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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 28:42 stands as a potent and grim warning within the covenant curses, vividly illustrating the severe consequences of Israel's potential infidelity to Yahweh. It specifically prophesies a complete and devastating agricultural ruin, where the very foundation of their sustenance—their trees and all produce of their land—would be utterly consumed by locust swarms. This foretells not merely a partial loss but a comprehensive stripping away of prosperity, signifying a direct and tangible manifestation of divine judgment impacting their material well-being and highlighting their absolute dependence on God's favor.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is deeply embedded within Deuteronomy 28, a pivotal chapter that serves as the climactic summation of Moses' second discourse. It meticulously outlines the blessings for obedience (verses 1-14) and, more extensively, the terrifying array of curses for disobedience (verses 15-68). Deuteronomy 28:42 is situated within a sequence of escalating agricultural and economic curses (verses 38-42) that immediately precede warnings of foreign invasion and oppression. The progression from initial blight and pestilence to the complete consumption described here underscores the intensifying nature of divine judgment, culminating in a state of utter destitution. This sequence powerfully reinforces the broader Deuteronomic theme of Israel's absolute reliance on God for all provision, a truth profoundly articulated in passages like Deuteronomy 8:3.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the ancient Near East, Israel's agrarian society was entirely predicated on the fertility of the land and the success of its harvests. Threats to crops—such as drought, blight, or, most terrifyingly, pestilence—were existential dangers that could lead to widespread famine and societal collapse. Locust plagues were a well-known and dreaded phenomenon, capable of obliterating entire fields and orchards in a single day. The vivid historical memory of the devastating plague of locusts in Egypt (Exodus 10) would have been fresh in the minds of the Israelites, serving as a powerful precedent for God's capacity to employ natural phenomena as instruments of judgment. The specific threat in Deuteronomy 28:42 directly targeted their most vulnerable economic and survival point, emphasizing their absolute reliance on God's favor for their very existence and flourishing in the Promised Land.
Key Themes
Deuteronomy 28:42 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Deuteronomy and the broader Old Testament narrative. Firstly, it starkly illustrates the consequences of disobedience, establishing a direct and tangible link between spiritual rebellion and physical hardship, a principle echoed throughout the prophetic books. Secondly, it highlights divine sovereignty and judgment, portraying God as the ultimate controller of creation, capable of orchestrating natural forces like locusts to execute His disciplinary purposes. Thirdly, it emphasizes agricultural devastation as a severe form of judgment, demonstrating how the very means of sustenance can be stripped away, leading to profound vulnerability. Finally, and crucially, it reinforces Israel's absolute dependence on God for their provision and well-being, reiterating that true prosperity is not inherent in the land itself but is a divine gift contingent upon covenant faithfulness, a principle foundational to the blessings promised in Deuteronomy 28:1-14.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word refers to the fertile soil and territory that God promised to Israel. In this context, it emphasizes that the judgment would directly impact the very source of their sustenance and inheritance. The 'land' was not merely property but a symbol of God's covenant faithfulness and provision; its desolation would signify a profound reversal of divine blessing.
While the root suggests a 'clatter' or 'whirring,' here it specifically denotes a locust, known for its destructive swarms. The choice of this word evokes the terrifying image of an overwhelming, noisy, and rapidly moving force that consumes everything in its path. It highlights the natural, yet divinely orchestrated, agent of total agricultural ruin, leaving nothing behind.
This verb is powerful, carrying the primary meaning of "to occupy" or "to take possession of by driving out." In this context, it signifies far more than mere damage; the locusts would utterly "possess" the land's produce, effectively dispossessing the Israelites of their harvest and livelihood. This implies a complete and irreversible seizure of their agricultural wealth, leading to impoverishment and ruin.
Verse Breakdown
"All thy trees and fruit of thy land"
This opening clause establishes the comprehensive scope and severity of the threatened devastation. The emphatic "all" (כָּל־) underscores that the loss would be total, affecting every dimension of their agricultural economy—from long-term investments like established orchards to annual crops and vines. This signifies a complete stripping away of their material blessings and the very means of their sustenance.
