Leviticus 26:16

Translation
King James Version
I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
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KJV (with Strong's)
I also will do H6213 this unto you; I will even appoint H6485 over you terror H928, consumption H7829, and the burning ague H6920, that shall consume H3615 the eyes H5869, and cause sorrow H1727 of heart H5315: and ye shall sow H2232 your seed H2233 in vain H7385, for your enemies H341 shall eat H398 it.
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Complete Jewish Bible
then I, for my part, will do this to you: I will bring terror upon you -wasting disease and chronic fever to dim your sight and sap your strength. You will sow your seed for nothing, because your enemies will eat the crops.
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Berean Standard Bible
then this is what I will do to you: I will bring upon you sudden terror, wasting disease, and fever that will destroy your sight and drain your life. You will sow your seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.
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American Standard Version
I also will do this unto you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away; and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
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World English Bible Messianic
I also will do this to you: I will appoint terror over you, even consumption and fever, that shall consume the eyes, and make the soul to pine away. You will sow your seed in vain, for your enemies will eat it.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Then wil I also do this vnto you, I wil appoint ouer you fearefulnes, a consumption, and the burning ague to consume the eyes, and make the heart heauie, and you shall sowe your seede in vaine: for your enemies shall eate it:
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Young's Literal Translation
I also do this to you, and I have appointed over you trouble, the consumption, and the burning fever, consuming eyes, and causing pain of soul; and your seed in vain ye have sowed, and your enemies have eaten it;
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See also
Job 31:81 Samuel 2:33Deuteronomy 28:51Ezekiel 33:10Deuteronomy 28:21Deuteronomy 28:22Psalms 78:33
In the KJVVerse 3,541 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Leviticus 26:16 delivers a solemn divine warning to ancient Israel, articulating the severe repercussions for covenant disobedience. This verse delineates a series of divinely orchestrated judgments, encompassing debilitating physical ailments, profound psychological distress, and ultimately, economic futility. It powerfully underscores God's direct agency in upholding the terms of His covenant, demonstrating that rebellion against His commands would lead to a comprehensive dismantling of their well-being and prosperity, culminating in their diligent labor benefiting their adversaries rather than themselves.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Leviticus 26 serves as the climactic and foundational conclusion to the legal and ritual instructions meticulously detailed throughout the preceding chapters of the book. It functions as a comprehensive covenant summary, explicitly outlining the promised blessings for faithful obedience to God's commandments (vv. 3-13) and the dire curses for disobedience (vv. 14-39). Verse 16 initiates the detailed enumeration of these escalating curses, immediately following a general warning in verse 14 against neglecting God's laws and breaking His covenant. This section is meticulously structured as a series of progressively severe judgments, beginning with the personal and communal afflictions described here and advancing through stages of military defeat, famine, desolation of the land, and ultimately, exile. Its strategic placement at the end of the legal codes unequivocally reinforces the conditional nature of Israel's continued presence in the Promised Land and the very essence of their covenantal relationship with Yahweh.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Leviticus was delivered to the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai, a pivotal moment shortly after their miraculous exodus from Egyptian bondage, as they stood poised to inherit the Promised Land. This covenant, often understood through the lens of ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties, established Yahweh as Israel's supreme sovereign Lord and Israel as His vassal nation. In such treaties, detailed stipulations were invariably followed by explicit blessings for loyalty and severe curses for rebellion. For an agrarian society like ancient Israel, the threats of widespread disease, devastating crop failure, and subjugation by foreign powers were not mere inconveniences but existential threats. The pronouncement that "ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it" directly attacks their primary means of sustenance, their land, and their very identity, highlighting the catastrophic loss of divine favor and protection essential for their survival and flourishing within the land. These potent warnings are not isolated but are echoed and significantly expanded upon in other crucial covenant renewal texts, particularly in Deuteronomy 28, which provides an even more extensive and vivid catalog of the consequences for covenant infidelity.
  • Key Themes: Leviticus 26:16 contributes significantly to several overarching theological and narrative themes within Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost among these is the theme of Covenantal Faithfulness and Consequences, emphasizing that God's relationship with Israel is conditional and that disobedience carries inevitable, divinely appointed repercussions. It powerfully illustrates God's Holiness and Justice, demonstrating that His character demands a response to sin, upholding the integrity of His covenant. The verse also highlights the theme of Divine Sovereignty and Agency, as God explicitly states, "I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you..." underscoring His active involvement in the affairs of His people. Furthermore, it touches upon the theme of Futility Apart from God's Blessing, particularly in the agricultural realm, where human effort ("sow your seed") is rendered meaningless without divine favor, leading to its appropriation by adversaries. This theme resonates with the broader biblical principle that true prosperity and security are ultimately derived from God's blessing, as seen in passages like Psalm 127:1. The comprehensive nature of the curses—affecting body, mind, and livelihood—also underscores the Holistic Impact of Sin, revealing that disobedience is not merely a spiritual matter but has tangible, destructive effects on every dimension of human existence.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Terror (Hebrew, behâlâh', H928): This term denotes "panic" or "destruction." In the context of Leviticus 26:16, it describes a profound psychological and emotional component of divine judgment. It suggests a state of sudden dread, dismay, and confusion that would afflict the disobedient, perhaps even preceding external threats. This "terror" speaks to a loss of internal peace and security, a direct consequence of forsaking the God who promises to be their refuge and strength. It's not merely fear of an external enemy but an internal, divinely appointed disquiet.
  • Consumption (Hebrew, shachepheth', H7829): This word refers to "emaciation." It describes a wasting disease, often associated with illnesses like tuberculosis, that slowly and insidiously diminishes one's physical strength, vitality, and substance. This implies a prolonged, debilitating suffering that saps the life out of both the individual and, by extension, the community. It represents a gradual decay, a slow but certain erosion of health and vigor, making the people vulnerable and unproductive.
  • Burning ague (Hebrew, qaddachath', H6920): This term signifies "inflammation" or "febrile disease," specifically "burning ague" or "fever." It points to intense physical discomfort, high temperatures, and debilitating weakness. Together with "consumption," it paints a vivid picture of severe and pervasive illness that would incapacitate the population, hindering their ability to work, defend themselves, or even maintain basic health and societal functions. It suggests acute, fiery suffering that would drain their energy and resolve.

