Leviticus 26:36

Verse

As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.

American Standard Version (1901)

And as for them that are left of you, I will send a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies: and the sound of a driven leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as one fleeth from the sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

Bible in Basic English

And as for the rest of you, I will make their hearts feeble in the land of their haters, and the sound of a leaf moved by the wind will send them in flight, and they will go in flight as from the sword, falling down when no one comes after them;

Douay-Rheims 1899

And as to them that shall remain of you I will send fear in their hearts in the countries of their enemies, the sound of a flying leaf shall terrify them, and they shall flee as it were from the sword: they shall fall, when no man pursueth them,

Free Bible Version

I will make those of you who survive so discouraged that as you live in the lands of your enemies even the sound of a leaf blowing in the wind will scare you into running away! You'll run away like you're being chased by someone with a sword, and fall down even though no one is after you.

Geneva Bible 1599

And vpon them that are left of you, I will send euen a faintnes into their hearts in ye land of their enemies, and the sounde of a leafeshaken shall chase them, and they shall flee as fleeing from a sword, and they shall fall, no man pursuing them.

King James (Authorized) Version

And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

One Unity Resource Bible

“‘As for those of you who are left, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies. The sound of a driven leaf will put them to flight; and they shall flee, as one flees from the sword. They will fall when no one pursues.

Translation for Translators

“As for you people who will remain alive in the countries to which your enemies will have taken you, I will cause you to become so afraid that when you hear the sound of leaves being blown by the wind, you will run away. You will run like [SIM] you are running from a man carrying a sword, and you will fall down, even though no one is pursuing you.

Unlocked Literal Bible

As for those of you who are left in your enemies' lands, I will send fear into your hearts so that even the sound of a leaf blowing in the wind will startle you, and you will flee as though you were fleeing from the sword. You will fall, even when no one is chasing you.

Noah Webster Bible

And upon them that are left alive of you, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall, when none pursueth.

World English Bible

Young's Literal Translation

'And those who are left of you — I have also brought a faintness into their heart in the lands of their enemies, and the sound of a leaf driven away hath pursued them, and they have fled — flight from a sword — and they have fallen, and there is none pursuing.

Context

Punishments for Disobedience

³⁵As long as it lies desolate, the land will have the rest it did not receive during the Sabbaths when you lived in it.³⁶As for those of you who survive, I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, so that even the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. And they will flee as one flees the sword, and fall when no one pursues them.³⁷They will stumble over one another as before the sword, though no one is behind them. So you will not be able to stand against your enemies.

Sermons

Christ and His Children

C.H. Spurgeon

Summary

This verse in Leviticus is part of the blessings and curses that God outlines for the Israelites based on their obedience or disobedience to His commandments. Here, God warns that those who survive the calamities due to their disobedience will live in constant fear and anxiety, even when no one is pursuing them. This serves as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God and the importance of following His ways to experience His peace and protection. The verse highlights the spiritual and emotional toll of living in disobedience and separation from God's presence.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill
Tyndale

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

So far as the nation was concerned, those who were left when the kingdom was overthrown would find no rest in the land of their enemies, but would perish among the heathen for their own and their fathers' iniquities, till they confessed their sins and bent their uncircumcised hearts under the righteousness of the divine punishments. בּכם הנּשׁארים (nominative abs.): "as for those who are left in (as in Lev 5:9), i.e., of, you," who have not perished in the destruction of the kingdom and dispersion of the people, God will bring despair into their heart in the lands of your enemies, that the sound ("voice") of a moving leaf will hunt them to flee as before the sword, so that they will fall in their anxious flight, and stumble one over another, though no one is pursuing. The ἁπ. λεγ. מרך from מרך, related to מרח and מרק to rub, rub to pieces, signifies that inward anguish, fear, and despair, which rend the heart and destroy the life, δειλία, pavor (lxx, Vulg.), what is described in Deu 28:65 in even stronger terms as "a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind." There should not be to them תּקוּמה, standi et resistendi facultas (Rosenmller), standing before the enemy; but they should perish among the nations. "The land of their enemies will eat them up," sc., by their falling under the pressure of the circumstances in which they were placed (cf. Num 13:32; Eze 36:13).