"shall the locust consume"
This clause identifies the specific, terrifying agent of widespread destruction—the locust. The verb "consume" (יְרַשּׁוּ, from yârash) carries the strong connotation of complete possession and dispossession, indicating that the locusts would not merely damage but utterly take over and destroy the produce. This active declaration highlights the directness of the divine judgment, using a natural phenomenon as a precise and inescapable instrument of punishment.
Literary Devices
Deuteronomy 28:42 employs several potent literary devices to convey its stark warning and underscore the gravity of disobedience. Hyperbole is evident in the phrase "All thy trees and fruit of thy land," which, while emphasizing complete ruin, serves to underscore the severity and comprehensiveness of the impending disaster rather than a literal prediction of every single fruit and tree being eaten. This hyperbolic language is designed to instill fear and impress upon the hearers the dire consequences of covenant infidelity. Furthermore, the "fruit of thy land" functions as a metonymy, where a part (the fruit) stands for the entire agricultural output and, by extension, the economic prosperity and food supply of the nation. The locust itself, while a real natural phenomenon, also functions as a powerful symbol of divine judgment and the destructive power of God's displeasure, illustrating how God can use natural forces to execute His will. The vivid imagery of total consumption paints a terrifying picture, leveraging the Israelites' intimate knowledge of agrarian life and its inherent vulnerabilities.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Deuteronomy 28:42 powerfully articulates the principle of divine retribution, where God's covenant people face tangible consequences for their rebellion. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty over creation, demonstrating His ability to use natural phenomena, even devastating plagues, as instruments of His righteous judgment and discipline. This verse is not merely a historical warning but a timeless theological statement about the interconnectedness of spiritual faithfulness and earthly well-being, reminding us that true prosperity is ultimately a gift from God, contingent on our alignment with His will. The threat of locusts consuming "all" their produce highlights the vulnerability of human efforts and the ultimate dependence of humanity on divine favor for sustenance and flourishing.
Reflection and Application
Deuteronomy 28:42, while rooted in the specific covenant context of ancient Israel, offers profound and enduring principles for contemporary believers. It serves as a stark reminder that choices have consequences, and while we live under the new covenant of grace, the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping remains. Disobedience to God's revealed will, whether individually or corporately, can lead to various forms of "consumption" in our lives—loss of peace, joy, purpose, or even material blessings. This verse calls us to a deep and abiding faithfulness, recognizing that our ultimate security and provision come from God alone, not from our own efforts or possessions. It challenges us to examine areas where we might be drifting from God's commands, prompting repentance and a renewed commitment to seeking His kingdom first, trusting in His provision, and understanding that true life is found in obedience and dependence on Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse imply that God directly sends natural disasters as punishment for individual or national sin today?
While Deuteronomy 28:42 clearly presents locusts as a direct consequence of covenant disobedience for ancient Israel, applying this directly to every modern natural disaster is complex and requires careful theological discernment. Under the New Covenant, believers are no longer under the Law's curses but under grace through Christ's atoning work, as articulated in Galatians 3:13. Natural disasters are a reality of a fallen world, groaning under the effects of sin and awaiting redemption, as described in Romans 8:22. While God remains sovereign over all creation and can use any means to achieve His purposes—including calling people to repentance or revealing human dependence on Him—it is simplistic and often unbiblical to attribute every specific disaster directly to a particular sin of those affected. Our focus should be on Christ's redemption, our call to faithfulness, and our compassionate response to suffering, rather than attempting to discern specific divine judgments in every calamity.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Deuteronomy 28:42, with its stark warning of agricultural devastation as a consequence of disobedience, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reversal in Jesus Christ. The curse of the locust consuming "all thy trees and fruit of thy land" points to the broader curse of the Law and the futility of human effort apart from God. Christ, however, became a curse for us, redeeming us from the curse of the Law by being crucified on a tree, as powerfully stated in Galatians 3:13. He is the true provider, the "bread of life" who gives spiritual sustenance that can never be consumed or taken away, a truth Jesus Himself proclaimed in John 6:35. Unlike the perishable fruit of the land, the "fruit of the Spirit" that flourishes in believers through Christ—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—is eternal and immune to any earthly plague or hardship, as detailed in Galatians 5:22-23. Through His sacrifice, Jesus reverses the curse of barrenness and promises abundant life to those who follow Him, ensuring that the true "fruit" of our lives in Him will endure forever, untouched by the "locusts" of sin and judgment, a promise of fullness found in John 10:10.