Verse Breakdown

  • "I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague,": This opening clause powerfully establishes God's direct, sovereign, and active agency in bringing about these judgments. The emphatic "I also will do this unto you" highlights the personal nature of God's response to their actions, indicating that these are not merely natural consequences but divinely ordained afflictions. The verb "appoint" (H6485, pâqad') implies a deliberate, purposeful visitation or oversight, often with a punitive intent. The enumerated list of "terror, consumption, and the burning ague" specifies a comprehensive assault on their well-being, combining psychological distress with severe physical maladies.
  • "that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart:": This part of the verse elaborates on the devastating effects of the appointed diseases and psychological states. "Consume the eyes" (H3615, kâlâh': to end, perish; H5869, ʻayin': eye) suggests a deterioration of vision, potentially leading to blindness or a general dimming of sight, which would severely impair daily life and could symbolize a loss of spiritual discernment or foresight. "Cause sorrow of heart" (H1727, dûwb': to mope, pine; H5315, nephesh': soul, heart) points to deep emotional anguish, despair, and grief. This demonstrates that the divine judgment is not merely superficial or physical but profoundly targets their emotional and spiritual core, leading to profound internal suffering and a pervasive sense of hopelessness.
  • "and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.": This final clause describes the crippling economic and agricultural ruin that would befall the disobedient nation. Despite their diligent labor in agriculture ("sow your seed," H2232, zâraʻ'), their efforts would prove utterly fruitless ("in vain," H7385, rîyq'), as the harvest would be consumed by their adversaries ("for your enemies shall eat it," H341, ʼôyêb': adversary; H398, ʼâkal': to eat). This signifies a complete loss of control over their land and livelihoods, a profound humiliation, and a tangible sign of God's withdrawal of blessing and protection, leaving them vulnerable to foreign powers and economic devastation.

