incurable boils [ulcers, inflamed spots] on your knees [the part of the body used for movement and flexibility] and thighs [legs, the lower leg or calf], from the soles [the underside, the bottom] of your feet to the top [crown, the upper part] of your head. word study 36 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will bring you and the king [royal person, ruler] you appoint to a nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew people] neither you nor your fathers [ancestors, forefathers] have known [been aware of, familiar with], and there [in that place, at that time] you will worship [serve, bow down to] other gods [false deities, idols]—gods of wood [tree, wooden objects] and stone [rock, precious gems]. word study 37 You will become [an astonishment, a wonder] an object of horror [a state of ruin or desolation], scorn [mocking, ridicule], and ridicule [a taunt, a sharp word] among [in the midst of] all [every one of] the nations [peoples, Gentiles] to which [toward the place] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] will drive [lead, guide] you [to a place of exile]. word study 38 You will sow [plant, scatter] much [abundant, plentiful] seed [offspring, descendants] in the field [land, cultivated ground] but harvest [gather, reap] little [a small amount, few], because [for the reason that] the locusts [grasshoppers, devouring insects] will consume [eat completely, destroy] it. word study 39 You will plant [and establish, cultivate] and cultivate vineyards [gardens or plots of land for growing vines], but will neither drink [or taste, partake of] the wine [fermented wine, intoxicating beverage] nor gather [or harvest, collect] the grapes, because [for the reason that, since] worms [maggots, insects that consume] will eat [or devour, consume] them. word study 40 You will have olive trees [abundant and flourishing] throughout your territory [all your borders, every region] but will never anoint [smear or pour oil on] yourself with oil [olive oil, ointment], because the olives [the fruit of the olive tree, a source of light] will drop off [fall to the ground, be wasted]. word study 41 You will father [beget, give birth to] sons and daughters [children, descendants], but they will not remain [stay, be yours to enjoy] yours, because [for the reason that] they will go [walk, be led] into captivity [exile, bondage, as slaves]. word study 42 Swarms [large groups, multitudes] of locusts [buzzing, whirring insects] will consume [eat, destroy, possess] all [every, the entirety of] your trees [wood, strong and firm objects] and the produce [fruit, crops, harvest] of your land [earth, soil, ground]. word study 43 The foreigner [sojourner, temporary resident] living among you will rise [ascend, go up] higher and higher [very high] above you, while you [as an individual, personally] sink down [go down, descend] lower and lower [beneath, very low]. word study 44 He [the foreign lender] will lend [at interest, with obligation] to you, but you [as a debtor] will not lend [have no need to borrow] to him. He [the creditor] will be the head [chief, in authority], and you [in subjection] will be the tail [in inferiority, at the end]. word study 45 All [every single one, the entirety] these [specific, aforementioned] curses [divine judgments, punishments] will come [arrive, befall] upon [on, against] you. They will pursue [chase, follow relentlessly] you and overtake [catch up to, reach] you until [as far as, up to the point] you are destroyed [annihilated, completely ruined], since [because, for the reason that] you did not [failed to, neglected] obey [listen to, heed] the LORD [Yehovah, the one true God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] and keep [guard, obey] the commandments [divine laws, ordinances] and statutes [regulations, decrees] He gave [provided, entrusted] you. word study 46 These curses [disasters, calamities] will be [remain, come to be] a sign [miraculous token, beacon] and a wonder [miracle, display of God’s power] upon you [to you, for you] and your descendants [seed, offspring] forever [always, eternally]. word study 47 Because you did not serve [worship, obey] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God] with joy [gladness, happiness] and gladness [goodness, beauty] of heart [the innermost part of a person, including mind, will, and emotions] in all [everything, the entirety of] your abundance [prosperity, greatness], word study 48 you will serve [be enslaved to, work for] your enemies [adversaries, those who oppose you] the LORD [Yehovah, the sovereign God] will send [dispatch, bring against] against you in [a state of] famine [hunger, lack of food], thirst [dryness, physical or spiritual], nakedness [without clothes, vulnerable], and destitution [poverty, lack of all things]. He will place [put, set] an iron [strong, harsh] yoke [burden, weight] on your neck until [as far as, till] He has destroyed [annihilated, desolated] you. word study 49 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will bring a nation [Gentile, a non-Hebrew people] from afar [distant, from the farthest ends], from the ends [borders, extremities] of the earth [land, territory], to swoop down [flying swiftly, like an eagle in attack] upon you like an eagle [a large bird of prey]—a nation [whose culture and language are unfamiliar] whose language [tongue, manner of speaking] you will not understand [be able to hear or comprehend], word study 50 a ruthless [hard-faced, fierce] nation [Gentile, non-Hebrew] with no respect [regard, compassion] for the old [elderly, aged] and no pity [mercy, favor] for the young [youth, infant]. word study 51 They will eat [devour, consume] the offspring [young, progeny] of your livestock [cattle, animals] and the produce [fruit, crops] of your land [earth, soil] until you are destroyed [annihilated, ruined]. They will leave you no grain [wheat, corn] or new wine [freshly squeezed, fermented] or oil [anointing, ceremonial], no calves [young, offspring] of your herds [cattle, livestock] or lambs [sheep, flock] of your flocks [sheep, herd], until they have caused you to perish [be destroyed, lost]. word study 52 They will besiege [surround and attack] all the cities throughout your land, until the high [elevated, lofty] and fortified [strongly protected] walls in which you trust [have confidence, rely] have fallen [come down, collapsed]. They will besiege [lay siege to, oppress] all your cities throughout the land that the LORD [Yehovah, the Almighty] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] has given [granted, bestowed] you. word study 53 Then you will eat [devour, consume] the fruit [product, outcome] of your womb [belly, innermost being], the flesh [body, physical being] of the sons