Leviticus 26:1-13

Covenant blessings

1 You must not make any idols, and do not set up any divine image or sacred pillar. You must not place any carved stone in your land, bowing down to it, because I am the LORD your God.

2 You must keep my sabbaths and respect my sanctuary; I am the LORD.

3 If you live according to my rules, keep my commands, and do them,

4 I will give you rain at the proper time, the land will produce its yield, and the trees of the field will produce their fruit.

5 Your threshing season will last until the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will last until planting time. You will eat your fill of food and live securely in your land.

6 I will grant peace in the land so that you can lie down without anyone frightening you. I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword will pass through it.

7 You will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you in battle.

8 Five of you will chase away a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase away ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you in battle.

9 I will turn my face to you, will make you fruitful and numerous, and will keep my covenant with you.

10 You will still be eating the previous year's harvest when the time will come to clear it out to make room for the new!

11 I will place my dwelling among you, and I will not despise you.

12 I will walk around among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.

13 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt's land—who brought you out from being Egypt's slaves. I broke your bonds and made you stand up straight.

Leviticus 26:1-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 26

In this chapter, after a repetition of some laws against idolatry, and concerning keeping sabbaths, and reverencing the sanctuary of God, Le 26:1,2; in order to encourage the Israelites to keep the various statutes and commandments in this book, and in the preceding, many promises are made of plenty, and peace, and safety from enemies, and of the presence of God with them, Le 26:3-13; and on the contrary, to such as should despise and break his commandments, the most grievous things are threatened, as diseases of body, destruction by their enemies, barrenness and unfruitfulness of land, the sore judgments of wild beasts, famine, sword, and pestilence, Le 26:14-39; and yet after all, when they should confess their sins, and were humbled for them, the Lord promises to remember the covenant he made with their ancestors, and would deal kindly with them, and not cast them away, and utterly destroy them, Le 26:40-46.

Footnotes

• [a]. Heb uncertain
• [b]. Or tabernacle