Leviticus 26:39

KJV

And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

KJV (with Strong's)

And they that are left {H7604} of you shall pine away {H4743} in their iniquity {H5771} in your enemies {H341}' lands {H776}; and also in the iniquities {H5771} of their fathers {H1} shall they pine away {H4743} with them.

Complete Jewish Bible

Those of you who remain will pine away in the lands of your enemies from guilt over your misdeeds and those of your ancestors.

Berean Standard Bible

Those of you who survive in the lands of your enemies will waste away in their iniquity and will decay in the sins of their fathers.

American Standard Version

And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 26:39 stands as a stark and somber warning within the covenantal framework of the Mosaic Law, detailing the severe and prolonged consequences of Israel's persistent disobedience. This verse specifically describes the fate of the remnant who survive divine judgment and exile: they will experience a slow, agonizing spiritual and physical deterioration in foreign lands, burdened not only by their own unconfessed sins but also by the accumulated iniquities and guilt of previous generations, leading to a profound sense of despair and decay.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Leviticus 26 is a pivotal chapter, forming the climax of the legal and sacrificial instructions given at Mount Sinai. It functions as a grand covenantal epilogue, outlining the blessings for obedience ([Leviticus 26:3-13](/leviticus/26-3 "Leviticus 26:3-13 - Blessings for Obedience")) and the escalating curses for disobedience ([Leviticus 26:14-39](/leviticus/26-14 "Leviticus 26:14-39 - Curses for Disobedience")). Verse 39 concludes a long and terrifying list of judgments, including famine, pestilence, defeat in battle, and ultimately, exile from the promised land. It represents the lowest point of the nation's spiritual and physical degradation, a state of utter despair where even the survivors are consumed by their sin. Immediately following this grim pronouncement, however, the chapter shifts to offer a glimmer of hope and the possibility of restoration through confession and repentance ([Leviticus 26:40-45](/leviticus/26-40 "Leviticus 26:40-45 - Promise of Restoration")). This juxtaposition highlights God's justice and His enduring mercy, even in the face of profound covenantal breach.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The pronouncements in Leviticus 26, including verse 39, were given to the Israelites before their entry into the Promised Land, serving as foundational principles for their national existence under God's covenant. The vivid imagery of "enemies' lands" and "pine away" directly foreshadows the historical reality of the Babylonian exile and subsequent diasporas, where the Jewish people indeed suffered greatly away from their homeland, particularly as recorded in books like [Lamentations](/lamentations/1 "Lamentations 1 - Jerusalem's Anguish") and [Ezekiel](/ezekiel/1 "Ezekiel 1 - The Prophet's Vision"). The concept of corporate responsibility, where the community bears the consequences of widespread sin, was deeply significant in ancient Israelite thought, often seen in narratives like [Achan's sin](/joshua/7 "Joshua 7 - Achan's Sin and Defeat at Ai") affecting the whole nation. While individual accountability is also taught (e.g., [Ezekiel 18:20](/ezekiel/18-20 "Ezekiel 18:20 - Individual Responsibility")), the covenantal framework of Israel emphasized the interconnectedness of the people, where the cumulative spiritual decay of previous generations could indeed affect subsequent ones, especially within a community bound by shared covenant obligations. This understanding shaped their perception of divine justice and the long-term impact of national faithfulness or rebellion.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Pine away (Hebrew, _māqaq'_):** The Hebrew verb מָקַק (_māqaq_) conveys a powerful and disturbing sense of rotting, decaying, or wasting away. It implies a slow, painful, and irreversible deterioration, not a sudden death. This vivid imagery emphasizes the prolonged agony, despair, and utter helplessness of those in exile. It speaks to a spiritual and physical atrophy, a gradual loss of vitality and hope, mirroring the nation's spiritual corruption. It is a process of internal dissolution, where their very being is consumed by the consequences of their sin, leaving them without strength or future.
* **Iniquity (Hebrew, _ʿāvôn'_):** The Hebrew noun עָווֹן (_ʿāvôn_) is more than just "sin" (חַטָּאת, _ḥaṭṭāʾt_, which emphasizes missing the mark). _ʿāvôn_ refers not only to the act of perversity or deviation from God's standard but also to the guilt incurred by such acts and, crucially, the punishment or consequence that follows. It carries the weight of moral distortion and the resultant culpability. In this verse, it highlights that their suffering is directly tied to their moral failing and the just recompense for their rebellion against God's covenant. The repetition of "iniquity" underscores its pervasive and destructive power, affecting both the individual and the collective.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands;":** This clause describes the immediate and ongoing consequence for the survivors of God's judgments. "They that are left" refers to the remnant who have not perished by famine, plague, or sword, but have been carried into exile. Their suffering is not merely physical hardship but a spiritual and existential "pining away," a slow, agonizing decay directly caused by their own "iniquity"—their unconfessed and unrepented sin and the guilt it brings. This decay occurs "in your enemies' lands," emphasizing their displacement, vulnerability, and separation from the land of promise and God's presence, a place where their spiritual vitality is utterly diminished.
* **"and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.":** This second clause expands the scope of their suffering, revealing a profound dimension of corporate responsibility. The remnant's "pining away" is not solely due to their personal transgressions but is compounded by "the iniquities of their fathers." This does not imply that they are punished for sins they did not commit, but rather that the cumulative spiritual decay, the generational patterns of rebellion, and the unaddressed corporate guilt of previous generations have created a spiritual environment that continues to weigh heavily upon them, contributing to their ongoing deterioration and inability to flourish. It speaks to the long-term, compounding effect of unrepented sin within a covenant community, where the consequences of past disobedience continue to manifest in the present generation's suffering and spiritual bondage.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 26:39 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its stark message. The most prominent is **Repetition**, particularly of the phrase "pine away" and "iniquity." This repetition serves to emphasize the certainty, severity, and prolonged nature of the judgment, reinforcing the idea of a slow, agonizing decay that is inescapable. The repeated mention of "iniquity" highlights that their suffering is a direct, just consequence of their moral failings, both personal and generational. There is also strong **Imagery** at play, with "pine away" evoking a vivid picture of physical and spiritual wasting, like a plant withering without water, underscoring the utter loss of vitality and hope. The phrase "enemies' lands" is a form of **Foreshadowing**, directly pointing to the future historical reality of the Babylonian exile and subsequent diasporas. Finally, the verse exhibits a form of **Parallelism**, contrasting the "iniquity" of the current generation with "the iniquities of their fathers," which underscores the dual burden of their suffering and the deep, generational roots of their spiritual decline.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 26:39 powerfully articulates the destructive power of sin and the unwavering justice of God within the covenant. It underscores that disobedience to God's commands leads not to flourishing, but to a profound and agonizing decay, both individually and corporately. This verse highlights the interconnectedness of sin and suffering, demonstrating that divine judgment is not arbitrary but a just response to covenantal infidelity. While individual accountability is crucial, the passage also reveals a concept of corporate and generational consequences, where the accumulated weight of a community's unrepented sin can affect subsequent generations, leading to a shared experience of despair and spiritual wasting. Ultimately, it serves as a solemn reminder of God's faithfulness to His word, both in blessings and in curses, urging His people to take His covenant seriously.

* [Deuteronomy 28:48](/deuteronomy/28-48 "Deuteronomy 28:48 - Curses of Exile")
* [Lamentations 5:7](/lamentations/5-7 "Lamentations 5:7 - Our Fathers Sinned")
* [Nehemiah 9:36-37](/nehemiah/9-36 "Nehemiah 9:36-37 - Servitude in Exile")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 26:39, though part of the ancient Mosaic Covenant, offers timeless principles for reflection and application in the life of faith today. It serves as a stark reminder of the profound seriousness of sin and its inevitable, destructive consequences. We are called to consider how our own choices, both individually and corporately within the community of faith, can lead to spiritual "pining away" if left unaddressed. This verse challenges us to examine the long-term impacts of unrepentance, not only on ourselves but potentially on those who follow us, urging a proactive and continuous posture of confession and turning back to God. It confronts the illusion that sin can be committed without lasting repercussions, emphasizing that true flourishing comes only through faithful obedience and alignment with God's will. The severity of the warning is ultimately an invitation to humble ourselves, acknowledge our brokenness, and seek the path of restoration that God always provides, even after profound failure.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I, or my community, be "pining away" due to unaddressed sin or a lack of spiritual vitality?**
* **How does the concept of generational iniquity challenge my understanding of personal responsibility and the impact of past choices?**
* **What specific steps can I take to ensure that my life and my community are marked by obedience rather than disobedience, leading to flourishing instead of decay?**

