Deuteronomy 28:50

50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young:

Deuteronomy 28:50 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:50

A nation of fierce countenance
Or, "strong of face" ^F25; which aptly describes the old Romans, who are always represented as such; and whereas it is said of the Chaldeans, that they were a nation dreadful and terrible, ( Habakkuk 1:7 ) ; the same is said of the fourth beast, or Roman empire, ( Daniel 7:7 ) ; who were a terror to all the world:

which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favour to the
young:
cruel, unmerciful, and uncompassionate, to persons of whatsoever age or sex; which, as it was the character of the Chaldeans, ( 2 Chronicles 36:17 ) ; so of the Romans, who especially showed no mercy to the Jews, as Josephus ^F26, who was an eyewitness, testifies.

``The Romans (says he) showed no mercy to any age, out of hatred to the nation (of the Jews), and in remembrance of the injuries done to Cestius;''

one of their governors, when among them. And in another place he says {a},

``the Romans, remembering what they suffered in the siege, spared none, and showed no mercy.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (Mynp ze) "fortem faciebus", Montanus; "robustam facie", Vatablus.
F26 De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 7. sect. 1.
F1 Ibid. sect. 34.

Deuteronomy 28:50 In-Context

48 Therefore shalt thou serve thy enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all [things]: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he hath destroyed thee.

49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, [as swift] as the eagle flieth, a nation whose language thou shalt not understand:

50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor show favor to the young:

51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou art destroyed: which [also] shall not leave thee [either] corn, wine, or oil, [or] the increase of thy cattle, or flocks of thy sheep, until he hath destroyed thee.

52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fortified walls come down, in which thou didst trust, throughout all thy land; and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land which the LORD thy God hath given thee.