Leviticus 26:22

22 I will also send wild beasts among you which shall rapture your children and destroy your animals and make you few in number, and your ways shall be desolate.

Leviticus 26:22 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 26:22

I will also send wild beasts among you
Either in a literal sense, as lions, bears, wolves and so is the reverse of what is promised to them on their doing well, ( Leviticus 26:6 ) ; or figuratively, mighty monarchs and cruel oppressors, such as were the kings of Assyria and Babylon, ( Jeremiah 50:17 ) ; which shall rob you of your children;
as the bears, in a literal sense, destroyed the children of them in the times of Elisha, ( 2 Kings 2:24 ) ; and destroy your cattle;
the tame beasts, who often become a prey to the wild ones, as both those of the flock, and of the herd, sheep and oxen, do to lions, wolves and make you few in number;
or diminish them, their number, by bereaving them of their children, and their wealth and substance, by destroying their cattle: and your [high] ways shall be desolate;
or ways, the word high not being in the text, and may signify both their public and private ones, which would be all forsaken, none caring to venture to walk in them for fear of beasts of prey.

Leviticus 26:22 In-Context

20 And your strength shall be spent in vain; for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
21 And if ye walk contrary unto me and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
22 I will also send wild beasts among you which shall rapture your children and destroy your animals and make you few in number, and your ways shall be desolate.
23 And if ye will not be corrected by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me,
24 then will I also walk contrary unto you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010