Deuteronomy 28:23

23 Heaven, that is above thee, be it brazen; and the earth, that thou treadest on, be it iron. (The heavens, that be above thee, shall become as hard as brass; and the earth, which thou treadest upon, shall become as hard as iron.)

Deuteronomy 28:23 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:23

And the heaven that [is] over thy head shall be brass
Or like brass, not for its clearness, brightness, and splendour, or for its being spread out like a molten looking glass which was of brass, ( Job 37:18 ) ; but for its dryness and hardness, no moisture being in it, or passing through it; no showers of rain nor dew being let down from it:

and the earth that is under thee [shall be] iron;
or like iron, hard and impenetrable, into which the plough and spade will not enter; nor anything spring out of it, for want of rain and dew to moisten and soften it. The same is said in ( Leviticus 26:19 ) ; only there is an inversion of the figures; there the heaven is said to be as iron, and the earth like brass, but signify the same thing.

Deuteronomy 28:23 In-Context

21 The Lord shall join pestilence to thee, till he waste thee from (off) the land, to which thou shalt enter to wield.
22 The Lord shall smite thee with neediness, with fever, and cold, with burning, and heat, with corrupt air, and mildew, either rust; and he shall pursue thee till thou perish.
23 Heaven, that is above thee, be it brazen; and the earth, that thou treadest on, be it iron. (The heavens, that be above thee, shall become as hard as brass; and the earth, which thou treadest upon, shall become as hard as iron.)
24 The Lord give dust for rain to thy land, and ash come down from heaven upon thee, till thou be all-broken. (The Lord shall give dust to thy land instead of rain, and ashes shall come down upon thee from the sky, until thou be all-broken.)
25 The Lord give thee (to) falling before thine enemies; by one way go thou [out] against them, and by seven ways flee thou from them, and be thou scattered by all the realms of [the] earth; (The Lord shall cause thee to fall before thy enemies; thou shalt go out against them by one way, but thou shalt flee from them by seven ways, and thou shalt be scattered into all the kingdoms of the earth;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.