Leviticus 26:38
Leviticus 26:38 in Multiple Translations
You will perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies will consume you.
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
And ye shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
And death will overtake you among strange nations, and the land of your haters will be your destruction.
You'll die in exile and you'll be buried in a foreign country.
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eate you vp.
and ye have perished among the nations, and the land of your enemies hath consumed you.
You will perish among the nations. The land of your enemies will eat you up.
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
You shall perish among the Gentiles, and an enemy’s land shall consume you.
Many of you will die in the countries that belong to your enemies [DOU].
Berean Amplified Bible — Leviticus 26:38
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Leviticus 26:38 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/אֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם
בַּ/גּוֹיִ֑ם
וְ/אָכְלָ֣ה
אֶתְ/כֶ֔ם
אֶ֖רֶץ
אֹיְבֵי/כֶֽם
וַ/אֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם
ʼâbad
H6
to perish
Conj | V-Qal-2mp
בַּ/גּוֹיִ֑ם
gôwy
H1471
Gentile
Prep | N-mp
וְ/אָכְלָ֣ה
ʼâkal
H398
to eat
Conj | V-Qal-3fs
אֶתְ/כֶ֔ם
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM | Suff
אֶ֖רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
land
N-cs
אֹיְבֵי/כֶֽם
ʼôyêb
H341
enemy
V-Qal | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Leviticus 26:38
וַ/אֲבַדְתֶּ֖ם
ʼâbad
H6
"to perish"
Conj | V-Qal-2mp
To perish means to be destroyed or lost, whether it's a person, animal, or thing, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19.
Definition: 1) perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) perish, die, be exterminated 1a2) perish, vanish (fig.) 1a3) be lost, strayed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to destroy, kill, cause to perish, to give up (as lost), exterminate 1b2) to blot out, do away with, cause to vanish, (fig.) 1b3) cause to stray, lose 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to destroy, put to death 1c1a) of divine judgment 1c2) object name of kings (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: a.vad (אֲבַד "to destroy" H0007)
Usage: Occurs in 174 OT verses. KJV: break, destroy(-uction), [phrase] not escape, fail, lose, (cause to, make) perish, spend, [idiom] and surely, take, be undone, [idiom] utterly, be void of, have no way to flee. See also: Exodus 10:7; Psalms 112:10; Psalms 1:6.
בַּ/גּוֹיִ֑ם
gôwy
H1471
"Gentile"
Prep | N-mp
This word refers to a Gentile, someone who is not Hebrew or Israeli. It can also describe a large group of animals or a nation of people, emphasizing their unity and shared identity.
Definition: 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.) 1c) Goyim? = "nations" Also named: ethnos (ἔθνος "Gentiles" G1484)
Usage: Occurs in 511 OT verses. KJV: Gentile, heathen, nation, people. See also: Genesis 10:5; Judges 4:16; Psalms 2:1.
וְ/אָכְלָ֣ה
ʼâkal
H398
"to eat"
Conj | V-Qal-3fs
This word means to eat or devour, and it's used in many stories, including when Jesus fed the 5000 with fish and bread in the book of Matthew. It's about taking in nourishment and being satisfied.
Definition: 1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to eat (human subject) 1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds) 1a3) to devour, consume (of fire) 1a4) to devour, slay (of sword) 1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought) 1a6) to devour (of oppression) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be eaten (by men) 1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire) 1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh) 1c) (Pual) 1c1) to cause to eat, feed with 1c2) to cause to devour 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to feed 1d2) to cause to eat 1e) (Piel) 1e1) consume Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Usage: Occurs in 703 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite. See also: Genesis 2:16; Leviticus 6:9; Numbers 24:8.
