Deuteronomy 28:26

Verse

Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth, with no one to scare them away.

American Standard Version (1901)

And thy dead body shall be food unto all birds of the heavens, and unto the beasts of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away.

Bible in Basic English

Your bodies will be meat for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth; there will be no one to send them away.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And be thy carcass meat for all the Fowls of the air, and the beasts of the earth, and be there none to drive them away.

Free Bible Version

Your dead bodies will be food for birds of prey and wild animals, and there won't be anyone to scare them away.

Geneva Bible 1599

And thy carkeis shall be meate vnto all foules of the ayre, and vnto the beasts of the earth, and none shall fray them away.

King James (Authorized) Version

And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

One Unity Resource Bible

Your dead body will be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there will be no one to frighten them away.

Translation for Translators

You will die, and birds and wild animals will come and eat your corpses, and there will not be anyone to scare/shoo them away.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Your dead body will be food to all the birds of the heavens and to the beasts of the earth; there will be no one to frighten them away.

Noah Webster Bible

And thy carcass shall be food to all fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, and no man shall drive them away.

World English Bible

Your dead bodies will be food to all birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth; and there will be no one to frighten them away.

Young's Literal Translation

and thy carcase hath been for food to every fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and there is none causing trembling.

Context

The Curses of Disobedience

²⁵The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them in one direction but flee from them in seven. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.²⁶Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the air and beasts of the earth, with no one to scare them away.

Summary

This verse is part of the blessings and curses pronounced by Moses upon the Israelites based on their obedience or disobedience to God's commands. Here, the curse of having one's carcass become food for the birds and wild animals is described as a consequence of turning away from the Lord. It serves as a solemn warning of the severe judgment that would befall the Israelites if they chose to forsake God and His covenant. The graphic imagery underscores the seriousness of disobedience and the importance of remaining faithful to God's ways to avoid such dire consequences.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And thou shalt grope at noon day as the blind gropeth in darkness,.... That is, being in darkness through the loss of their sight; otherwise the darkness and the light are alike to them, and they grope in the one as well as in the other. This comparison shows that the darkness and blindness of the Jews, threatened them, is to be understood not of the darkness of their bodily eyes, but of their minds; not being able to understand, or form a judgment of things that are as clear as noon day; and being at the utmost loss what methods to take and pursue, when they are plain and manifest before them; but being infatuated and besotted, follow the lusts and counsels of their own hearts, which lead them wrong: and thou shall not prosper in thy ways; in any steps they may take to extricate themselves out of their difficulties, distresses, and calamities, or to bring themselves into easy and comfortable circumstances; to get wealth and riches, and honour and esteem with men; but, on the contrary, become forlorn and miserable, poor and wretched, mean and despicable: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore; continually, every day, all the days of their lives, oppressed with taxes and tributes, with mulcts and fines, and spoiled of their goods and substance under one pretence or another; which has been generally their case in Popish countries; for this seems not to refer to the Babylonish captivity, where they built houses, and dwelt in them, and planted gardens, and ate the fruit of them; and in the peace of cities had peace themselves, Jer 29:5, and no man shall save thee; from the oppressions, exactions, and spoils of their enemies, nor deliver them out of their hands; whereas in process of time they had deliverance and salvation from the Babylonish captivity, by the means of Cyrus king of Persia.