Leviticus 26:14-33

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 26:14-39

After God had set the blessing before them (the life and good which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient), he here sets the curse before them, the death and evil which would make them as miserable if they were disobedient. Let them not think themselves so deeply rooted as that God's power could not ruin them, nor so highly favoured as that his justice would not ruin them if they revolted from him and rebelled against him; no You only have I known, therefore I will punish... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:14

But if ye will not hearken unto me ,.... To his commandments, as the rule of their duty, and to his promises, as an encouragement to it, or to his prophets and ministers, explaining and enforcing his law, and exhorting to a cheerful obedience to it; so the Targum of Jonathan,"if ye will not hearken to the doctrine of them that teach my laws;'which was the sin of the Jews in later times, for which captivity and other calamities befell them, Jeremiah 7:25 , and will not do all these... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:15

And if ye shall despise my statutes ,.... Which is an aggravated sin; to be negligent hearers of the commands of God is bad, not to be doers of them worse, but to treat them with contempt is worse still: or if your soul abhor my judgments : which is worst of all, to despise them as if not wisely or righteously made is a dreadful reflection upon the Maker of them; but to abhor them as bad things, not fit to be regarded, but to be had in the utmost detestation, is shocking impiety: so... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:16

I also will do this unto you ,.... Henceforward follow threatenings of dreadful evils to the transgressors and despisers of the commandments of God, which thus begin: I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart ; some, as Aben Ezra observes, take these to design what may affect the seed sown and the increase of it, such as blasting and mildew, because it follows: "ye shall sow in vain"; but no doubt... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:17

And I will set my face against you ,.... Exert his power, and stir up his wrath and indignation against them, as enemies of his, to cut them off; see Psalm 34:16 ; which is the reverse of having respect to them, Leviticus 26:9 , and ye shall be slain before your enemies ; as they were sometimes by the Philistines and others: and they that hate you shall reign over you ; as did the Chaldeans and Babylonians; see Psalm 106:41 , and ye shall flee when none pursueth you ; of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:18

And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me ,.... If such corrections by diseases of body, and by giving them up into the hands of their enemies, should be ineffectual to reform them, and bring them to obedience to the statutes and commandments of God, but should continue in their disobedience to him, and rebellion against him: then I will punish you seven times more for your sins ; that is, abundantly more, with sorer punishments, and these more frequently repeated. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:19

And I will break the pride of your power ,.... Which the Targum of Jonathan and Jarchi interpret of the sanctuary, which they were proud of, trusted in, and boasted of; but was broke or destroyed, first by Nebuchadnezzar, then by the Romans: but it may rather signify their country, the glory of all lands for its fruitfulness, which for their sins should become barren, as follows; or the multitude of their forces, and the strength of their mighty men of war, in which they put their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:20

And your strength shall be spent in vain ,.... In endeavouring to till the ground, to plough, or sow, or to dig about the vines or olives, and prune them: for your land shall not yield its increase ; produce corn, and bring forth grass, the one for the use of men, the other for the use of the cattle, and therefore both must starve: neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits ; such as vines, olives, figs, pomegranates, &c.; which were very plentiful in the land of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:21

And if ye walk contrary unto me ,.... To his mind and will, to his laws, commands, and ordinances, showing no regard unto them by a walk and conversation agreeably to them, but neglecting and breaking them continually; or by chance, as the Targum of Jonathan, not with any intention and design to obey the Lord, and to honour and glorify him, but in a careless and indifferent manner, having no regard to the law of God, only now and then, as it happens, act according to it, but having no... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:22

I will also send wild beasts among you ,.... Either in a literal sense, as lions, bears, wolves, &c.; and so is the reverse of what is promised to them on their doing well, Leviticus 26:6 ; or figuratively, mighty monarchs and cruel oppressors, such as were the kings of Assyria and Babylon, Jeremiah 50:17 , which shall rob you of your children ; as the bears, in a literal sense, destroyed the children of them in the times of Elisha, 2 Kings 2:24 , and destroy your cattle ;... read more

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