Deuteronomy 28:21-24 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:15-44

Having viewed the bright side of the cloud, which is towards the obedient, we have now presented to us the dark side, which is towards the disobedient. If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive of all misery as the blessing is of all happiness. Observe, I. The equity of this curse. It is not a curse causeless, nor for some light cause; God seeks not occasion against us, nor is he apt to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:21

The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee ,.... Not only to come upon them; but to continue with them: until he have consumed thee from off the land whither thou goest to possess it ; which shows that this respects not some particular seasons, when the pestilence came and continued awhile, and then ceased, as in the times of David; but when it became more general, and issued with other judgments in the utter consumption of them, as at the destruction of Jerusalem, both by the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:22

The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption ,.... An emaciation of their bodies, either through famine or wasting diseases, whereby the fluids are washed off, and men are reduced to skin and bones: and with a fever ; a hot burning disease, which dries up the radical moisture, consumes it, and so threatens with death; of which there are various sorts, and some very pestilential and mortal Jarchi and Aben Ezra interpret it of a fire in the face, by which they seem to mean what is called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:23

And the heaven that is over thy head shall be brass ,.... Or like brass, not for its clearness, brightness, and splendour, or for its being spread out like a molten looking glass which was of brass, Job 37:18 ; but for its dryness and hardness, no moisture being in it, or passing through it; no showers of rain nor dew being let down from it: and the earth that is under thee shall be iron ; or like iron, hard and impenetrable, into which the plough and spade will not enter; nor... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:24

The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust ,.... That is, instead of showers of rain in their season, to water, refresh, and enrich the earth, and make it fruitful; and for want of them, and through the heat of the sun, being dried and parched, and its clods crumbled into dust, this should be raised up into the air by the force of winds, and let down again in showers of dust; whereby the few herbs, plants, or green trees on it would be utterly destroyed: and so the Targum of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:21

The pestilence cleave unto thee - הדבר אה בך יהוה ידבק yadbek Yehovah becha eth haddaber , the Lord shall cement the pestilence or plague to thee. Sept., Προσκολλησει Κυριος εις σε τον θανατον , The Lord will glue - inseparably attach, the death unto thee. How dreadful a plague it must be that ravages without intermission, any person may conceive who has ever heard the name. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:22

Consumption - שחפת shachepheth , atrophy through lack of food; from שחף shacaph , to be in want. Fever - קדחת kaddachath , from קדח kadach , to be kindled, burn, sparkle; a burning inflammatory fever. Inflammation - דלקת dalleketh , from דלק dalak , to pursue eagerly, to burn after; probably a rapidly consuming cancer. Extreme burning - חרחר charchur , burning upon burning, scald upon scald; from חר char , to be heated, enraged, etc. This probably... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:23

Thy heaven - shall be brass, and the earth - iron - The atmosphere should not be replenished with aqueous vapours, in consequence of which they should have neither the early nor the latter rain; hence the earth - the ground, must be wholly intractable, and, through its hardness, incapable of cultivation. God shows them by this that he is Lord of nature; and that drought and sterility are not casualties, but proceed from the immediate appointment of the Lord. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:24

The rain of thy land powder and dust - As their heavens - atmosphere, clouds, etc., were to be as brass - yielding no rain; so the surface of the earth must be reduced to powder; and this, being frequently taken up by the strong winds, would fall down in showers instead of rain. Whole caravans have been buried under showers of sand; and Thevenot, a French traveler, who had observed these showers of dust, etc., says, "They grievously annoy all they fall on, filling their eyes, ears, nostrils,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:21

Verse 21 21.The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee. He now proceeds to diseases which are as it were the lictors of God; and finally, His executioners, if men pertinaciously continue in their ungodliness. He does not, therefore, merely declare that He will send the pestilence, but that He will cause it to cleave to them, and when it shall have once laid hold of them, that it shall be impossible to remove it. It might also be translated, The Lord shall cause that the pestilence... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:15-44

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:22

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:23

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:24

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:21

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:22

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:23

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:24

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 28:21

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