Leviticus 26:32-42

32 And I will bring the land into desolation, and your enemies who dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

33 And I will scatter you among the Gentiles and will draw out a sword after you, and your land shall be desolate and your cities waste.

34 Then shall the land rest for her sabbaths all the days that it lies desolate, while you are in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest and enjoy her sabbaths.

35 All the time that it shall be desolate, it shall rest that which it did not rest in your sabbaths when ye dwelt upon it.

36 And upon those that are left alive of you I will send such cowardice into their hearts in the lands of their enemies, that the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursue.

37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursue; and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.

38 And ye shall perish among the Gentiles, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.

39 And those that are left of you shall pine away for their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and for the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.

40 And they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers for their trespass which they trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me,

41 and that I also have walked contrary unto them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; and then their uncircumcised hearts shall be humbled, and they shall plead because of their iniquity;

42 and I will remember my covenant with Jacob and likewise my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the land.

Leviticus 26:32-42 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.