Deuteronomy 28:20. Cursing, vexation, and rebuke The first of these words seems to import that God would blast all their designs; the second relates to disquiet and perplexity of mind, arising from the disappointment of their hopes, and presages of approaching miseries; the third respects such chastisements from God as would give them a severe check and rebuke for their sins and follies. read more
Obedience and disobedience (28:1-68)Further blessings and curses are now listed. These were connected more with the life of the people as a whole and were directly dependent on the people’s obedience or disobedience. The blessings mainly concerned agricultural prosperity, family happiness, victory over enemies and honour in the eyes of other nations (28:1-10). God’s assurance that he would supply their needs was linked to a warning. They were not to look for family increase or agricultural... read more
"And Jehovah will send upon thee cursing, discomfiture, and rebuke, in all that thou puttest thy hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the evil of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. Jehovah will make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he hath consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest in to possess it. And Jehovah will smite thee with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword,... read more
Ver. 15-20. But—if thou wilt not hearken— To these promises of prosperity if they obeyed the laws, the most dreadful menaces of adversity are opposed in case they disobeyed them; a general disappointment, misery, and calamity, reaching to all ranks of people, and affecting all affairs, public and private: scarcity, want, and untimely death, affecting private families; and a defeat of all public enterprises and counsels making the whole nation miserable. By the word cursing, in the 20th verse,... read more
D. The curses that follow disobedience to general stipulations 28:15-68In this section Moses identified about four times as many curses as he had listed previous blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1-14). The lists of curses in other ancient Near Eastern treaty texts typically were longer than the lists of blessings. [Note: Gordon J. Wenham, "The Structure and Date of Deuteronomy" (Ph.D. dissertation, University of London, 1969), p. 161.] The reason was probably to stress the seriousness of violating the... read more
In the first view of God’s discipline Moses explained various forms in which Israel would suffer punishment. read more
The Blessing and the CurseThis chapter properly follows Deuteronomy 26:19, and concludes the second discourse. It enforces the injunctions given, by exhibiting the blessings associated with the keeping of them, and the curses entailed upon disobedience.1-14. The Blessings for Obedience.5. Store] lit. ’kneading-trough’ as in Exodus 12:34. The basket is that used for holding bread: see Genesis 40:17; Leviticus 8:2; Matthew 14:20.7. Seven ways] (at once), a proverbial saying expressing a... read more
(20) Cursing, vexation, and rebuke.—Deficiency, and anxiety, and failure in every enterprise, would convey the idea, according to another interpretation. There are two views of the derivation of the first of the three words employed. Probably the Authorised Version is right. The three words have each of them the definite article in the original, just as if they were so many diseases. “The curse, and the terror, and the rebuke” of the Almighty are terrible obstacles to any human undertaking.In... read more
A Blessing on the Storehouse Deuteronomy 28:8 The storing of the grain is the last of the processes of harvest. We may therefore take the blessing of God upon the housed and winnowed corn as including His blessing upon all previous stages of growth or ingathering. I. The Sowing Time This is where industry comes in, and the gift of God is seen also to be His reward and blessing upon human diligence. The preparation of the soil and the choice of the seed application to human life. II. The... read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 28:15-68
The curses correspond in form and number Deuteronomy 28:15-19 to the blessings Deuteronomy 28:3-6, and the special modes in which these threats should be executed are described in five groups of denunciations Deuteronomy 28:20-68.Deuteronomy 28:20-26First series of judgments. The curse of God should rest on all they did, and should issue in manifold forms of disease, in famine, and in defeat in war.Deuteronomy 28:20Vexation - Rather, confusion: the word in the original is used Deuteronomy 7:23;... read more