Deuteronomy 28:13 kjv
And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
Deuteronomy 28:13 nkjv
And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
Deuteronomy 28:13 niv
The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.
Deuteronomy 28:13 esv
And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them,
Deuteronomy 28:13 nlt
If you listen to these commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.
Deuteronomy 28 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deu 28:1 | "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD... He will set you high above all nations of the earth." | Conditional blessing and national elevation. |
| Deu 28:43-44 | "The foreigner among you shall rise higher and higher above you, and you shall come down lower and lower... He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail." | The direct opposite consequence for disobedience. |
| Lev 26:3-4 | "If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments and perform them, then I will give you rains in their season..." | Covenant conditionality, blessings for obedience. |
| Deu 11:13-14 | "And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments... I will give you the rain for your land in its season..." | Emphasizes diligence in obedience for material blessing. |
| Jos 1:7-8 | "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law... then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." | Prosperity tied to active adherence to the Law. |
| Psa 1:1-3 | "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly... his delight is in the law of the LORD... He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water... And whatever he does shall prosper." | Personal blessing from delighting and meditating on God's Word. |
| Isa 1:19 | "If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land." | Clear, concise promise: obedience brings material benefits. |
| Jer 7:23 | "But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people.’" | Core covenant relationship founded on obedience. |
| Gen 12:2 | "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing." | Initial Abrahamic covenant of national greatness. |
| Mic 4:1 | "Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills..." | Future exaltation of God's kingdom and people. |
| Zec 8:13 | "And just as you were a curse among the nations... so I will save you, and you shall be a blessing." | Reversal from national lowliness to prominence. |
| Pro 22:7 | "The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." | Implies financial headship/tail, linking prosperity with avoidance of debt/servitude. |
| Lam 1:5 | "Her foes have become her masters; Her enemies prosper." | Consequence of disobedience, experiencing the 'tail' position. |
| Eph 1:22 | "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church." | Christ as the supreme "Head" of all things, especially the church. |
| Eph 2:6 | "And raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." | Spiritual "above" for believers, elevated position with Christ. |
| Col 3:1-2 | "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." | Heavenly focus for the spiritually "above" believer. |
| Rom 8:37 | "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." | Spiritual superiority, not 'tail' in struggle, through Christ. |
| 2 Cor 9:8 | "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." | Financial and resource "above," enabling good works. |
| Php 4:13 | "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." | Empowerment and capability, preventing one from being 'below' in potential. |
| Jam 1:25 | "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." | New Covenant emphasis on active hearing and doing leading to blessing. |
| Jn 14:15 | "If you love Me, keep My commandments." | Obedience as evidence of love, connecting love and keeping commands. |
| Heb 5:9 | "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him." | Salvation's condition tied to obedience to Christ. |
Deuteronomy 28 verses
Deuteronomy 28 13 Meaning
Deuteronomy 28:13 conveys a profound promise of preeminence and blessing for the nation of Israel, contingent upon their faithful obedience to the commandments of the LORD. It illustrates a status of leadership, superiority, and prosperity among other nations, symbolizing that they will be at the forefront (head, above) and never subjugated or inferior (tail, below). This promise is rooted in their covenant relationship with God and the specific terms outlined in the Mosaic Law given through Moses.
Deuteronomy 28 13 Context
Deuteronomy 28 is a pivotal chapter within Moses' farewell address to Israel before their entry into the promised land of Canaan. It delineates a clear covenant agreement, presenting two starkly contrasting paths: blessings for obedience (v. 1-14) and curses for disobedience (v. 15-68). Verse 13 belongs to the section of abundant blessings, which describe the flourishing and prominence Israel would experience among the nations. These blessings were holistic, covering every aspect of life from personal well-being, land productivity, security, and especially, national standing. The historical context is critical; Israel was about to inherit a land filled with established cultures and gods, and this covenant reinforced their unique identity and their God, Yahweh, as supreme, dictating their fate in the land and their status relative to surrounding nations.
Deuteronomy 28 13 Word analysis
- And the LORD: (וַיְהוָה – waYahweh). "LORD" (Yahweh) is God's covenant name, signifying His personal, unchanging relationship with Israel. The promise originates directly from the divine, authoritative source of their covenant.