אֶתְ/כֶ֔ם
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM | Suff
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
אֶ֖רֶץ
ʼerets
H776
"land"
N-cs
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Definition: : soil 1) land, earth 1a) earth 1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part) 1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven) 1a3) earth (inhabitants) 1b) land 1b1) country, territory 1b2) district, region 1b3) tribal territory 1b4) piece of ground 1b5) land of Canaan, Israel 1b6) inhabitants of land 1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world 1b8) city (-state) 1c) ground, surface of the earth 1c1) ground 1c2) soil 1d) (in phrases) 1d1) people of the land 1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance) 1d3) level or plain country 1d4) land of the living 1d5) end(s) of the earth 1e) (almost wholly late in usage) 1e1) lands, countries 1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan
Usage: Occurs in 2190 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world. See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 42:13.
אֹיְבֵי/כֶֽם
ʼôyêb
H341
"enemy"
V-Qal | Suff
This Hebrew word means enemy or adversary, referring to someone who hates or opposes another person or nation. It is used to describe personal or national enemies in the Bible.
Definition: 1) (Qal) enemy 1a) personal 1b) national
Usage: Occurs in 275 OT verses. KJV: enemy, foe. See also: Genesis 22:17; 2 Samuel 22:1; Psalms 3:8.
Study Notes — Leviticus 26:38
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Leviticus 26:38 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 26:38
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 26:38
- Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 26:38
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Leviticus 26:38
- Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 26:38
- Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 26:38
- Sermons on Leviticus 26:38
Context — Punishments for Disobedience
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.
38You will perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies will consume you.
39Those of you who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away in their iniquity and will decay in the sins of their fathers. 40But if they will confess their iniquity and that of their fathers in the unfaithfulness that they practiced against Me, by which they have also walked in hostility toward Me—Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 28:48 | you will serve your enemies the LORD will send against you in famine, thirst, nakedness, and destitution. He will place an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you. |
| 2 | Isaiah 27:13 | And in that day a great ram’s horn will sound, and those who were perishing in Assyria will come forth with those who were exiles in Egypt. And they will worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 42:17–18 | So all who resolve to go to Egypt to reside there will die by sword and famine and plague. Not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring upon them.’ For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘Just as My anger and wrath were poured out on the residents of Jerusalem, so will My wrath be poured out on you if you go to Egypt. You will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and disgrace, and you will never see this place again.’ |
| 4 | Jeremiah 42:22 | Now therefore, know for sure that by sword and famine and plague you will die in the place where you desire to go to reside.” |
| 5 | Jeremiah 44:12–14 | And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have resolved to go to the land of Egypt to reside there; they will meet their end. They will all fall by the sword or be consumed by famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine; and they will become an object of cursing and horror, of vilification and reproach. I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, just as I punished Jerusalem, by sword and famine and plague, so that none of the remnant of Judah who have gone to reside in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, where they long to return and live; for none will return except a few fugitives.” |
| 6 | Deuteronomy 4:26–27 | I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live long upon it, but will be utterly destroyed. Then the LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. |
| 7 | Deuteronomy 28:68 | The LORD will return you to Egypt in ships by a route that I said you should never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.” |
| 8 | Jeremiah 44:27–28 | I am watching over them for harm and not for good, and every man of Judah who is in the land of Egypt will meet his end by sword or famine, until they are finished off. Those who escape the sword will return from Egypt to Judah, few in number, and the whole remnant of Judah who went to dwell in the land of Egypt will know whose word will stand, Mine or theirs! |
Leviticus 26:38 Summary
[Leviticus 26:38 is a warning that if we disobey God, we will face serious consequences, including losing our sense of identity and purpose (as seen in Deuteronomy 28:64). This verse reminds us that our actions have real consequences, and that rejecting God's laws can lead to our downfall (Romans 6:23). However, even in the midst of judgment, God offers hope and restoration to those who turn back to Him in repentance, as seen in Leviticus 26:40-42 and Ezekiel 36:24-32.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to perish among the nations?
To perish among the nations, as stated in Leviticus 26:38, means to be destroyed or come to an end as a distinct people or nation, often as a result of disobedience to God, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:64 and Ezekiel 36:19.
How does the land of our enemies consume us?
