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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Deuteronomy 28:15–44. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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 quarrel with us. That which is here mentioned as bringing the curse is,
1.Despising God, refusing to hearken to his voice (Deu 28:15), which bespeaks the highest contempt imaginable, as if what he said were not worth the heeding, or we were not under any obligation to him.
2.Disobeying him, not doing his commandments, or not observing to do them. None fall under his curse but those that rebel against his command.
3.Deserting him. "It is because of the wickedness of thy doings, not only whereby thou hast slighted me, but whereby thou hast forsaken me," Deu 28:20. God never casts us off till we first cast him off. It intimates that their idolatry, by which they forsook the true God for false gods, would be their destroying sin more than any other.
II.The extent and efficacy of this curse.
1.In general, it is declared, "All these curses shall come upon thee from above, and shall overtake thee; though thou endeavour to escape them, it is to no purpose to attempt it, they shall follow thee whithersoever thou goest, and seize thee, overtake thee, and overcome thee," Deu 28:15. It is said of the sinner, when God's wrath is in pursuit of him, that he would fain flee out of his hand (Job 27:22), but he cannot; if he flee from the iron weapon, yet the bow of steel shall reach him and strike him through. There is no running from God but by running to him, no fleeing from his justice but by fleeing to his mercy. See Psa 21:7, Psa 21:8. (1.) Wherever the sinner goes, the curse of God follows him; wherever he is, it rests upon him. He is cursed in the city and in the field, Deu 28:16. The strength of the city cannot shelter him from it, the pleasant air of the country is no fence against these pestilential steams. He is cursed (Deu 28:19) when he comes in, for the curse is upon the house of the wicked (Pro 3:33), and he is cursed when he goes out, for he cannot leave that curse behind him, nor get rid of it, which has entered into his bowels like water and like oil into his bones. (2.). Whatever he has is under a curse: Cursed is the ground for his sake, and all that is on it, or comes out of it, and so he is cursed from the ground, as Cain, Gen 4:11. The basket and store are cursed, Deu 28:17, Deu 28:18. All his enjoyments being forfeited by him are in a manner forbidden to him, as cursed things, which he has no title to. To those whose mind and conscience are defiled every thing else is so, Tit 1:15. They are all embittered to him; he cannot take any true comfort in them, for the wrath of God mixes itself with them, and he is so far from having any security of the continuance of them that, if his eyes be open, he may see them all condemned and ready to be confiscated, and with them all his joys and all his hopes gone for ever. (3.) Whatever he does is under a curse too. It is a curse in all that he sets his hand to (Deu 28:20), a constant disappointment, which those are subject to that set their hearts upon the world, and expect their happiness in it, and which cannot but be a constant vexation. This curse is just the reverse of the blessing in the former part of the chapter. Thus whatever bliss there is in heaven there is not only the want of it, but the contrary to it, in hell. Isa 65:13, My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry.
2.Many particular judgments are here enumerated, which would be the fruits of the curse, and with which God would punish the people of the Jews for their apostasy and disobedience. These judgments threatened are of divers kinds, for God has many arrows in his quiver, four sore judgments (Eze 14:21), and many more. They are represented as very terrible, and the descriptions of them are exceedingly lively and affecting, that men, knowing these terrors of the Lord, might, if possible, be persuaded. The threatenings of the same judgment are several times repeated, that they might make the more deep and lasting impressions, and to intimate that, if men persisted in their disobedience, the judgment which they thought was over, and of which they said, "Surely the bitterness of it is past," would return with double force; for when God judges he will overcome.
(1.)Bodily diseases are here threatened, that they should be epidemical in their land. These God sometimes makes use of for the chastisement and improvement of his own people. Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. But here they are threatened to be brought upon his enemies as tokens of his wrath, and designed for their ruin. So that according to the temper of our spirits, under sickness, accordingly it is to us a blessing or a curse. But, whatever sickness may be to particular persons, it is certain that epidemical diseases raging among a people are national judgments, and are so to be accounted. He here threatens,
[1.]Painful diseases (Deu 28:35), a sore botch, beginning in the legs and knees, but spreading, like Job's boils, from heat to foot.
[2.]Shameful diseases (v. 27), the botch of Egypt (such boils and blains as the Egyptians had been plagued with, when God brought Israel from among them), and the emerods and scab, vile diseases, the just punishment of those who by sin had made themselves vile.