and daughters [children, descendants] whom the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] your God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] has given [provided, entrusted] you, in the siege [state of being besieged, encircled] and distress [straitness, extreme difficulty] that your enemy [adversary, opponent] will inflict [press, oppress] on you. word study 54 The most [tender] gentle and [dainty] refined man among you will [be evil, have an evil eye] begrudge his brother [close relative or friend], the wife [wife of his bosom, intimate companion] he [loves and] embraces, and the [remainder, those left behind] rest of his children who have survived [and are left, remaining], word study 55 refusing to share [or give, to withhold] with any of them [not even one, to none] the flesh [body, physical being] of his children [sons, descendants] he will eat [consume, devour] because he has nothing left [no remainder, none to spare] in the siege [state of being besieged, encircled] and distress [straitness, affliction] that your enemy [adversary, one who hates] will inflict [press, oppress] on you within all [every, the entirety of] your gates [city entrances, strongholds]. word study 56 The most gentle [tender, delicate] and refined [dainty, luxurious] woman among you, so gentle [soft, weak] and refined [requiring careful handling] she would not venture to set the sole of her foot [palm, lower extremity] on the ground [land, earth], will begrudge [be evil towards, afflict] the husband [man, male person] she embraces [in her bosom, in a close relationship] and her son [descendant, male child] and daughter [female child, woman] word study 57 the afterbirth [newly born baby, or the placenta] that comes from between her legs [feet] and the children she bears [gives birth to, as a mother], because she will secretly [in hiding, or in a hidden manner] eat them for lack [want, or scarcity] of anything else in the siege [state of being besieged, or under attack] and distress [a state of severe straitness, or difficulty] that your enemy [adversary, or one who opposes] will inflict on you within your gates [city entrances, or points of access]. word study 58 If you are not careful [do not take heed, are not diligent] to observe [keep, obey, fulfill] all the words [commands, teachings, decrees] of this law [instruction, Torah] which are written [recorded, inscribed] in this book [scroll, written document], that you may fear [revere, stand in awe of] this glorious [honored, weighty] and awesome [fearful, revered] name [identity, character]—the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] your God [Elohim, the supreme God, Creator]— word study 59 He will bring upon you and your descendants [and your offspring, seed] extraordinary [unbelievable, wonderful] disasters [plagues, punishments], severe [sore, intense] and lasting [of long continuance, perpetual] plagues [carnage, pestilence, or defeat], and terrible [evil, bad] and chronic [incurable, of long duration] sicknesses [diseases, infirmities]. word study 60 He will afflict [bring suffering upon] you again with all [every kind of] the diseases [sicknesses, afflictions] you dreaded [feared, were afraid of] in Egypt [the land of the Nile, a place of bondage], and they will cling [cleave, stick] to you [pursue you closely, be attached to you]. word study 61 The LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will also bring upon you every [all kinds of] sickness [disease, illness] and plague [wound, carnage] not recorded [written, inscribed] in this Book of the Law [the scroll of instruction], until you are destroyed [desolate, annihilated] [completely, utterly]. word study 62 You who were as numerous [like the stars of heaven for multitude] as the stars [celestial bodies, divine messengers] in the sky will be left [to remain, spared] few [a small number, a remnant] in number, because you would not obey [listen to, heed] the voice [sound, utterance] of the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one supreme God]. word study 63 Just as it pleased [was the delight of] the LORD [Yehovah, the divine Savior] to make you prosper [to do you good, bring you joy] and multiply [increase your numbers, make you fruitful], so also it will please [be the pleasure of] Him to annihilate [destroy, bring to nothing] you and destroy [cause you to perish, lay you waste] you. And you will be uprooted [plucked, torn away] from the land [the earth, the ground] you are entering [going in, possessing] to possess [take control of, inherit]. word study 64 Then the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will scatter [disperse, shatter] you among all [every] the nations, from one end [border, edge] of the earth [land, territory] to the other, and there [in that place] you will worship [serve, bow down to] other [different, foreign] gods, gods of wood [trees, wooden idols] and stone [rocks, idols], which neither you nor your fathers [ancestors, heritage] have known [experienced, understood]. word study 65 Among those nations [Gentile, non-Hebrew peoples] you will find no repose [no resting place, no ease], not even a resting place [a quiet spot to settle] for the sole of your foot [the palm of your foot, the bottom of your foot]. There the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] will give you a trembling [quivering, fearful] heart [the seat of feelings, will, and intellect], failing [diminishing, consuming] eyes [the sources of sight, the windows of the soul], and a despairing [sorrowful, fainting] soul [the essence of a person, the living being]. word study 66 So your life [existence, being alive] will hang [be suspended, uncertain] in doubt [fear, apprehension] before you, and you will be afraid [fearful, dread] night [time of darkness] and day [period of light], never [not at all] certain [faithful, trusting] of survival [your life, well-being]. word study 67 In the morning [at the break of day, dawn] you will say, ‘If only it were evening [sunset, nightfall]!’ and in the evening [at sundown, twilight] you will say, ‘If only it were morning [a new day, daylight]!’—because of the dread [fear, terror] in your hearts [mind, will, emotions] of the terrifying sights [awesome, fearful appearances] you will see [behold, perceive]. word study 68 The LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] will return you to Egypt [a place of bondage and oppression] in ships by a route [way or path] that I said you should never see again [not experience or encounter]. There you will sell yourselves [offer your services, enslave yourselves] to your enemies [those who hate or oppose you] as male and female slaves [servants or bondslaves], but no one will buy you [acquire or redeem you].” word study