### FAQ

**Does Leviticus 26:39 mean I am punished for my ancestors' sins?**

Answer: No, the verse does not imply that individuals are punished for sins they did not commit. Instead, it highlights the cumulative effect of corporate sin within a covenant community. While [Ezekiel 18:20](/ezekiel/18-20 "Ezekiel 18:20 - Individual Accountability") clearly states that "The soul who sins will die," Leviticus 26:39 speaks to the lingering consequences and spiritual environment created by generations of unaddressed rebellion. The "iniquities of their fathers" refer to the patterns of disobedience, the spiritual decay, and the corporate guilt that can weigh heavily on subsequent generations, making it harder for them to break free from cycles of sin and experience God's blessing. It emphasizes that the consequences of systemic sin can persist and affect the well-being of a community over time, rather than individual culpability for specific ancestral acts. The suffering is tied to their own current "iniquity" as well as the inherited spiritual brokenness.

**What hope does this verse offer, given its grim tone?**

Answer: While Leviticus 26:39 itself is a warning of judgment, it is crucial to read it in its broader literary context. Immediately following this verse, [Leviticus 26:40-45](/leviticus/26-40 "Leviticus 26:40-45 - God's Promise of Restoration") offers a profound message of hope and restoration. God promises that if His people confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers, and humble themselves, He will remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and remember the land. The severity of the curses is ultimately intended to drive the people to repentance and a return to God, demonstrating that even in the deepest despair, God's covenant faithfulness and mercy provide a path to reconciliation and renewal. The hope lies in God's character and His unwavering commitment to His promises, even when His people fail.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 26:39, with its grim depiction of a people "pining away" under the burden of their own and their fathers' iniquities, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in Jesus Christ. The curse of sin and generational brokenness, which led to spiritual decay and exile, is definitively addressed in Him. Christ became the ultimate substitute, bearing the full weight of humanity's "iniquity" upon Himself, as prophesied in [Isaiah 53:6](/isaiah/53-6 "Isaiah 53:6 - All We Like Sheep"). Through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, which included the judgments described in Leviticus 26, effectively becoming a curse for us ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse")). Where the old covenant brought death and condemnation for disobedience, the new covenant established in Christ's blood offers life and righteousness ([2 Corinthians 3:6](/2_corinthians/3-6 "2 Corinthians 3:6 - The New Covenant of the Spirit"), [Romans 8:1-4](/romans/8-1 "Romans 8:1-4 - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus")). Believers are no longer "pining away" in the spiritual "enemies' lands" of sin and death, but are brought into the spiritual promised land of fellowship with God, receiving the Holy Spirit as a down payment of their inheritance ([Ephesians 1:13-14](/ephesians/1-13 "Ephesians 1:13-14 - The Seal of the Holy Spirit")). In Christ, the cycle of generational iniquity is broken, not by human effort, but by divine grace, as those who are "in Christ" become new creations, free from the dominion of sin and its decaying effects ([2 Corinthians 5:17](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17 - New Creation in Christ")). He is the ultimate answer to the despair of Leviticus 26:39, offering not just a temporary reprieve but eternal life and spiritual flourishing.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Ezekiel 4:17

That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

Ezekiel 24:23

And your tires [shall be] upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

Ezekiel 33:10

¶ Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins [be] upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?

Deuteronomy 28:65

And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

Exodus 20:5

Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me;

Matthew 23:35

That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Matthew 23:36

Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.