Deuteronomy 28:42

All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

All thy trees {H6086} and fruit {H6529} of thy land {H127} shall the locust {H6767} consume {H3423}.

The bugs will inherit all your trees and the produce of your land.

Swarms of locusts will consume all your trees and the produce of your land.

All thy trees and the fruit of thy ground shall the locust possess.

Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:42 is a stark warning within a pivotal chapter of the Old Testament, detailing the consequences of disobedience to God's covenant with Israel. This specific verse warns of devastating agricultural ruin, where the very sustenance of the land would be consumed by pests.

Context

This verse is part of a lengthy section in Deuteronomy chapter 28 that outlines severe curses promised to the Israelites if they failed to obey the Lord their God and meticulously follow His commands and statutes. Following a section (verses 1-14) that describes abundant blessings for obedience, verses 15-68 paint a grim picture of the hardships and calamities that would befall them for rebellion. The threat of locusts consuming their crops was a direct assault on their economic stability and ability to survive in the Promised Land, emphasizing their absolute reliance on God's favor for prosperity.

Key Themes

  • Consequences of Disobedience: The verse powerfully illustrates that turning away from God's commands leads to tangible, destructive outcomes. It's a direct link between spiritual rebellion and physical hardship.
  • Divine Judgment and Discipline: God is presented as sovereign over creation, even using natural phenomena like locust swarms as instruments of judgment or discipline to bring His people back to Himself.
  • Agricultural Devastation: The specific threat of locusts consuming "all thy trees and fruit of thy land" highlights a complete loss of their harvest, leading to famine and extreme hardship. This was a common and terrifying threat in the ancient Near East.
  • Dependence on God: It underscores Israel's complete dependence on God for their provision and well-being. Their prosperity was not inherent in the land but was a gift contingent upon their faithfulness.

Linguistic Insight

The Hebrew word for "locust" here is 'arbeh (ืึทืจึฐื‘ึถึผื”), which refers to a specific type of locust or grasshopper known for forming immense, destructive swarms. This term is frequently used in the Bible to describe overwhelming plagues, such as the locust plague in Egypt during the Exodus. The imagery of 'consuming' (Hebrew: ื™ึฐืจึทืฉึผืื•ึผ, yerashshu, meaning 'to possess' or 'to inherit', implying complete takeover and destruction) conveys a total and inescapable ruin of their agricultural wealth.

Practical Application

While this verse speaks to a specific covenant with ancient Israel, the underlying principles remain timeless. It serves as a powerful reminder that:

  • Actions Have Consequences: Both individually and corporately, our choices have repercussions. Disregarding divine principles can lead to adverse outcomes, spiritual or otherwise.
  • God's Sovereignty: God remains in control of all creation and can use various means, even natural phenomena, to achieve His purposes, whether for blessing or for correction.
  • Faithfulness Matters: This passage encourages a life of faithfulness and obedience to God, recognizing that true security and prosperity ultimately come from Him and His favor, not solely from human effort or material possessions. We are called to seek first His kingdom and righteousness.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Amos 7:1

    ยถ Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and, lo, [it was] the latter growth after the king's mowings.

  • Amos 7:2

    And it came to pass, [that] when they had made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he [is] small.

  • Deuteronomy 28:38

    Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather [but] little in; for the locust shall consume it.

  • Deuteronomy 28:39

    Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress [them], but shalt neither drink [of] the wine, nor gather [the grapes]; for the worms shall eat them.
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