Deuteronomy 28

1 Yf thou shalt herken diligently vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God, to obserue and to do all his commaundmentes whiche I commaunde the this daye. The Lorde wil set the an hye aboue all nacions of the erth.
2 And all these blessynges shall come on the and ouertake the, yf thou shalt herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the towne and blessed in the feldes,
4 blessed shalbe the frute of thy body, the frute of thy grounde and the frute of thy catell, the frute of thine oxen, and thy flockes of shepe,
5 blessed shall thine almery be ad thy store.
6 Blessed shalt thou be, both when thou goest out, ad blessed whe thou comest in.
7 The Lorde shall smyte thyne enemyes that ryse agenst the before thy face. They shall come out agenst the one waye, and flee before the seuen wayes.
8 The Lorde shal commaunde the blessynge to be with the in thy store housses ad in all that thou settest thine hande to, and will blesse the in the lande which the Lord thi god geueth the.
9 The Lorde shall make the an holye people vnto himselfe, as he hath sworen vnto the: yf thou shalt kepe the commaundmentes of the Lorde thy God and walke in hys wayes.
10 And all nacyons of the erthe shall se that thou arte called after the name of the Lorde, and they shalbe aferde off the.
11 And the Lorde shall make the plenteous in goodes, in the frute of thy body, in the frute off thy catell and in the frute of thy grounde, in the londe whiche the Lorde sware vnto thy fathers to geue the.
12 The Lorde shall open vnto the his good treasure, euen the heauen, to geue rayne vnto thy londe in due ceason and to blesse all the laboures of thine hande. And thou shalt lende vnto many nacyos, but shalt not nede to borowe thy selfe.
13 And the Lorde shall sett the before and not behinde, and thou shalt be aboue only and not beneth: yf that thou herken vnto the commaundmentes of the Lorde thy God which I commaunde the this daye to kepe and to doo them.
14 And se that thou bowe not from any of these wordes which I commaunde the this daye ether to the right hande or to the lefte, that thou woldest goo after straung goddes to serue them.
15 But and yf thou wilt not herken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God to kepe and to doo all his commaundmentes and ordinaunces which I commaunde the this daye: then all these curses shall come vppon the and ouertake the:
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the towne, and cursed in the felde,
17 cursed shall thyne almery be and thi store.
18 Cursed shall the frute of thy body ad the frute of thy lond be ad the frute of thine oxen ad the flockes of thy shepe.
19 And cursed shalt thou be when thou goest in, ad whe thou goest out.
20 And the Lorde shall sende vppon the cursynge, goynge to nought and complaynyng in all that thou settest thine hande to what soeuer thou doest: vntyll thou be destroyed ad brought to nought quyckely, because of the wekednesse of thyne invencyons in that thou hast forsaken the Lorde.
21 And the Lorde shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto the, vntyll he haue consumed the from the londe whether thou goest to enioye it.
22 And the Lorde shall smyte the with swellynge, with feuers, heet, burnynge, wetherynge, with smytynge and blastinge. And they shall folowe the, vntyll thou perishe.
23 And the heauen that is ouer thy heed shalbe brasse, and the erth that is vnder the, yerne.
24 And the Lorde shall turne the rayne of the lade vnto powder ad dust: euen fro heauen they shal come doune vpo the, vntyll thou be brought to nought.
25 And the Lorde shall plage the before thine enemyes: Thou shalt come out one waye agenst them, and flee seuen wayes before them, ad shalt be scatered amonge all the kingdomes of the erth.
26 And thy carcasse shalbe meate vnto all maner foules of the ayre ad vnto the beestes of the erth, and no man shall fraye them awaye.
27 And the Lorde will smyte the with the botches of Egipte and the emorodes, scalle and maungynesse, that thou shalt not be healed thereof.
28 And the Lorde shall smyte the with madnesse, blyndnesse and dasynge of herte.
29 And thou shalt grope at none daye as the blynde gropeth in darkenesse, and shalt not come to the right waye.And thou shalt suffre wronge only and be polled euermore, and no man shall soker the,
30 thou shalt be betrothed vnto a wife, and another shall lye with her. Thou shalt bylde an housse and another shall dwell therein. Thou shalt plante a vyneyarde, and shalt not make it comen.
31 Thine oxe shalbe slayne before thyne eyes, ad thou shalt not eate thereof. Thine asse shalbe violently taken awaye euen before thi face, and shall not be restored the agayne. Thy shepe shalbe geuen vnto thine enemyes, ad no man shall helpe the.
32 Thy sonnes ad thy doughters shall be geue vnto another nacion, and thyne eyes shall se and dase vppon them all daye longe, but shalt haue no myghte in thyne hande.
33 The frute of thy londe and all thy laboures shall a nacyon which thou knowest not, eate, ad thou shalt but soffre violence only and be oppressed alwaye:
34 that thou shalt be cleane besyde thy selfe for the syghte of thyne eyes whiche thou shalt se.
35 The Lord shall smyte the with a myscheuous botche in the knees ad legges, so that thou cast not be healed: eue from the sole of the fote vnto the toppe of the heed.
36 The Lorde shall brynge both the and thy kynge which thou hast sett ouer the, vnto a nacyon whiche nether thou nor thy fathers haue knowne, and there thou shalt serue straunge goddes: euen wodd ad stone.
