Deuteronomy 28:19

KJV

Cursed [shalt] thou [be] when thou comest in, and cursed [shalt] thou [be] when thou goest out.

KJV (with Strong's)

Cursed {H779} shalt thou be when thou comest in {H935}, and cursed {H779} shalt thou be when thou goest out {H3318}.

Complete Jewish Bible

"A curse on you when you come in, and a curse on you when you go out.

Berean Standard Bible

You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

American Standard Version

Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Deuteronomy 28:19 serves as a stark and comprehensive declaration within the covenant curses, proclaiming an inescapable and pervasive judgment upon the nation of Israel should they fail to obey God's commands. This verse underscores that every facet of their existence, from their most mundane daily routines to their most significant undertakings, would be permeated by divine displeasure and adverse consequences, emphasizing the absolute totality of the repercussions for covenant unfaithfulness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Deuteronomy 28 stands as the climactic and pivotal chapter within Moses' second major address to the Israelites, delivered on the plains of Moab as they stood poised to enter the Promised Land. Chapters 27-30 collectively form a solemn covenant renewal ceremony, with chapter 28 serving as the central exposition of the blessings promised for obedience and the curses threatened for disobedience. The preceding verses, specifically [Deuteronomy 28:1-14](/deuteronomy/28-1-14 "Deuteronomy 28:1-14 - Blessings for Obedience"), meticulously detail the abundant and comprehensive blessings that would follow faithfulness, establishing a profound contrast with the severe and extensive curses that commence from [Deuteronomy 28:15](/deuteronomy/28-15 "Deuteronomy 28:15 - Beginning of Curses"). Verse 19 is strategically placed within this latter section, amplifying the pervasive and inescapable nature of the impending divine judgment, directly mirroring the all-encompassing blessings described earlier in [Deuteronomy 28:6](/deuteronomy/28-6 "Deuteronomy 28:6 - Blessing in Coming and Going").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The book of Deuteronomy, in its structure and content, closely mirrors the ancient Near Eastern treaty format, particularly the suzerainty treaties common in the second millennium BC. In these treaties, a powerful king (the suzerain) established terms with a lesser, vassal nation. In this divine covenant, Yahweh functions as the suzerain, and Israel is the vassal. The inclusion of detailed blessings and curses was a standard and crucial element in such treaties, designed to serve as powerful incentives for loyalty and potent deterrents against rebellion. For ancient Israel, an agrarian society heavily reliant on agricultural prosperity and national security, the specific curses—which often involved drought, famine, disease, and foreign invasion—directly targeted their very means of survival and well-being. The idiom "coming in and going out" (`bôwʼ` and `yâtsâʼ`) was deeply embedded in their daily lives, representing all movement, transactions, public and private life, and the general course of existence within their settled land, from the city gates to the boundaries of their territory.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes within Deuteronomy and the broader Pentateuch. It highlights the theme of **Covenant Faithfulness and Consequences**, unequivocally demonstrating that God's promises of blessing and warnings of judgment are not idle threats but carry real, tangible outcomes directly linked to obedience or disobedience. The comprehensive nature of the curse, encompassing all of life's movements ("coming in and going out"), emphasizes **Divine Sovereignty and Omnipresence**, illustrating that God's judgment, much like His blessing, can permeate and affect every single aspect of human experience. Furthermore, it reinforces the critical theme of **Holiness and Separation**, as the severity of the curses underscores the dire consequences of Israel's failure to maintain their distinct identity and exclusive devotion to Yahweh, especially in contrast to the idolatrous and abominable practices of the surrounding nations, as emphatically warned in passages like [Deuteronomy 18:9-14](/deuteronomy/18-9-14 "Deuteronomy 18:9-14 - Abominations of the Nations"). The choice presented to Israel, between life and prosperity or death and destruction, is a central motif throughout [Deuteronomy 30:15-20](/deuteronomy/30-15-20 "Deuteronomy 30:15-20 - Choose Life").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Cursed (Hebrew, _ʼârar'_):** (H779) This primitive root signifies a solemn, binding declaration of condemnation, malediction, or execration. Unlike a simple misfortune, a curse from God is a powerful pronouncement that actively brings about negative consequences, often involving divine intervention or the withdrawal of divine favor. It implies a state of being under God's profound disfavor, leading to hardship, barrenness, distress, and futility in all areas of life. The repetition of "cursed" in the verse emphasizes the certainty, intensity, and pervasive nature of this state.
* **comest in (Hebrew, _bôwʼ'_):** (H935) A primitive root meaning "to go or come." In this context, it refers to entering one's home, city, or land, beginning a journey, or undertaking any new endeavor. It encompasses the initiation of daily activities, the arrival in a place, or the commencement of any significant life event. The use of this word signifies the initial phase of any action or presence.
* **goest out (Hebrew, _yâtsâʼ'_):** (H3318) A primitive root meaning "to go (causatively, bring) out." This word refers to leaving one's home, city, or land, concluding a journey, or finishing an endeavor. It encompasses the departure from a place, the completion of daily routines, or the culmination of any significant undertaking. Together with `bôwʼ`, it forms a comprehensive idiom.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in":** This clause pronounces a divine malediction upon the Israelites at the very beginning of any activity, upon their arrival in any place, or at the outset of their daily lives. It signifies that their entry into their homes, their fields, their cities, or any new endeavor would be met with divine disfavor, leading to failure, hardship, or lack of prosperity from the very start. This curse would permeate their domestic life, their agricultural pursuits, and their communal interactions, affecting every initial step and every new beginning.
* **"and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out":** This parallel clause extends the curse to the conclusion of any activity, upon their departure from any place, or at the end of their daily routines. It means that their leaving, their expeditions, their battles, or the culmination of their labors would also be met with divine judgment. There would be no escape from the curse by simply changing location or activity; the effects of disobedience would follow them and manifest in every outcome, leading to defeat, loss, or futility. This ensures the curse is inescapable and affects the results of all their efforts.

#### Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 28:19 powerfully employs several **Literary Devices** to convey its message of pervasive and inescapable judgment. The most prominent is **Parallelism**, specifically synonymous parallelism, where the two clauses "Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in" and "and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out" express the same overarching idea of comprehensive judgment through slightly different but reinforcing phrases. This deliberate repetition also serves as **Emphasis**, highlighting the absolute certainty, severity, and inescapable nature of the curse. Furthermore, the phrase "when thou comest in, and when thou goest out" is a classic example of **Merism**, a figure of speech where two contrasting parts or extremes are named to represent a complete whole. By mentioning the extremes of entry and exit, the text signifies the totality of life's experiences, implying that every single moment, every single action, and every aspect of their existence—from dawn to dusk, from birth to death, from private to public—would be under the pervasive weight of the curse. This all-encompassing imagery also borders on **Hyperbole**, exaggerating the scope of the curse to impress upon the audience its truly universal and inescapable reach.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Deuteronomy 28:19 profoundly reveals God's unyielding commitment to the terms of His covenant, demonstrating that His character encompasses both immense blessing for obedience and severe, comprehensive judgment for rebellion. This verse underscores the foundational biblical truth that sin has pervasive, detrimental consequences that affect every area of life, not just isolated incidents. It highlights the principle of divine justice, where God faithfully executes the terms of His covenant, demonstrating that He is both a God of love and a God of righteous wrath. The comprehensive nature of this curse serves as a stark reminder of humanity's inherent inability to perfectly uphold God's righteous standards and the dire need for a different kind of intervention—a divine act of redemption—to escape such a comprehensive state of condemnation and enter into true blessing.

