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Matthew Henry

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 26:33

And I will scatter you among the Heathen ,.... As with a fan, Jeremiah 15:7 ; so they were at the time of the Assyrian and Babylonish captivities, some were carried to one place, and some to another, some fled to one place, and some to another, and they are at this day scattered among the several nations of the world: and will draw out a sword after you ; draw it out of its scabbard, and with it pursue after them, when fleeing or going whither they should not; as the remainder of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:34

Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths ,.... The sabbatical years, or seventh year sabbaths, when, according to the law in the preceding chapter, it was to rest from tillage, Leviticus 25:2 , as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land ; so long it should lie uncultivated, at least in part, there not being a sufficient number left to till it in general, or as it should be; this was the case during the seventy years' captivity in Babylon: even then shall the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:35

As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest ,.... From tillage, neither man nor beast working upon it; for which reason such a space of time was called a sabbath: because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when you dwelt upon it ; they manured and tilled it on the seventh years, as on others, neglecting the command which God had given them; and this they did not once or twice, but many times, while they were dwellers in the land; which seems to confirm pretty much the notion of their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:36

And upon them that are left alive of you ,.... In the land of Judea, or rather scattered about among the nations, suggesting that these would be comparatively few: I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies ; or "a softness" F25 מרך "mollitiem", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. ; so that they should be effeminate, pusillanimous, and cowardly, have nothing of a manly spirit and courage in them; but be mean spirited and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:37

And they shall fall one upon another ,.... In their hurry and confusion, everyone making all the haste he can to escape the imaginary danger; or "a man upon his brother" F26 איש באחיו "vir in fratrem suum", Vatablus, Drusius, Piscator. ; his friend, as Aben Ezra interprets it, having no regard to relation and friendship, every one endeavouring to save himself. There is another sense which some Jewish writers F1 Torat Cohanim apud Yalkut, par. 1. fol. 197. 2. give of this... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 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 a body of them which continues unto this day; unless this is to be understood of the ten tribes, as R. Akiba F2 In Torat Cohanim, ut supra. (par. 1. fol. 197. 2.) interprets it, who are supposed to be entirely lost and swallowed up among the nations where they were carried captive: and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 26:39

And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands ,.... Such as were not taken off by any public calamity, as the sword or pestilence should gradually diminish and melt away like wax before the fire, and die in and for their iniquities in an enemy's country, see Ezekiel 24:23 , and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them ; or for the iniquities of their evil fathers, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan; they... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 26:34

Then shall the land enjoy her Sabbaths - This Houbigant observes to be a historical truth - "From Saul to the Babylonish captivity are numbered about four hundred and ninety years, during which period there were seventy Sabbaths of years; for 7, multiplied by 70, make 490. Now the Babylonish captivity lasted seventy years, and during that time the land of Israel rested. Therefore the land rested just as many years in the Babylonish captivity, as it should have rested Sabbaths if the Jews had... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 26:38

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. read more

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