- will make you: The verb is natan (נָתַן), meaning "to give" or "to set." It implies active divine agency in establishing Israel's position. It is God who brings this about, not their own strength.
- the head: (הָרֹאשׁ – ha-rosh). From the Hebrew word rosh, meaning the top, chief, or leader. It denotes preeminence, authority, superiority, and prominence among other nations. This is not just prosperity but leadership.
- and not the tail: (וְלֹא לַזָּנָב – ve'lo la-zanav). Zanav means tail, symbolizing inferiority, subservience, being last, or of little consequence. This establishes a clear dichotomy, an exclusive positive outcome.
- and you shall only be above: (וְהָיִיתָ רַק לְמָעְלָה – ve'hayita rak lema'lah). Lema'lah means upward, on top, or superior. "Only" (רק – rak) emphasizes exclusivity—there is no alternative position other than elevated. This reinforces the previous head imagery.
- and not below: (וְלֹא לְמָטָּה – ve'lo lematta). Lemattah means downward or beneath, denoting an inferior or subservient position. This reiterates the positive status with an explicit contrast.
- Word Group Analysis:
- "the head and not the tail," and "only be above and not below": These phrases are synonymous parallelism, reinforcing the singular idea of preeminence and total exemption from inferiority or subjugation. They function as a strong hyperbole, emphasizing comprehensive dominance and authority for the nation. This was a direct contrast to their prior status as slaves in Egypt.
- "if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God": (אִם־תִּשְׁמַע בְּמִצְוֺת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ – im-tishma be'mitzvot Yahweh Eloheykha). "If you obey" (שָׁמַע – shama) implies not just hearing but active listening, internalizing, and acting upon. This phrase highlights the critical conditional nature of all covenant blessings. The phrase "your God" reminds them of the unique, personal covenant relationship with Yahweh.
- "which I command you today, to observe and to do them": (אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לִשְׁמֹר וְלַעֲשׂוֹת – asher anokhi metzavekha hayom lishmor vela'asotam). "Today" (hayom) emphasizes the immediate relevance and ongoing nature of the divine mandate. "To observe" (lishmor) means to guard, keep, or pay careful attention, implying internal commitment. "To do them" (vela'asotam) means to actively perform or execute the commands, stressing external action. Both together denote comprehensive obedience—intellectual, volitional, and practical adherence.
Deuteronomy 28 13 Bonus section
- Significance for Nations: This promise underscores God's sovereignty over nations. He elevates or brings low according to His righteous standards. Israel was to be a missional light through their distinctive life under God's rule, showcasing His glory to the world.
- Beyond Physical: While rooted in physical blessings for Israel under the Old Covenant, Christian theology interprets the principles of "head" and "above" spiritually in the New Covenant. Believers are "in Christ" who is the "head," seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph 2:6), possessing spiritual authority, and called to abound in good works rather than spiritual lack (2 Cor 9:8).
- Polemics against Idolatry: In the ancient Near East, national power was attributed to the strength of their gods. This passage acts as a direct polemic, demonstrating that Israel's supremacy would come solely from their covenant keeping with Yahweh, not through alliances, military might, or syncretistic practices of other gods. God alone determines their rise or fall.
- Responsibility of Position: Being the "head" also implies responsibility—to be an example of God's ways, to walk in justice, and to be a source of blessing to others, ultimately leading them to acknowledge Yahweh's greatness.
Deuteronomy 28 13 Commentary
Deuteronomy 28:13 articulates a conditional promise of unparalleled national blessing for Israel: a guarantee of leadership, dominance, and elevated status among the nations. This status, expressed powerfully through the "head/tail" and "above/below" metaphors, speaks to economic prosperity, political influence, and overall favor. It means not being subject to other nations, not being impoverished or marginalized, but rather being a beacon and a leader. However, the profound weight of this promise rests entirely on the condition "if you obey." This obedience is not passive but active ("observe and to do them"), signifying a wholehearted, ongoing commitment to God's commandments. This verse reveals God's desire for His people to thrive and to display His glory to the world, providing a clear pathway for Israel's preeminence as long as they walked in covenant faithfulness. This concept, though rooted in the Old Covenant's physical blessings for Israel, finds spiritual echoes for believers today: believers are called to walk in victory, not defeat, and to impact their sphere of influence by obeying Christ's commands.