[3.]Mortal diseases, the pestilence (v. 21), the consumption (put for all chronical diseases), and the fever (for all acute diseases), v. 22. See Lev 26:16. And all incurable, Deu 28:27.
(2.)Famine, and scarcity of provisions; and this,
[1.]For want of rain (Deu 28:23, Deu 28:24): Thy heaven over thy head, that part that is over thy land, shall be as dry as brass, while the heavens over other countries shall distil their dews; and, when the heaven is as brass, the earth of course will be as iron, so hard and unfruitful. Instead of rain, the dust shall be blown out of the highways into the field, and spoil the little that there is of the fruits of the earth.
[2.]By destroying insects. The locust should destroy the corn, so that they should not have so much as their seed again, Deu 28:38, Deu 28:42. And the fruit of the vine, which should make glad their hearts, should all be worm-eaten, Deu 28:39. and the olive, some way or other, should be made to cast its fruit, Deu 28:40. The heathen use many superstitious customs in honour of their idol-gods for preserving the fruits of the earth; but Moses tells Israel that the only way they had to preserve them was to keep God's commandments; for he is a God that will not be sported with, like their idols, but will be served in spirit and truth. This threatening we find fulfilled in Israel, Kg1 17:1; Jer 14:1, etc.; Joe 1:4.
(3.)That they should be smitten before their enemies in war, who, it is likely, would be the more cruel to them, when they had them at their mercy, for the severity they had used against the nations of Canaan, which their neighbours in after-ages would be apt to remember against them, Deu 28:25. It would make their flight the more shameful, and the more grievous, that they might have triumphed over their enemies if they had but been faithful to their God. The carcases of those that were slain in war, or died in captivity among strangers, should be meat for the fowls (Deu 28:26); and an Israelite, having forfeited the favour of his God, should have so little humanity shown him as that no man should drive them away, so odious would God's curse make him to all mankind.
(4.)That they should be infatuated in all their counsels, so as not to discern their own interest, nor bring any thing to pass for the public good: The Lord shall smite thee with madness and blindness, Deu 28:28, Deu 28:29. Note, God's judgments can reach the minds of men to fill them with darkness and horror, as well as their bodies and estates; and those are the sorest of all judgments which make men a terror to themselves, and their own destroyers. That which they contrived to secure themselves by should still turn to their prejudice. Thus we often find that the allies they confided in distressed them and strengthened them not, Ch2 28:20. Those that will not walk in God's counsels are justly left to be ruined by their own; and those that are wilfully blind to their duty deserve to be made blind to their interest, and, seeing they loved darkness rather than light, let them grope at noon-day as in the dark.
(5.)That they should be plundered of all their enjoyments, stripped of all by the proud and imperious conqueror, such as Benhadad was to Ahab, Kg1 20:5, Kg1 20:6. Not only their houses and vineyards should be taken from them, but their wives and children, Deu 28:30, Deu 28:32. Their dearest comforts, which they took most pleasure in, and promised themselves most from, should be the entertainment and triumph of their enemies. As they had dwelt in houses which they built not, and eaten of vineyards which they planted not (Deu 6:10, Deu 6:11), so others should do by them. Their oxen, asses, and sheep, like Job's, should be taken away before their eyes, and they should not be able to recover them, v. 31. And all the fruit of their land and labours should be devoured and eaten up by the enemy; so that they and theirs would want necessaries, while their enemies were revelling with that which they had laboured for.
(6.)That they should be carried captives into a far country; nay, into all the kingdoms of the earth, v. 25. Their sons and daughters, whom they promised themselves comfort in, should go into captivity (v. 41), and they themselves at length, and their king in whom they promised themselves safety and settlement, v. 36. This was fully accomplished when the ten tribes first were carried captive into Assyria (Kg2 17:6), and not long after the two tribes into Babylon, and two of their kings, Kg2 24:14, Kg2 24:15; Kg2 25:7, Kg2 25:21. That which is mentioned as an aggravation of their captivity is that they should go into an unknown country, the language and customs of which would be very uncouth, and their treatment among them barbarous, and there they should serve other gods, that is, be compelled to do so by their enemies, as they were in Babylon, Dan 3:6. Note, God often makes men's sin their punishment, and chooses their delusions. You shall serve other gods, that is, "You shall serve those that do serve them;" a nation is often in scripture called by the name of its gods, as Jer 48:7. They had made idolaters their associates, and now god made idolaters their oppressors.