* [Leviticus 26:14-39](/leviticus/26-14-39 "Leviticus 26:14-39 - Curses for Disobedience")
* [Jeremiah 11:3](/jeremiah/11-3 "Jeremiah 11:3 - Cursed is the one who does not obey")
* [Galatians 3:10](/galatians/3-10 "Galatians 3:10 - Under the Curse of the Law")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Deuteronomy 28:19 serves as a sobering and profound reminder that our choices, particularly in relation to God's revealed will, have far-reaching and pervasive consequences, not just for isolated moments but for the entire trajectory of our lives. While believers today no longer live under the specific legalistic terms of the Mosaic Covenant, the underlying spiritual principle remains eternally true: disobedience to God's revealed will invites spiritual and often tangible hardship, while alignment with His ways brings blessing and flourishing. This verse compels us to consider the totality of our walk with God—are we seeking to honor Him in every "coming in" and "going out," in every decision, every interaction, every private thought, and every public action? It challenges us to examine areas where we might be subtly or overtly resisting God's design, recognizing that even seemingly small deviations can contribute to a pervasive sense of spiritual barrenness, relational brokenness, or inner disquiet. Ultimately, this comprehensive warning drives us to a deeper appreciation for God's boundless grace, which offers the ultimate escape from the curse and enables a life of true blessing and communion with Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life do I tend to compartmentalize my faith, rather than allowing God's word to influence my "coming in and going out" (i.e., all aspects of my daily life)?**
* **What specific "disobediences" or patterns of self-reliance in my life might be contributing to a sense of spiritual or emotional barrenness, and how can I turn from them with repentance and faith?**
* **How does the comprehensive nature of this curse deepen my appreciation for the comprehensive nature of God's grace and the complete redemption offered in Christ Jesus?**

### FAQ
**Does this verse mean that every misfortune I experience is a direct curse from God for my sin?**

Answer: Not necessarily in the direct, covenantal sense of Deuteronomy 28. While sin does have natural, often pervasive, consequences, and God is sovereign over all things, the Mosaic Covenant curses were specific, divinely ordained judgments upon the nation of Israel for their corporate and persistent unfaithfulness to a unique covenant. For believers today, the relationship with God is mediated through the New Covenant in Christ, where the ultimate curse of the law has been borne by Jesus. [Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse") clearly states, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." While we still experience natural consequences for sin, live in a fallen world, and may face God's loving discipline ([Hebrews 12:5-11](/hebrews/12-5-11 "Hebrews 12:5-11 - God's Discipline and Correction")), our misfortunes are not automatically direct covenantal curses in the same way they were for Old Testament Israel. The verse primarily serves as a powerful illustration of the serious, all-encompassing nature of disobedience to God's commands and points to our need for a Savior.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Deuteronomy 28:19, with its stark declaration of a pervasive, inescapable curse for disobedience, powerfully sets the stage for understanding the profound necessity and triumph of Christ's redemptive work. Humanity, through the fall and its inherent sinfulness, found itself universally "cursed" in its "coming in and going out"—every aspect of life tainted by sin and subject to God's righteous judgment. The Law, as exemplified by the Mosaic Covenant, meticulously revealed the depth and breadth of this curse, demonstrating unequivocally that "all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse" ([Galatians 3:10](/galatians/3-10 "Galatians 3:10 - Under the Curse of the Law")). However, the glorious good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, willingly became a curse for us. As [Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse") proclaims, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'" Through His crucifixion, Jesus absorbed the full, comprehensive weight of the curse that Deuteronomy 28:19 so vividly describes, ensuring that those who believe in Him are no longer under condemnation ([Romans 8:1](/romans/8-1 "Romans 8:1 - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus")). Instead of a curse permeating every "coming in and going out," believers are now blessed in every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ ([Ephesians 1:3](/ephesians/1-3 "Ephesians 1:3 - Spiritual Blessings in Christ")), experiencing His favor, presence, and redemptive power in every facet of their lives, from beginning to end, as they walk in newness of life ([Romans 6:4](/romans/6-4 "Romans 6:4 - Newness of Life")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Deuteronomy 28:6

Blessed [shalt] thou [be] when thou comest in, and blessed [shalt] thou [be] when thou goest out.

2 Chronicles 15:5

And in those times [there was] no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations [were] upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

Judges 5:6

¶ In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

Judges 5:7

[The inhabitants of] the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.