Literary Devices

Leviticus 26:16 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of impending judgment with maximal impact. The most prominent is Personification, where abstract concepts and diseases like "terror," "consumption," and "burning ague" are depicted as active agents directly "appointed" by God, almost as if they are His personal enforcers carrying out His will. There is also clear Parallelism in the structure of the verse, moving from a general statement of divine action ("I also will do this unto you") to the specific afflictions, and then detailing the physical and emotional consequences, culminating in the stark economic devastation. The language is highly Figurative, using vivid imagery such as "consume the eyes" and "sorrow of heart" to paint a comprehensive picture of suffering that extends beyond mere physical discomfort to deeply impact the inner being. The entire passage is a quintessential example of Covenantal Retribution, a foundational theological concept in the Old Testament where blessings and curses are direct, divinely ordained responses to obedience or disobedience, serving as a powerful deterrent and an urgent call to faithfulness. The escalating nature of the curses throughout Leviticus 26 also demonstrates a form of Climax, building to greater and greater severity as disobedience persists.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Leviticus 26:16 profoundly illustrates the theological principle of divine justice and the dire consequences of covenant infidelity. It reveals God as a sovereign Lord who is utterly faithful to His word, both in promising abundant blessings for obedience and in meticulously executing judgments for rebellion. This verse underscores the holistic and pervasive impact of sin, demonstrating that disobedience affects not only one's spiritual standing but also physical health, emotional well-being, and economic prosperity. It highlights the profound seriousness with which God views His covenant, emphasizing that His relationship with Israel was intrinsically conditional upon their unwavering faithfulness. The futility of labor described here is a powerful theological statement: when humanity attempts to build or sustain itself apart from God's blessing and in defiance of His will, all efforts ultimately prove vain, leading to a state of spiritual and material barrenness and loss.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

While believers today live under the New Covenant of grace, Leviticus 26:16 remains profoundly relevant, not as a direct threat of physical curses for individual sins, but as a powerful revelation of God's unchanging character, the inherent seriousness of sin, and the natural consequences of rebellion against His divine design. It serves as a sober reminder of God's absolute holiness and justice, demonstrating that sin is never trivial but carries debilitating effects on our lives, relationships, and spiritual vitality. The "terror," "consumption," and "sorrow of heart" described here can be seen as spiritual parallels to the anxiety, spiritual wasting, and deep despair that often accompany a life lived apart from God's will and wisdom. When we "sow our seed in vain" by investing our time, energy, and resources in pursuits that are not aligned with God's purposes or are driven by selfish ambition, we experience a profound spiritual futility, our efforts yielding no lasting fruit or true satisfaction. This verse serves as a sober call to examine our hearts, to recognize the pervasive and destructive nature of sin, and to continually turn to God in genuine repentance and faithful obedience, knowing that true flourishing, lasting fruitfulness, and profound peace come only through abiding in Him and His perfect will.

Questions for Reflection

  • In what ways might "terror," "consumption," or "sorrow of heart" manifest in a believer's life today as a consequence of spiritual disobedience, unconfessed sin, or a departure from God's will?
  • How does the concept of "sowing your seed in vain" apply to our modern lives, particularly concerning our efforts, ambitions, and investments of time and energy in pursuits that lack eternal significance or divine blessing?
  • What does this verse teach us about the inherent seriousness of sin and the comprehensive nature of its consequences, even if not physically manifested as described here, and how does this inform our pursuit of holiness?

FAQ

Does God still punish people with diseases and economic ruin today, as described in Leviticus 26:16?

Answer: While the specific covenant curses of Leviticus 26 were primarily directed at ancient Israel under the Mosaic Covenant, the underlying principles of God's justice and the inherent consequences of sin remain timeless. Under the New Covenant, believers are not subject to the same legalistic system of blessings and curses for obedience or disobedience to the Mosaic Law. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, bearing its full weight on the cross (Galatians 3:13). However, sin still has natural, often debilitating, consequences in our lives, affecting our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. God's discipline, which can include difficult circumstances, is for our refinement, spiritual growth, and restoration, not for condemnation (Hebrews 12:5-11). Furthermore, the world as a whole still experiences the pervasive effects of the Fall, including disease, natural disasters, and economic instability, which are part of a fallen creation, not necessarily direct, specific judgments for individual sins in the precise manner detailed in Leviticus 26. God's ultimate desire for His children is flourishing and blessing through Christ.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Leviticus 26:16, with its grim pronouncements of terror, debilitating disease, and the futility of human labor, finds its ultimate and profound fulfillment in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The curses detailed here represent the full weight of God's righteous judgment against sin, a burden that fallen humanity could never bear or escape on its own. Christ, however, willingly became the one upon whom this divine wrath was poured out. He bore the ultimate "terror" in the Garden of Gethsemane, wrestling with the cup of God's wrath, and on the cross, experiencing the profound anguish and spiritual "sorrow of heart" as He was forsaken by God for our sake (Matthew 27:46). He took upon Himself the "consumption" of sin's wasting power, allowing His body to be broken and His life poured out as the perfect, atoning sacrifice, bearing our infirmities and carrying our sorrows (Isaiah 53:5). Moreover, the futility of "sowing your seed in vain" is gloriously overcome in Christ; through His death and resurrection, He broke the cycle of sin and death, enabling believers to bear true, abundant, and lasting fruit, not for their enemies or for fleeting gain, but for God's eternal glory (John 15:5). In Him, the curse is absorbed, the penalty paid, and the path to genuine blessing, spiritual flourishing, and eternal life is opened, transforming the covenantal warnings into a resounding testament of His unparalleled redemptive power and grace (Galatians 3:13).