The land of our enemies consuming us, as mentioned in Leviticus 26:38, refers to the idea that the very lands where we are held captive or oppressed will become a kind of graveyard for us, where our identity, culture, and way of life are lost, much like what happened to the Israelites in Babylon, as described in Psalm 137:1-4.
Is this verse only applicable to the Israelites?
While Leviticus 26:38 was specifically addressed to the Israelites, its principles can be applied to any nation or people who reject God's laws and turn to sin, as seen in Romans 11:21 and 1 Peter 2:9-10, which warn of similar consequences for disobedience.
What is the ultimate purpose of this warning?
The ultimate purpose of this warning in Leviticus 26:38 is to call God's people back to obedience and faithfulness, that they might avoid such judgment and instead experience God's blessing and protection, as promised in Leviticus 26:3-13 and Deuteronomy 28:1-14.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways in which I may be perishing or losing my spiritual identity among the influences of the world?
- How can I ensure that I am not consumed by the 'land' of my enemies, whether that be a physical place or a spiritual state?
- In what ways can I apply the warning of Leviticus 26:38 to my own life, to avoid the consequences of disobedience and instead walk in obedience to God?
- What does it mean for me to 'confess my iniquity' as mentioned in the surrounding verses, and how can I apply this to my own relationship with God?
Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 26:38
And ye shall perish among the Heathen,.... Not utterly, but great numbers of them, through change of air, and different diet, as Aben Ezra, and through the cruel usage of their enemies; for there is
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 26:38
And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up. The land of your enemies ... On the removal of the ten tribes into captivity, they never returned, and all traces of them were lost.
Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 26:38
(38) And ye shall perish among the heathen.—Better, And ye shall be lost among the heathen, as the word here rendered “perish” is often translated. (See Deuteronomy 22:3; 1 Samuel 9:3; 1 Samuel 9:20; Jeremiah 1:6; Ezekiel 34:4; Ezekiel 34:16; Psalms 119:176, &c.) The context plainly shows that utter destruction is not meant here. The very next verse speaks of a remnant who are to pine away, whilst Leviticus 26:40 speaks of their confessing their guilt. The land of your enemies shall eat you up.—That is, they shall be so completely mixed up with the heathen nations amongst whom they are to be dispersed, and so utterly incorporated amongst them, that they will disappear, and have no separate existence. This is the sense of this peculiar phrase in Numbers 13:32; Ezekiel 36:13.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Leviticus 26:38
Verse 38. The land of your enemies shall eat you up.] Does this refer to the total loss of the ten tribes? These are so completely swallowed up in some enemies' land, that nothing concerning their existence or place of residence remains but mere conjecture.
Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 26:38
14–39. The penalties that shall ensue, if Israel prove disobedient (Cp. Deuteronomy 28:15 ff.) They are arranged in five groups, viz. (a) Leviticus 26:16-18, (b) Leviticus 26:19-20, (c) Leviticus 26:21; Leviticus 26:32, (d) Leviticus 26:23-26, (e) Leviticus 26:27-39, overthrow and exile of the nation.
Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 26:38
38. Ye shall perish among the heathen — Says Josephus, in Wars of the Jews: “The number of those that were carried captive during this whole war was ninety-seven thousand, and the number that
Sermons on Leviticus 26:38
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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The Blowing of the Great Trumpet by J.C. Philpot | J.C. Philpot preaches on the significance of 'The day of the Lord' as a time when God's power is prominently displayed, bringing both trouble and deliverance. The blowing of the gr |
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The Seven Levels of Judgment - Part 7 by Dan Biser | This sermon delves into the seven levels of judgment found in the Bible, highlighting instances where God's wrath was poured out on individuals, cities, and nations due to disobedi |
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To the Church of God in Lancashire by George Fox | George Fox emphasizes the importance of separating from worldly customs and standing as witnesses for Jesus Christ, who cleanses us from sin. He encourages believers to walk in the |
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Epistle 290 by George Fox | George Fox preaches about living in love, edifying the body of Christ, and keeping in the truth of God to walk in peace with Him and one another. He emphasizes the importance of ri |