37 And thou shalt goo to wast ad be made an ensample ad a gestyngestocke vnto al nacios whether the Lord shall carye the.
38 Thou shalt carie moch seed out in to the felde, and shalt gather but litle in: for the locustes shall destroye it,
39 Thou shalt plante a vyneyarde and dresse it, but shalt nether drynke off the wyne nether gather of the grapes, for the wormes shall eate it.
40 Thou shalt haue olyue trees in all thy costes, but shalt not be anoynted with the oyle, for thyne olyue trees shalbe rooted out.
41 Thou shalt get sonnes ad doughters, but shalt not haue them: for they shalbe caried awaye captyue.
42 All thy trees and frute of thy londe shalbe marred with blastynge.
43 The straungers that are amonge you shall clyme aboue the vpp an hye, ad thou shalt come doune beneth alowe.
44 He shall lende the ad thou shalt not lende him, he shalbe before ad thou behynde.
45 Moreouer all these curses shall come vppo the and shall folowe the and ouertake the, tyll thou be destroyed: because thou herkenedest not vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God, to kepe his comaundmetes ad ordinaunces whiche he comauded the,
46 ad they shalbe vppo the as miracles ad wonders ad vppon thy seed for euer.
47 And because thou seruedest not the Lorde thy God with ioyfulnesse and with a good herte for the abundaunce of all thinges,
48 therfore thou shalt serue thyne enemye whiche the Lorde shall sende vppon the: in hunger and thrust, in nakednesse and in nede off all thynge: and he shall put a yocke off yerne vppon thyne necke, vntyll he haue broughte the to noughte.
49 And the Lorde shall brynge a nacion vppon the from a farre, euen from the ende off the worlde, as swyfte as an egle fleeth: a nacion whose tonge thou shalt not vnderstonde:
50 a herde fauoured nacion whiche shall not regarde the person of the olde nor haue compassio on the younge.
51 And he shall eate the frute of thy londe and the frute of thy catell vntyll he haue destroyed the: so that he shall leaue the nether corne, wyne, nor oyle, nether the ecrease of thyne oxen nor the flockes of thy shepe: vntyll he haue brought the to nought.
52 And he shall kepe the in in all thy cities, vntyll thy hye ad stronge walles be come doune wherei thou trustedest, thorow all thy londe. And he shall besege the in all thy cities thorow out all thy land whiche the Lorde thy God hath geuen the.
53 And thou shalt eate the frute of thyne awne bodye: the flessh of thy sonnes and off thy doughters which the Lorde thy God hath geuen the, in that straytenesse and sege wherewith thyne enemye shall besege the:
54 so that it shall greue the man that is tender and exceadynge delycate amonge you, to loke on his brother and vppon his wife that lyeth in hys bosome ad on the remnaunte of his childern, which he hath yet lefte,
55 for feare of geuynge vnto any of them of the flesh of hys childern, whiche he eateth, because he hath noughte lefte him in that straytenesse and sege wherewith thyne enemye shall besege the in all thy cytyes.
56 Yee and the woman that is so tender and delycate amonge you that she dare not auenture to sett the sole of hyr foote vppon the grounde for softnesse and tendernesse, shalbe greued to loke on the husbonde that leyeth in hir bosome and on hyr sonne and on hyr doughter:
57 euen because of the afterbyrthe that ys come oute from betwene hyr legges, and because of hyr childern whiche she hath borne, because she wolde eate them for nede off all thynges secretly, in the straytenesse and sege wherewith thine enemye shall besege the in thy cities.
58 Yf thou wilt not be diligent to doo all the wordes of this lawe that are wrytten in thys boke, for to feare this glorious and fearfull name of the Lorde thy God:
59 the Lorde will smyte both the and thy seed with wonderfull plages and with greate plages and of longe continuaunce,
60 and with euell sekenesses and of longe duraunce. Moreouer he wyll brynge vppon the all the diseases off Egipte whiche thou wast afrayed off, and they shall cleaue vnto the.
61 Thereto all maner sekenesses and all maner plages whiche are not wrytten in the boke of this lawe, wyll the Lorde brynge vppon the vntyll thou be come to noughte.
62 And ye shalbe lefte fewe in numbre, where to fore ye were as the starres off heauen in multitude: because thou woldest not herke vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God.
63 And as the Lorde reioysed ouer you to do you good and to multiplye you: euen so he will reioyse ouer you, to destroye you and to brynge you to nought. And ye shabe wasted from of the lande whother thou goest to enioye it,
64 And the Lorde shall scater the amonge all nacyons from the one ende of the worlde vnto the other, and there thou shalt serue straunge goddes, which nether thou nor thy fathers haue knowne: euen wod and stone.
65 And amonge these nacyons thou shalt be no small season, and yet shalt haue no reste for the sole of thy foote. For the Lorde shall geue the there a treblynge herte ad dasynge eyes and sorowe of mynde.
66 And thy lyfe shall hange before the, and thou shalt feare both daye and nyghte ad shalt haue no trust in thy lyfe.
67 In the mornynge thou shalt saye, wolde God it were nyghte. And at nyghte thou shalt saye, wolde God it were mornynge. For feare off thyne herte whiche thou shalt feare, and for the syghte of thyne eyes whiche thou shalt se.
68 And the Lorde shall brynge the in to Egipte agayne with shippes, by the waye which I bade the that thou shuldest se it nomoare. And there ye shalbe solde vnto youre enemyes, for bondmen and bondwemen: and yet no man shall bye you.