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Commentary on Leviticus 26 verses 14–39

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details

After God had set the blessing before them (the life and good which would make them a happy people if they would be obedient), he here sets the curse before them, the death and evil which would make them as miserable if they were disobedient. Let them not think themselves so deeply rooted as that God's power could not ruin them, nor so highly favoured as that his justice would not ruin them if they revolted from him and rebelled against him; no You only have I known, therefore I will punish you soonest and sorest. Amo 3:2. Observe,

I. How their sin is described, which would bring all this misery upon them. Not sins of ignorance and infirmity; God had provided sacrifices for those. Not the sins they repented of and forsook; but the sins that were presumptuously committed, and obstinately persisted in. Two things would certainly bring this ruin upon them: -

1.A contempt of God's commandments (Lev 26:14): "If you will not hearken to me speaking to you by the law, nor do all these commandments, that is, desire and endeavour to do them, and, wherein you miss it, make use of the prescribed remedies." Thus their sin is supposed to begin in mere carelessness, and neglect, and omission. These are bad enough, but they make way for worse; for the people are brought in (Lev 26:15) as, (1.) Despising God's statutes, both the duties enjoined and the authority enjoining them, thinking meanly of the law and the Law-maker. Note, Those are hastening apace to their own ruin who begin to think it below them to be religious. (2.) Abhorring his judgments, their very souls abhorring them. Note, Those that begin to despise religion will come by degrees to loathe it; and mean thoughts of it will ripen into ill thoughts of it; those that turn from it will turn against it, and their hearts will rise at it. (3.) Breaking his covenant. Though every breach of the commandment does not amount to a breach of the covenant (we were undone if it did), yet, when men have come to such a pitch of impiety as to despise and abhor the commandment, the next step will be to disown God, and all relation to him. Those that reject the precept will come at last to renounce the covenant. Observe, It is God's covenant which they break: he made it, but they break it. Note, If a covenant be made and kept between God and man, God must have all the honour; but, if ever it be broken, man must bear all the blame: on him shall this breach be.

2.A contempt of his corrections. Even their disobedience would not have been their destruction if they had not been obstinate and impenitent in it, notwithstanding the methods God took to reclaim them. Their contempt of God's word would not have brought them to ruin, if they had not added to that a contempt of his rod, which should have brought them to repentance. Three ways this is expressed: - (1.) "If you will not for all this hearken to me, Lev 26:18, Lev 26:21, Lev 26:27. If you will not learn obedience by the things which you suffer, but be as deaf to the loud alarms of God's judgments as you have been to the close reasonings of his word and the secret whispers of your own consciences, you are obstinate indeed." (2.) "If you walk contrary to me, Lev 26:21, Lev 26:23, Lev 26:27. All sinners walk contrary to God, to his truths, laws, and counsels; but those especially that are incorrigible under his judgments. The design of the rod is to humble them, and soften them, and bring them to repentance; but, instead of this, their hearts are more hardened and exasperated against God, and in their distress they trespass yet more against him, Ch2 28:22. This is walking contrary to God. Some read it, "If you walk at all adventures with me, carelessly and presumptuously, as if you heeded not either what you do, whether it be right or wrong, or what God does with you, whether it be for you or against you, blundering on in wilful ignorance." (3.) If you will not be reformed by these things. God's design in punishing is to reform, by giving men sensible convictions of the evil of sin, and obliging them to seek unto him for relief: this is the primary intention; but those that will not be reformed by the judgments of God must expect to be ruined by them. Those have a great deal to answer for that have been long and often under God's correcting hand, and yet go on frowardly in a sinful way; sick and in pain, and yet not reformed; crossed and impoverished, and yet not reformed; broken with breach upon breach, yet not returning to the Lord, Amo 4:6, etc.

