Deuteronomy 28 16

Deuteronomy 28:16 kjv

Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:16 nkjv

"Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.

Deuteronomy 28:16 niv

You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.

Deuteronomy 28:16 esv

Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:16 nlt

Your towns and your fields
will be cursed.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 16 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:16 declares that disobedience to God's commands will result in a comprehensive and inescapable curse that permeates all aspects of life. This verse establishes that both urban environments (the city, representing organized society, commerce, and communal living) and rural environments (the field, representing agriculture, labor, and personal livelihood) will be under the sway of divine judgment. It signifies a universal application of misfortune and distress for those who reject the covenant, demonstrating that no area of their existence would be exempt from the consequences of their actions.

Deuteronomy 28 16 Context

Deuteronomy 28 is a pivotal chapter within the book of Deuteronomy, serving as the climax of Moses' second major discourse to the Israelites before they enter the promised land. The entire book is essentially a covenant renewal treaty, and chapter 28 presents the covenant's stipulations concerning consequences: blessings for obedience (v. 1-14) and an extensive list of curses for disobedience (v. 15-68).

Deuteronomy 28:16 specifically introduces the detailed and pervasive nature of these curses. It directly contrasts with verse 3 ("Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field"), highlighting the diametrically opposed outcomes of adhering to or rejecting God's covenant. The historical context is Israel on the cusp of possessing Canaan, where their fidelity to Yahweh will determine their prosperity or demise in the land. This passage emphasizes Yahweh's absolute sovereignty, implying that He, unlike the limited and localized pagan deities worshipped by surrounding nations (e.g., Ba'al as a fertility god), has complete dominion over all aspects of life, both in populated centers and in agricultural areas. It subtly polemicizes against the belief that other gods could provide blessing or protect from curses in specific domains, asserting Yahweh's comprehensive power over every sphere of existence.

Deuteronomy 28 16 Word Analysis

• Cursed (אָרוּר, arur): This Hebrew term signifies being under a divine declaration of evil or a divine ban. It implies alienation from God's favor and protection, leading to severe negative consequences, often expressed through barrenness, defeat, or desolation. It's a performative curse, not just a wish, but a divine decree. This is the opposite of בָּרוּךְ (baruch, blessed).
• shalt thou be: This phrasing indicates a declarative future, not a wish or a plea, but a definitive consequence proclaimed by God. It implies the inevitability of the curse if disobedience persists. The divine agent is the one who performs this act.
• in the city (בָעִיר, ba'iyr): The definite article "the" emphasizes a general, universal urban environment. "City" refers to a concentrated human settlement, representing structured social life, communal interactions, public spaces, trade, governance, and organized existence. For ancient Israel, the city was the hub of economic, political, and social activity. Being cursed "in the city" means disgrace, lack of success in business, social rejection, and public humiliation.
• and (וְ, ve): This simple conjunction serves to connect and equally emphasize both categories that follow, signifying comprehensive coverage. It creates an additive effect, illustrating that the curse is not partial but pervasive.
• in the field (בַּשָּׂדֶה, bashâdêh): "Field" refers to agricultural land, open country, pastures, or unpopulated areas. It represents one's private endeavors, livelihood, source of sustenance, agricultural productivity, and the raw interface with nature. For an agrarian society like ancient Israel, success in the field was crucial for survival and prosperity. