Deuteronomy 28:24

24 "1The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.

Deuteronomy 28:24 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:24

The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust
That is, instead of showers of rain in their season, to water, refresh, and enrich the earth, and make it fruitful; and for want of them, and through the heat of the sun, being dried and parched, and its clods crumbled into dust, this should be raised up into the air by the force of winds, and let down again in showers of dust; whereby the few herbs, plants, or green trees on it would be utterly destroyed: and so the Targum of Jonathan interprets it of the Lord's sending a wind that should raise the dust and earth upon the herbs of their fields. Such ploughing winds, that cast up the earth and sand, and dust, into the air, whereby men and cattle are sometimes covered, are frequent in the eastern countries; of which (See Gill on Jonah 4:8);

from heaven shall it come down upon thee until thou be destroyed;
that is, from the air, up to which the dust is carried by the wind, and then let fall in vast quantities, like showers, which are very destructive.

Deuteronomy 28:24 In-Context

22 "The LORD will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with the sword and with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until you perish.
23 "The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron.
24 "The LORD will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.
25 "The LORD shall cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
26 "Your carcasses will be food to all birds of the sky and to the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Deuteronomy 11:17; Deuteronomy 28:12
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.