II. How the misery is described which their sin would bring upon them, under two heads: -

1.God himself would be against them; and this is the root and cause of all their misery. (1.) I will set my face against you (Lev 26:17), that is, "I will set myself against you, set myself to ruin you." These proud sinners God will resist, and face those down that confront his authority. Or the face is put for the anger: "I will show myself highly displeased at you." (2.) I will walk contrary to you (Lev 26:24, Lev 26:28); with the forward he will wrestle, Psa 18:26 [margin]. When God in his providence thwarts the designs of a people, which they thought well laid, crosses their purposes, breaks their measures, blasts their endeavours, and disappoints their expectations, then he walks contrary to them. Note, There is nothing got by striving with God Almighty, for he will break either the heart or the neck of those that contend with him, will bring them either to repentance or ruin. "I will walk at all adventures with you," so some read; "all covenant loving-kindness shall be forgotten, and I will leave you to common providence." Note, Those that cast off God deserve that he should cast them off. (3.) As they continued obstinate, the judgments should increase yet more upon them. If the first sensible tokens of God's displeasures do not attain their end, to humble and reform them, then (Lev 26:18), I will punish you seven times more, and again (Lev 26:21), I will bring seven times more plagues, and (Lev 26:24), I will punish you yet seven times, and (Lev 26:28), I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. Note, If less judgments do not do their work, God will send greater; for, when he judges, he will overcome. If true repentance do not stay process, it will go on till execution be taken out. Those that are obstinate and incorrigible, when they have weathered one storm must expect another more violent; and, how severely soever they are punished, till they are in hell they must still say, "There is worse behind," unless they repent. If the founder have hitherto melted in vain (Jer 6:29), the furnace will be heated seven times hotter (a proverbial expression, used Dan 3:19), and again and again seven times hotter; and who among us can dwell with such devouring fire? God does not begin with the sorest judgments, to show that he is patient, and delights not in the death of sinners; but, if they repent not, he will proceed to the sorest, to show that he is righteous, and that he will not be mocked or set at defiance. (4.) Their misery is completed in that threatening: My soul shall abhor you, Lev 26:30. That man is as miserable as he can be whom God abhors; for his resentments are just and effective. Thus if any man draw back, as these are supposed to do, God's soul shall have no pleasure in him (Heb 10:38), and he will spue them out of his mouth, Rev 3:16. It is spoken of as strange, and yet too true, Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Jer 14:19.

2.The whole creation would be at war with them. All God's sore judgments would be sent against them; for he hath many arrows in his quiver. The threatenings here are very particular, because really they were prophecies, and he that foresaw all their rebellions knew they would prove so; see Deu 31:16, Deu 31:29. This long roll of threatening shows that evil pursues sinners. We have here,

