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Commentary on Leviticus 26 verses 14–39
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.
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SUMMARY
Leviticus 26:29 stands as a chilling and horrific warning within the covenant curses pronounced upon ancient Israel, detailing the ultimate consequence of persistent and severe disobedience to God's commands. This verse describes the unimaginable act of cannibalism—parents consuming their own children—as a dire outcome of extreme famine and siege, serving as a stark reminder of the absolute necessity of covenant faithfulness and the terrifying depths of divine judgment against rebellion. It underscores the profound seriousness of God's warnings and the catastrophic societal breakdown that results from abandoning His divine order.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Leviticus 26 functions as a pivotal covenant document, outlining the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience that would befall Israel in the Promised Land. The chapter begins with promises of prosperity and peace for faithfulness (e.g., as outlined in Leviticus 26:3-13), but transitions abruptly to a progressively escalating series of curses for rebellion. These curses intensify in severity, moving from agricultural failure and military defeat to disease, wild beasts, desolation of the land, exile, and ultimately, the complete breakdown of human society and natural order. Verse 29 represents the horrifying climax of this escalation, depicting a scenario of such extreme desperation that it violates the most fundamental human taboos and familial bonds, emphasizing the ultimate horror of God's judgment when His people persistently reject His covenant.
Historical & Cultural Context: The concept of covenant curses was well-established in the ancient Near East, often appearing in suzerainty treaties between a great king (suzerain) and his vassal states. These treaties included detailed stipulations, blessings for loyalty, and severe curses for disloyalty, often involving famine, disease, and military defeat. The specific horror of cannibalism, while extreme, was not an unheard-of consequence during prolonged sieges in ancient warfare, when starvation pushed populations to unimaginable acts of desperation. This grim reality is attested in various historical accounts and later biblical narratives, such as during the siege of Samaria in 2 Kings 6:24-30 and the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem recorded in Lamentations 4:10. Thus, for the Israelites on the cusp of entering Canaan, this warning was not merely rhetorical hyperbole but a terrifyingly real possibility, designed to impress upon them the absolute gravity of their covenant obligations and the catastrophic consequences of their failure to adhere to the Lord's commands.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Leviticus and the broader Pentateuch. Primarily, it underscores the theme of Covenant Faithfulness and Consequences, demonstrating that God's covenant is not merely a set of suggestions but a binding agreement with severe repercussions for disobedience. It highlights the Holiness of God and His unwavering commitment to justice, revealing that His righteous character demands a response to sin. The verse also vividly illustrates the theme of Societal Breakdown and Desolation as a direct result of abandoning divine order, showing how the rejection of God's commands leads to the perversion of natural relationships and the collapse of human dignity. Finally, it serves as a stark warning about the Seriousness of Sin, portraying the ultimate depths of human depravity and suffering that can be reached when a people persistently rebels against their Creator, moving beyond agricultural and military woes to the unimaginable horror of familial self-consumption.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Leviticus 26:29 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its chilling message. Hyperbole, though rooted in the grim reality of ancient sieges, is used to shock the audience into recognizing the extreme consequences of disobedience. The vivid imagery of parents consuming their children serves as a rhetorical extreme, designed to instill profound fear and deter covenant unfaithfulness. Repetition is evident in the similar phrasing "eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat," which amplifies the horror and reinforces the certainty of this judgment, emphasizing its comprehensive and inescapable nature. Furthermore, the verse presents a stark Inversion or Perversion of the natural order; instead of parents nurturing and preserving their offspring, they are driven to destroy and consume them. This reversal underscores the profound degree of societal and moral collapse that God's judgment would bring, symbolizing the complete abandonment of divine order and human decency.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 26:29 profoundly illustrates the seriousness of God's covenant with Israel and the unyielding nature of His justice. It reveals that persistent rebellion against His holy commands leads to consequences that are not merely punitive but are designed to dismantle the very fabric of life and society, exposing the depths of human depravity when divine order is abandoned. This verse highlights God's absolute sovereignty over life and death, His commitment to upholding His covenant, and the terrifying reality of His righteous judgment against sin. It serves as a stark reminder that true flourishing is inextricably linked to faithful obedience to the Creator, and that the rejection of His benevolent rule leads to unimaginable suffering and self-destruction.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the specific, literal curse of Leviticus 26:29 was a historical warning to ancient Israel under a unique covenant, its underlying principles offer profound and enduring lessons for all believers. This verse compels us to confront the absolute seriousness of God's warnings and the reality that sin, particularly persistent and unrepentant rebellion, has severe and often devastating consequences, even if not always in such literal forms today. It reminds us that God's moral universe is ordered, and departing from His revealed will inevitably leads to disorder, suffering, and a breakdown of human flourishing. This passage should cultivate in us a deep reverence for God's holiness and justice, fostering a renewed commitment to faithful obedience, not out of fear alone, but out of a recognition that His commands are for our good and lead to life. It also serves as a poignant reminder of the immense grace found in Christ, who bore the ultimate curse on our behalf, offering a path to reconciliation and blessing where only judgment once loomed.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is this a literal prophecy or symbolic imagery?
Answer: This verse functions as both a literal prophecy and a powerful symbolic warning. While the language is stark and serves to symbolize the ultimate horror and societal breakdown resulting from divine judgment, the Bible and historical accounts confirm that such acts of cannibalism did tragically occur during extreme sieges and famines in Israel's history. For instance, 2 Kings 6:24-30 describes a mother eating her son during the siege of Samaria, and Lamentations 4:10 recounts similar horrors during the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. Thus, it was a literal, albeit horrific, consequence that God warned would befall a disobedient people.
How does such a severe warning reconcile with God's character of love and mercy?
Answer: While deeply disturbing, this warning, like all of God's judgments, stems from His perfect holiness and justice. God's love is not sentimental; it is a holy love that demands righteousness and cannot tolerate persistent rebellion. These warnings are, in a sense, a merciful act, designed to deter His people from a path that would inevitably lead to self-destruction and profound suffering. They underscore the gravity of sin and the immense value God places on His covenant relationship. Ultimately, the very existence of such a curse magnifies the profound mercy found in the New Covenant, where God Himself, in Christ, bore the curse on our behalf, offering redemption and reconciliation instead of judgment (as seen in Galatians 3:13).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 26:29, with its terrifying portrayal of the curse of the Law, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This verse starkly reveals the horrific consequences of humanity's rebellion against a holy God, demonstrating the depths of judgment that sin deserves. However, the New Testament proclaims that Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, voluntarily entered into this realm of curse and judgment on our behalf. As Galatians 3:13 declares, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." He bore the full weight of God's righteous wrath, enduring the ultimate separation and desolation that Leviticus 26:29 foreshadows, so that we might be reconciled to God. Instead of consuming our own children in desperation, Christ's sacrifice offers us spiritual nourishment and abundant life (John 6:53-58 and John 10:10). He reverses the curse, transforming the horror of death into the hope of eternal life, demonstrating that true blessing and flourishing come not through our perfect obedience to the Law, but through faith in the One who perfectly fulfilled it and bore its curses for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).