(7.)That those who remained should be insulted and tyrannized over by strangers, Deu 28:43, Deu 28:44. So the ten tribes were by the colonies which the king of Assyria sent to take possession of their land, Kg2 17:24. Or this may be meant of the gradual encroachments which the strangers within their gates should make upon them, so as insensibly to worm them out of their estates. We read of the fulfilling of this, Hos 7:9, Strangers have devoured his strength. Foreigners ate the bread out of the mouths of trueborn Israelites, by which they were justly chastised for introducing strange gods.
(8.)That their reputation among their neighbours should be quite sunk, and those that had been a name, and a praise, should be an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word, Deu 28:37. Some have observed the fulfilling of this threatening in their present state; for, when we would express the most perfidious and barbarous treatment, we say, None but a Jew would have done so. Thus is sin a reproach to any people.
(9.)To complete their misery, it is threatened that they should be put quite out of the possession of their minds by all these troubles (Deu 28:34): Thou shalt be mad for the sight of thy eyes, that is, quite bereaved of all comfort and hope, and abandoned to utter despair. Those that walk by sight, and not by faith, are in danger of losing reason itself, when every thing about them looks frightful; and their condition is woeful indeed that are mad for the sight of their eyes.
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Summary
Deuteronomy 28:32 presents a harrowing and deeply personal curse within the Mosaic Covenant, vividly depicting the agonizing consequences of Israel's potential disobedience: the forced separation of their children into foreign captivity. This verse paints a poignant picture of parents consumed by an unceasing, debilitating grief, their eyes "failing with longing" for their lost sons and daughters, coupled with a crushing sense of powerlessness, signifying their complete inability to intervene or reclaim their loved ones. It profoundly underscores the severe, intimate, and inescapable repercussions of straying from God's covenantal path.
Context
Literary Context
Deuteronomy 28 serves as the climactic and pivotal chapter of Moses' second major address to the Israelites, delivered just before their entry into the Promised Land. It functions as the formal ratification of the covenant established at Mount Sinai, meticulously outlining the blessings for obedience (verses 1-14) and, in stark contrast, an extensive and graphic list of curses for disobedience (verses 15-68). This dramatic juxtaposition emphasizes the profound gravity of the covenant and the absolute necessity of unwavering faithfulness. Deuteronomy 28:32 is embedded within the escalating series of curses, specifically detailing the horrors of foreign invasion, siege, and exile that would lead to the nation's dispersion among hostile peoples. The verses immediately preceding it describe economic devastation and military defeat, while subsequent verses continue to elaborate on the psychological and physical torment of a people under judgment, culminating in utter despair and the potential loss of national identity and heritage.
Historical & Cultural Context
The severe warnings articulated in Deuteronomy 28 were deeply rooted in the historical and cultural realities of the Ancient Near East. Treaties between a suzerain (overlord) and a vassal (subordinate) state commonly incorporated elaborate sections detailing both blessings for loyalty and curses for rebellion, mirroring the covenant structure presented here. Conquests in this era were notoriously brutal, frequently involving the systematic deportation of conquered populations, particularly skilled laborers and children. This practice aimed to assimilate them into the victorious empire, thereby breaking their national spirit and cultural cohesion. The loss of children to foreign captors was an especially devastating consequence of defeat, striking at the very heart of family and lineage, which were paramount in Israelite society and central to their covenant identity. These warnings were not abstract threats but grim prophecies that Israel would tragically experience centuries later during the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, vividly documented in historical books such as 2 Kings and prophetic books like Jeremiah.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes pervasive throughout Deuteronomy and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, it starkly illustrates the theme of Consequences of Disobedience, presenting one of the most emotionally devastating examples of the painful repercussions that inevitably arise from breaking covenant with God. Secondly, it highlights the theme of Divine Judgment, portraying God's justice not as arbitrary punishment but as a righteous and necessary response to a people who, despite receiving immense grace and deliverance, willfully reject His life-giving commands. Thirdly, the verse is a chilling portrayal of Exile and Dispersion, a recurring motif in Israel's history, foreshadowing the tragic loss of land, sovereignty, and the fundamental unit of family that would be befall the nation. Finally, it profoundly depicts Profound Loss and Helplessness, capturing the essence of human suffering when confronted with an insurmountable tragedy, emphasizing the complete inability of the afflicted to alter their dire circumstances, a sentiment powerfully echoed in the lamentations found in the book of Job.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb, from the root meaning "to complete," "to finish," or "to waste away," is used here to describe the debilitating effect of unending grief. The parents' eyes would literally "waste away" or grow dim, consumed by a continuous, unfulfilled yearning and sorrow for their lost children. It speaks to a pervasive, debilitating grief that affects one's very being, draining vitality and hope.
