Deuteronomy 28:20-68 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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:45-68

One would have thought that enough had been said to possess them with a dread of that wrath of God which is revealed from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. But to show how deep the treasures of that wrath are, and that still there is more and worse behind, Moses, when one would have thought that he had concluded this dismal subject, begins again, and adds to this roll of curses many similar words: as Jeremiah did to his, Jer. 36:32. It should seem that in the former... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:20

The Lord shall send upon thee cursing ,.... Which is either a general word for all that follows, or rather, since that had been expressed before in various instances, this may denote some particular judgment. Jarchi interprets it of penury, of want of all good things, extreme poverty, so as to be reduced to the utmost necessity, and as to stand in need of the common comforts and supports of life, and even to have their blessings and mercies turned into curses; the consequence of which must... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:25

The Lord shall cause thee to be smitten fore thine enemies ,.... And by them, as they sometimes were by the Philistines and others, before their utter destruction, when they sinned against the Lord; and by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Romans: thou shall go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them ; march out against them in a body, promising themselves victory, but be utterly routed; so that they shall flee every way they can for their safety; see Deuteronomy 28:7 ,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:26

And thy carcass shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth ,.... Which was always reckoned a very grievous calamity, have no other burial than in the bowels of beasts and birds; and was the case of many of the Jews in the Antiochian persecution, Psalm 79:2 ; and in a treatise of theirs F8 Shebat Judahm sive Hist. Jud. a Gentio, sect. 46. p. 312. , which relates their many afflictions and sufferings in their present captivity, speaking of a persecution... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:27

The Lord will smite thee with the botch of Egypt ,.... Which some understand of the leprosy, Of that sort of it called "elephantiasis", frequent among the Egyptians; See Gill on Leviticus 13:2 . Thevenot F9 Apud Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 3. p. 426, 427. relates, that when the time of the increase of the Nile expires, the Egyptians are attended with sharp prickings in their skin like needles. So Vansleb says F11 Relation of a Voyage to Egypt, p. 35, 36. ,"the waters of the... read more

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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:45-68

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:20

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:25

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:26

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Deuteronomy 28:27

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