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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 28:33 presents a dire warning within the covenant stipulations, detailing a severe consequence of Israel's potential disobedience: the complete economic devastation and national subjugation by an unknown foreign power. This verse vividly portrays the plundering of the nation's agricultural produce and the total loss of the fruit of its labor to invaders, culminating in a perpetual state of oppression and utter brokenness. It stands as a stark and sobering contrast to the abundant blessings promised for covenant faithfulness, underscoring the gravity of forsaking God's commands and the comprehensive nature of divine judgment.
Context
Literary Context
Deuteronomy 28:33 is strategically placed within the extensive catalog of curses (verses 15-68) that follow the blessings for obedience (verses 1-14) in Deuteronomy 28. Moses, speaking to the second generation of Israelites on the plains of Moab, delivered this discourse as a solemn renewal of the Mosaic Covenant before their entry into the Promised Land. The chapter meticulously details the reciprocal nature of the covenant relationship. After outlining curses affecting individual health, family life, and social order (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:20-22), verse 33 escalates the consequences to a national level, focusing on economic ruin and foreign domination. It is part of a crescendo of warnings designed to impress upon the people the absolute seriousness of their commitment to Yahweh and the dire, comprehensive consequences of apostasy and covenant unfaithfulness.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Deuteronomy functions as a covenant renewal document, preparing a new generation of Israelites for life in the land of Canaan. In the ancient Near East, a nation's prosperity, agricultural success, and security were universally understood as direct indicators of their god's favor and power. Conversely, famine, plague, and foreign invasion were seen as signs of divine displeasure or the weakness of a nation's deity. The warnings in Deuteronomy 28, including verse 33, reflect this worldview. The threat of a "nation which thou knowest not" would have evoked profound fear, representing an alien, merciless, and inscrutable power that would dismantle their cherished way of life, consume their sustenance, and erase their national identity. This concept resonated deeply with the experiences of other ancient peoples who often faced the existential threat of larger, conquering empires.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Deuteronomy and the broader biblical narrative. Primarily, it underscores the conditional nature of the Mosaic Covenant, where Israel's well-being in the land is directly tied to their obedience or disobedience. The economic ruin and national subjugation described here are tangible manifestations of divine judgment, reinforcing the principle that choices have consequences and that God is just in His dealings with His people. It also highlights God's sovereignty over all nations, demonstrating His capacity to use foreign powers as instruments of His judgment, a theme vividly illustrated in later historical accounts such as the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles (2 Kings 17 and 2 Chronicles 36). Furthermore, the verse implicitly contrasts the promised abundance and security for faithfulness with the scarcity and oppression that result from rebellion, emphasizing the profound difference between life under God's blessing and life under His curse, a central motif woven throughout Deuteronomy.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word refers to the "soil (from its general redness); country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land." In Deuteronomy 28:33, ʼădâmâh specifically refers to the Promised Land, the very inheritance God was giving to Israel. The consumption of the "fruit of thy land" signifies not just economic loss, but the desecration and loss of their divinely appointed territory, which was central to their identity and covenant blessings.
This primitive root means "to eat (literally or figuratively); [idiom] at all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up), feed (with), food, [idiom] freely, [idiom] in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay) meat, [idiom] quite." While a common verb for eating, in this context, it carries the strong connotation of devouring, consuming completely, or even destroying. It implies that the foreign nation will not merely take a portion but will utterly consume the entire "fruit of thy land, and all thy labours," leaving nothing behind for the rightful owners, emphasizing the totality of the economic devastation.
This primitive root means "to press upon, i.e. oppress, defraud, violate, overflow; get deceitfully, deceive, defraud, drink up, (use) oppress(-ion), -or), do violence (wrong)." This verb signifies more than simple hardship; it denotes a systematic and severe form of exploitation, defrauding, or treating unjustly. It implies a powerful entity taking advantage of a weaker one, stripping away their rights and resources through coercion and tyranny. In this context, it describes the relentless and unjust subjugation Israel would endure under foreign rule, where their labor and produce would be unjustly seized.
This primitive root means "to crack in pieces, literally or figuratively; break, bruise, crush, discourage, oppress, struggle together." This word conveys a sense of being broken, pulverized, or utterly subdued. It suggests not just physical or economic hardship, but a profound spiritual and psychological defeat, a complete breakdown of national spirit and strength. The image is one of being ground into dust, highlighting the utter humiliation and helplessness that would accompany the foreign oppression.
This word means "a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb); age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, [phrase] old, [phrase] outlived, [phrase] perpetually, presently, [phrase] remaineth, [idiom] required, season, [idiom] since, space, then, (process of) time, [phrase] as at other times, [phrase] in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), [idiom] whole ([phrase] age), (full) year(-ly), [phrase] younger." In this context, "alway" emphasizes the perpetual and relentless nature of this suffering, suggesting a prolonged period of subjugation without relief, a continuous state of brokenness.
Verse Breakdown
"The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours,"
This phrase encompasses the entire agricultural output of the land—crops, livestock, and any other produce—as well as the results of all human effort and industry. It represents the accumulated wealth, sustenance, and prosperity of the nation, directly tied to their diligent work and God's provision. It signifies the very means of their livelihood and national well-being.
"shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up;"
This clause details the agent and the action of the curse. The "nation which thou knowest not" refers to foreign invaders, unfamiliar and alien in culture, language, and customs, thus adding to the terror, helplessness, and dehumanization of the situation. The phrase "eat up" signifies a complete and devastating consumption of Israel's resources, implying plunder, confiscation, and exploitation that would leave the populace destitute and starving.
"and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:"
This final clause describes the enduring state of the people under this foreign dominion. "Oppressed" points to systematic exploitation, injustice, and the stripping away of rights and dignity, while "crushed" conveys a profound sense of brokenness, humiliation, and loss of national spirit and strength. The word "alway" (or "continually") emphasizes the perpetual and relentless nature of this suffering, suggesting a prolonged period of subjugation without relief, a continuous state of brokenness and despair.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 28:33 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the severity and totality of the impending judgment. The use of Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "crushed alway," which underscores the extreme and seemingly unending nature of the suffering, emphasizing the complete and utter breakdown of the national spirit and physical well-being. There is also a strong sense of Contrast inherent in the entire chapter, with this verse serving as a stark counterpoint to the abundant blessings promised for obedience earlier in Deuteronomy 28, highlighting the devastating difference between divine favor and divine judgment. The phrase "a nation which thou knowest not" evokes Pathos and deep-seated fear, playing on the ancient dread of the unknown, the alien, and the merciless conqueror, thereby amplifying the sense of vulnerability and helplessness. Furthermore, the verse functions as a Prophecy, foreshadowing the historical fulfillments of these curses in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, where foreign powers indeed consumed Israel's resources and subjected them to prolonged and brutal oppression, precisely as foretold.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Deuteronomy 28:33 serves as a profound theological statement on the conditional nature of the Mosaic Covenant and God's unwavering justice. It underscores the principle that disobedience to God's revealed will carries tangible and severe consequences, not only for individuals but for the entire nation. This verse highlights God's absolute sovereignty over all nations, demonstrating His capacity to use even foreign powers as instruments of His righteous judgment against His own people when they persist in rebellion. The economic ruin and national subjugation described here are not arbitrary punishments but direct outworkings of Israel's covenant unfaithfulness, serving as a stark reminder that true prosperity, security, and national identity are found only in faithful adherence to God's commands and reliance on His provision.
Reflection and Application
Deuteronomy 28:33, while rooted in the specific covenant relationship between God and ancient Israel, offers enduring principles for reflection and application today. It powerfully reminds us that choices, both individual and collective, have profound and far-reaching consequences. Just as Israel's economic and national well-being were tied to their spiritual fidelity, so too are our lives impacted by our alignment with divine principles. This verse challenges us to consider where our true security lies: in accumulated wealth and earthly labor, or in faithful obedience and trust in God's sovereign provision. It warns against spiritual complacency and rebellion, illustrating how turning away from God can lead to vulnerability, loss, and a sense of being "crushed" by circumstances beyond our control. For believers, it underscores the spiritual truth that we "reap what we sow" (Galatians 6:7), urging us to cultivate a life of obedience, dependence, and reverence for God, recognizing that genuine flourishing and peace flow from His blessing, not merely human effort or worldly security.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse imply that all suffering or economic hardship is a direct result of personal sin?
Not necessarily. While Deuteronomy 28:33 clearly outlines covenant curses for national disobedience in ancient Israel, applying this directly to every instance of individual suffering or economic hardship in the New Covenant era is an oversimplification. The Bible teaches that suffering can stem from various sources: living in a fallen world (Romans 8:22), the actions of others, the natural consequences of unwise choices, or even for God's glory and the demonstration of His power (John 9:3). However, the underlying principle that disobedience can lead to detrimental consequences, and that faithful living often brings blessing, remains true. For believers, our ultimate security and blessing are found in Christ, not in our perfect obedience to a legal code (Ephesians 1:3), and we are called to trust God's sovereignty even amidst trials (Romans 8:28).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Deuteronomy 28:33 vividly portrays the curse of economic ruin and national subjugation for Israel's disobedience, it ultimately serves to highlight the profound necessity and glory of Christ. This curse, along with all the others in Deuteronomy 28, underscores humanity's inherent inability to perfectly keep God's law and thus escape its just penalties. Jesus Christ, however, perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law (Matthew 5:17) and, crucially, became a curse for us on the cross (Galatians 3:13). He bore the weight of humanity's rebellion, taking upon Himself the "crushing" and "oppression" of divine judgment, so that those who believe in Him might be delivered from the curse and inherit the blessing of Abraham (Galatians 3:14). In Christ, the true "fruit" of our labors is not consumed by foreign powers but is eternally secured in His kingdom, where there is no oppression, but everlasting peace and abundant life (John 10:10). He is the ultimate deliverer who frees us from the tyranny of sin and death, offering a spiritual inheritance that can never be plundered or consumed (1 Peter 1:4), a promise rooted in His finished work on the cross.