Derived from a root meaning "strength," this word refers to power, capacity, or ability. In the phrase "no might in thine hand," it signifies a complete absence of strength or capability. The parents are utterly bereft of any power, means, or recourse to intervene, resist, or reverse the devastating situation of their children being taken.
This primitive word, often referring to the open hand (in contrast to the closed fist), is used broadly to denote power, means, direction, or agency. In the context of "no might in thine hand," it idiomatically represents the capacity for action or intervention. The absence of "might in thine hand" underscores the utter helplessness and impotence of the parents to reclaim their children or alleviate their own suffering.
Verse Breakdown
"Thy sons and thy daughters [shall be] given unto another people"
This clause describes the core tragedy of the curse: the forced and irreversible separation of children from their families and their transfer into the possession of foreign, often hostile, nations. The phrase "given unto" implies a complete loss of ownership, control, and familial connection, suggesting that these children would be enslaved, assimilated, or otherwise lost to their heritage, culture, and kin. This speaks to the destruction of family units and the obliteration of future generations within their own cultural and religious identity.
"and thine eyes shall look, and fail [with longing] for them all the day long"
This clause paints a deeply emotional and empathetic picture of the parents' enduring suffering. Their gaze would be perpetually fixed in the direction their children were taken, ceaselessly searching, hoping against hope for their return. The "failing with longing" conveys an unceasing, debilitating sorrow, a constant, consuming ache that would drain their vitality, dim their vision, and leave them in a state of perpetual, unfulfilled yearning. The phrase "all the day long" emphasizes the relentless, unremitting, and pervasive nature of this profound grief.
"and [there shall be] no might in thine hand"
This final clause powerfully underscores the utter helplessness and impotency of the parents. Despite their profound longing and overwhelming sorrow, they would be completely powerless to act. There would be no strength, no resources, no opportunity, and no means to rescue their children or alleviate their own suffering. This emphasizes the complete and crushing despair that would accompany such a loss, a state of absolute impotency in the face of overwhelming and irreversible calamity.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 28:32 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message with profound impact. Pathos is central to the verse, as it is meticulously crafted to evoke intense emotional responses of sorrow, pity, and despair in the listener or reader. The vivid imagery of parents' eyes "failing with longing" and their hands having "no might" creates a visceral and deeply empathetic sense of suffering. Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "all the day long," which emphasizes the unending and pervasive nature of the grief, suggesting a constant, consuming sorrow that transcends mere temporal boundaries. The verse also utilizes Foreshadowing, grimly predicting the future exiles of Israel under the Assyrians and Babylonians, where such atrocities of family separation and national dispersion were indeed committed. Furthermore, the stark contrast between the covenant blessings detailed earlier in the chapter and these severe curses highlights a powerful form of Antithesis, underscoring the absolute gravity of the consequences for disobedience versus the rewards of faithfulness.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Deuteronomy 28:32 stands as a stark and sobering reminder of the profound gravity of covenant faithfulness and the just consequences of rebellion against a holy God. Theologically, it underscores the principle that God's covenant with Israel was not a mere suggestion but a binding agreement with tangible and severe outcomes for both obedience and disobedience. This particular curse, like others in Deuteronomy, demonstrates that God's judgment is not arbitrary or capricious but a righteous and necessary response to a people who, despite receiving immense blessing, miraculous deliverance, and intimate revelation, willfully turn away from their divine benefactor. It highlights the deeply personal and communal impact of sin, showing how national apostasy can lead to the breakdown of the most fundamental unit of society—the family—and inflict unimaginable suffering. The prophetic nature of this verse, fulfilled centuries later in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, also powerfully testifies to God's sovereign knowledge of history and His unwavering commitment to His word, whether in blessing or in judgment, affirming His ultimate authority and faithfulness to His declared will.
