Leviticus 26:12-22

12 I shall go among you, and I shall be your God, and ye shall be a people to me (and ye shall be my people).

13 I am your Lord God, that led you out of the land of Egyptians, that ye should not serve them (any more), and I have broken the chains off your nolls, that ye should go upright. (I am the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of the Egyptians, so that ye would no longer serve them, and I have broken the chains from off your necks, so that ye could walk upright.)

14 That if ye hear not me, neither do all my behests, (But if ye will not listen to me, nor do all my commands,)

15 and if ye forsake my laws, and despise my dooms, that ye do not those things that be ordained of me, and that ye bring follily my covenant to nought, (and if ye forsake my laws, and despise my judgements, so that ye do not do those things that be ordained by me, but ye foolishly break my covenant,)

16 also I shall do these things to you; I shall visit you swiftly in neediness, and in burning, which shall torment your eyes, and waste your lives; in vain ye shall sow seed, that shall be devoured of enemies; (then I shall do these things to you; I shall swiftly visit you with want, or with need, and with burning, which shall torment your eyes, and shall waste your lives; ye shall sow your seed in vain, for it shall be devoured by your enemies;)

17 I shall set my face against you, and ye shall fall before your enemies, and ye shall be subjects to them that hate you (and ye shall be made subject to them who hate you); (and) ye shall flee, while no man pursueth you.

18 But if neither so ye obey to me (And if ye shall still not obey me), I shall increase your chastising sevenfold for your sins;

19 and I shall all-break the pride of your hardness, and I shall give to you heaven above as iron, and the earth as brass; (and I shall break in pieces all of your hard-headed pride; and I shall make the heavens above you like iron, and the earth beneath you like bronze;)

20 your travail shall be wasted in vain, neither the earth shall bring forth fruit, neither [the] trees shall give apples. (all your labour shall be in vain, the land shall not bring forth any harvest, nor shall the trees give forth any fruit.)

21 If ye go contrary to me, neither will hear me (and will not listen to me), I shall increase your wounds, either vengeances, till into sevenfold for your sins;

22 I shall send out into you cruel beasts of the field (I shall send cruel wild beasts among you), that shall waste you, and your beasts, and shall bring all things to fewness, and your (by)ways shall be forsaken.

Leviticus 26:12-22 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.