Deuteronomy 11:17

17 and God erupts in anger and shuts down Heaven so there's no rain and nothing grows in the fields, and in no time at all you're starved out - not a trace of you left on the good land that God 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.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Targum Jon. in Deut. xxviii. 12.

Deuteronomy 11:17 In-Context

15 He'll make sure there's plenty of grass for your animals. You'll have plenty to eat.
16 But be vigilant, lest you be seduced away and end up serving and worshiping other gods
17 and God erupts in anger and shuts down Heaven so there's no rain and nothing grows in the fields, and in no time at all you're starved out - not a trace of you left on the good land that God is giving you.
18 Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder.
19 Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.