Reflection and Application
While modern believers in Christ are not under the literal curses of the Mosaic Law, the spiritual and relational principles embedded in Deuteronomy 28:32 remain profoundly relevant for our lives today. This verse serves as a powerful cautionary tale, reminding us that persistent disobedience and a turning away from God's revealed will can lead to severe and painful consequences, albeit often spiritual, emotional, or relational rather than physical exile. It challenges us to deeply consider the "cost of discipleship" and the paramount importance of unwavering faithfulness to God's commands in our own lives, recognizing that straying from His path can lead to spiritual barrenness, emotional distress, and broken relationships, much like the "failing with longing" described here. Furthermore, this verse calls us to cultivate profound empathy and compassion for those in our world who experience forced displacement, separation from family, and the agonizing pain of loss and powerlessness. The suffering described for ancient Israel echoes the plight of countless individuals today—refugees, victims of human trafficking, and those whose families are torn apart by conflict, injustice, or systemic brokenness. It reminds us to pray for, advocate for, and actively support those experiencing such profound sorrow, recognizing their suffering as a poignant reflection of the brokenness of a fallen world. Ultimately, understanding this verse deepens our appreciation for God's covenant faithfulness and the profound wisdom of walking in His ways, which ultimately leads to life, peace, and true freedom, not longing and despair.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did these curses, particularly the loss of children to foreign peoples, literally happen to Israel as prophesied?
Yes, the historical record unequivocally confirms that these curses were tragically fulfilled in Israel's history. The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC, and its people were deported and scattered among other nations, as meticulously detailed in 2 Kings 17. Similarly, the southern kingdom of Judah experienced the Babylonian exile in several waves, culminating in the devastating destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in 586 BC. During these events, countless individuals, including children and families, were taken captive and forcibly removed from their homeland, as powerfully recounted in 2 Kings 25 and the deeply sorrowful book of Lamentations. The profound suffering, separation, and helplessness described in Deuteronomy 28:32 accurately foreshadowed the agonizing grief experienced by the Israelites during these periods of national judgment and dispersion.
Is God still active in judgment this way today, bringing such physical curses upon nations or individuals?
While God's character and perfect justice remain eternally unchanging, the nature of His covenantal relationship with humanity has undergone a profound transformation from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, which was definitively established through Jesus Christ. The specific national curses and blessings outlined in Deuteronomy were intrinsically tied to Israel's obedience or disobedience to the Mosaic Law as a unique theocratic nation. In the New Testament era, God's ultimate judgment is focused on sin and unbelief, culminating in the final, eschatological judgment (e.g., Revelation 20:11-15). While individuals and nations can certainly still experience the natural, often painful, consequences of sin and rebellion against God's moral order, and God can still intervene providentially in history, the direct, physical curses of Deuteronomy 28 are not the primary mode of divine interaction with believers under the New Covenant. Instead, believers are called to walk in faithfulness and are promised spiritual blessings, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the ultimate hope of eternal life in Christ, even amidst earthly trials and suffering (e.g., Romans 8:28).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Deuteronomy 28:32, with its agonizing portrayal of profound loss, ceaseless longing, and utter powerlessness, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not in a direct application of the curse to Jesus Himself, but in His redemptive work that fundamentally reverses the curse's effects and comprehensively addresses the very human condition of helplessness that it describes. The profound "longing" of the parents for their lost children powerfully echoes humanity's deep, unfulfilled yearning for reconciliation with God, a separation tragically caused by sin. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, became the ultimate "given unto another people"—given over to death by the will of God and the hands of sinful men for the sins of the world (e.g., Isaiah 53:5-6). On the cross, He experienced a profound and agonizing spiritual separation from the Father, crying out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46), a spiritual "exile" that bore the full, crushing weight of the curse of sin on humanity's behalf. Where humanity had "no might in thine hand" to overcome the power of sin, death, and separation from God, Christ, through His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection, provided the ultimate power, definitively redeeming us from the curse of the law (e.g., Galatians 3:13). His atoning work transforms the despair of separation into the joyous reality of adoption into God's family (e.g., Ephesians 1:5), granting us the spiritual "might" to live in newness of life through the indwelling of His Spirit (e.g., Romans 8:11). In Christ, the longing is fulfilled, the lost are found, and the powerless are empowered unto salvation and eternal fellowship with God.