(1.)Temporal judgments threatened. [1.] Diseases of body, which should be epidemical: I will appoint over you, as task-masters, to rule you with rigour, terror, consumption, and the burning ague, Lev 26:16. What we translate terror, some think, signifies a particular disease, probably (says the learned bishop Patrick) the falling sickness, which is terror indeed: all chronical diseases are included in the consumption, and all acute diseases in the burning ague or fever. These consume the eyes, and cause sorrow both to those that are visited with them and to their friends and relations. Note, All diseases are God's servants; they do what he appoints them, and are often used as scourges wherewith he chastises a provoking people. The pestilence is threatened (Lev 26:25) to meet them, when they are gathered together in their cities for fear of the sword. The greater the concourse of people is, the greater desolation does the pestilence make; and, when it gets among the soldiers that should defend a place, it is of most fatal consequence. [2.] Famine and scarcity of bread, which should be brought upon them several ways; as, First, By plunder (Lev 26:16): Your enemies shall eat it up, and carry it off as the Midianites did, Jdg 6:5, Jdg 6:6. Secondly, By unseasonable weather, especially the want of rain (Lev 26:19): I will make your heaven as iron, letting fall no rain, but reflecting heat, and then the earth would of course be as dry and hard as brass, and their labour in ploughing and sowing would be in vain (Lev 26:20); for the increase of the earth depends upon God's good providence more than upon man's good husbandry. This should be the breaking of the staff of bread (Lev 26:26), which life leans upon, and is supported by, on which perhaps they had leaned more than upon God's blessing. There should be so great a dearth of corn that, whereas every family used to fill an oven of their own with household bread, now ten families should have to fill but one over, which would bring themselves and their children and servants to short allowance, so that they should eat and not be satisfied. The less they had the more craving should their appetites be. Thirdly, By the besieging of their cities, which would reduce them to such an extremity that they should eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, Lev 26:29. [3.] War, and the prevailing of their enemies over them: "You shall be slain before your enemies, Lev 26:17. Your choice men shall die in battle, and those that hate you shall reign over you, and justly, since you are not willing that the God that loved you should reign over you;" Ch2 12:8. Miserable is that people whose enemies are their rulers and have got dominion over them, or whose rulers have become their enemies and under-hand seek the ruin of their interests. Thus God would break the pride of their power, Lev 26:19. God had given them power over the nations; but when they, instead of being thankful for that power, and improving it for the service of God's kingdom, grew proud of it, and perverted the intentions of it, it was just with God to break it. Thus God would bring a sword upon them to avenge the quarrel of his covenant, Lev 26:25. Note, God has a just quarrel with those that break covenant with him, for he will not be mocked by the treachery of perfidious men; and one way or other he will avenge this quarrel upon those that play at fast and loose with him. [4.] Wild beasts, lions, bears, and wolves, which should increase upon them, and tear in pieces all that come in their way (Lev 26:22), as we read of two bears that in an instant killed forty-two children, Kg2 2:24. This is one of the four sore judgments threatened Eze 14:21, which plainly refers to this chapter. Man was made to have dominion over the creatures, and, though many of them are stronger than he, yet none of them could have hurt him, nay, all of them would have served him, if he had not first shaken off God's dominion, and so lost his own; and now the creatures are in rebellion against him that is in rebellion against his Maker, and, when the Lord of those hosts pleases, they are the executioners of his wrath and the ministers of his justice. [5.] Captivity, or dispersion: I will scatter you among the heathen (Lev 26:33), in your enemies' land, Lev 26:34. Never were any people so incorporated and united among themselves as they were; but for their sin God would scatter them, so that they should be lost among the heathen, from whom God had graciously distinguished them, but with whom they had wickedly mingled themselves. Yet, when they were scattered, divine justice had not done with them, but would draw out a sword after them, which would find them out, and follow them wherever they were. God's judgments, as they cannot be outfaced, so they cannot be outrun. [6.] The utter ruin and desolation of their land, which should be so remarkable that their very enemies themselves, who ha helped it forward, should in the review be astonished at it, Lev 26:32. First, Their cities should be waste, forsaken, uninhabited, and all the buildings destroyed; those that escaped the desolations of war should fall to decay of themselves. Secondly, Their sanctuaries should be a desolation, that is, their synagogues where they met for religious worship every sabbath, as well as their tabernacle where they met thrice a year. Thirdly, The country itself should be desolate, not tilled or husbanded (Lev 26:34, Lev 26:35); then the land should enjoy its sabbaths, because they had not religiously observed the sabbatical years which God appointed them. They tilled their ground when God would have them let it rest; justly therefore were they driven out of it; and the expression intimates that the ground itself was pleased and easy when it was rid of the burden of such sinners, under which it had groaned, Rom 8:20, etc. The captivity in Babylon lasted seventy years, and so long the land enjoyed her sabbaths, as is said (Ch2 36:21) with reference to this. [7.] The destruction of their idols, though rather a mercy than a judgment, yet, being a necessary piece of justice, is here mentioned, to show what would be the sin that would bring all these miseries upon them: I will destroy your high places, Lev 26:30. Those that will not be parted from their sins by the commands of God shall be parted from them by his judgments; since they would not destroy their high places, God would. And, to upbraid them with the unreasonable fondness they had shown for their idols, it is foretold that their carcases should be cast upon the carcases of their idols. Those that are wedded to their lusts will sooner or later have enough of them. Their idols would not be able to help either themselves or their worshippers; but, those that made them being like them, they should both perish alike, and fall together as blind into the ditch.

(2.)Spiritual judgments are here threatened. These should seize the mind; for he that made the mind can, when he pleases, make his sword approach to it. It is here threatened, [1.] That they should find no acceptance with God: I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours, Lev 26:31. Though the judgments of God upon them did not separate them and their sins, yet they extorted incense from them; but in vain - even their incense was an abomination, Isa 1:13. [2.] That they should have no courage in their wars, but should be quite dispirited and disheartened. They should not only fear and flee (Lev 26:17), but fear and fall, when none pursued, Lev 26:36. A guilty conscience would be their continual terror, so that not only the sound of a trumpet, but the very sound of a leaf, should chase them. Note, Those that cast off the fear of God expose themselves to the fear of every thing else, Pro 28:1. Their very fears should dash them one against another, Lev 26:37, Lev 26:38. And those that had increased one another's guilt would now increase one another's fears. [3.] That they should have no hope of the forgiveness of their sins (Lev 26:39): They shall pine away in their iniquity, and how should they then live? Eze 33:10. Note, It is a righteous thing with God to leave those to despair of pardon that have presumed to sin; and it is owing to free grace if we are not abandoned to pine away in the iniquity we were born in and have lived in.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 14–39. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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