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Deuteronomy 28 Commentary

Chapter 28

The blessings for obedience. (1-14) The curses for disobedience. (15-44) Their ruin, if disobedient. (45-68)

Verses 1-14 This chapter is a very large exposition of two words, the blessing and the curse. They are real things and have real effects. The blessings are here put before the curses. God is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy. It is his delight to bless. It is better that we should be drawn to what is good by a child-like hope of God's favour, than that we be frightened to it by a slavish fear of his wrath. The blessing is promised, upon condition that they diligently hearken to the voice of God. Let them keep up religion, the form and power of it, in their families and nation, then the providence of God would prosper all their outward concerns.

Verses 15-44 If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which includes all misery, as the blessing all happiness. Observe the justice of this curse. It is not a curse causeless, or for some light cause. The extent and power of this curse. Wherever the sinner goes, the curse of God follows; wherever he is, it rests upon him. Whatever he has is under a curse. All his enjoyments are made bitter; he cannot take any true comfort in them, for the wrath of God mixes itself with them. Many judgments are here stated, which would be the fruits of the curse, and with which God would punish the people of the Jews, for their apostacy and disobedience. We may observe the fulfilling of these threatenings in their present state. To complete their misery, it is threatened that by these troubles they should be bereaved of all comfort and hope, and left to utter despair. Those who walk by sight, and not by faith, are in danger of losing reason itself, when every thing about them looks frightful.

Verses 45-68 If God inflicts vengeance, what miseries his curse can bring upon mankind, even in this present world! Yet these are but the beginning of sorrows to those under the curse of God. What then will be the misery of that world where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched! Observe what is here said of the wrath of God, which should come and remain upon the Israelites for their sins. It is amazing to think that a people so long the favourites of Heaven, should be so cast off; and yet that a people so scattered in all nations should be kept distinct, and not mixed with others. If they would not serve God with cheerfulness, they should be compelled to serve their enemies. We may justly expect from God, that if we do not fear his fearful name, we shall feel his fearful plagues; for one way or other God will be feared. The destruction threatened is described. They have, indeed, been plucked from off the land, ver. ( 63 ) . Not only by the Babylonish captivity, and when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans; but afterwards, when they were forbidden to set foot in Jerusalem. They should have no rest; no rest of body, ver. 65, but be continually on the remove, either in hope of gain, or fear of persecution. No rest of the mind, which is much worse. They have been banished from city to city, from country to country; recalled, and banished again. These events, compared with the favour shown to Israel in ancient times, and with the prophecies about them, should not only excite astonishment, but turn unto us for a testimony, assuring us of the truth of Scripture. And when the other prophecies of their conversion to Christ shall come to pass, the whole will be a sign and a wonder to all the nations of the earth, and the forerunner of a general spread of true christianity. The fulfilling of these prophecies upon the Jewish nation, delivered more than three thousand years ago, shows that Moses spake by the Spirit of God; who not only foresees the ruin of sinners, but warns of it, that they may prevent it by a true and timely repentance, or else be left without excuse. And let us be thankful that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, by being made a curse for us, and bearing in his own person all that punishment which our sins merit, and which we must otherwise have endured for ever. To this Refuge and salvation let sinners flee; therein let believers rejoice, and serve their reconciled God with gladness of heart, for the abundance of his spiritual blessings.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO DEUTERONOMY 28

In this chapter Moses enlarges on the blessings and the curses which belong, the one to the doers, the other to the transgressors of the law; the blessings, De 28:1-14; the curses, some of which concern individual persons, others the whole nation and body of people, and that both under the former and present dispensations, and which had their fulfilment in their former captivities, and more especially in their present dispersion, De 28:15-68.

Deuteronomy 28 Commentaries

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