Deuteronomy 11:17

17 If you do, the LORD ’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the LORD is giving you.

Deuteronomy 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:17

And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you
For their idolatry, nothing being more provoking to him than that, it being contrary to his nature and being, as well as to his will, and to his honour and glory:

and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain;
the treasures and storehouses of it there, or the windows of it, the clouds, which when opened let it down, but when shut withhold it; the key of rain is one of the keys which the Jews say ^F11 the Lord keeps in his own hand, and with it he opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens; see ( Deuteronomy 28:12 ) ( Malachi 3:10 )

and that the land yield not her fruit;
which is unavoidably the case when rain is withheld:

and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth
you;
for if the land does not yield its fruits sufficient to support the inhabitants of it, they must in course perish.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Targum Jon. in Deut. xxviii. 12.

Deuteronomy 11:17 In-Context

15 He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat.

16 “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the LORD and serve and worship other gods.

17 If you do, the LORD ’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the LORD is giving you.

18 “So commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.

19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.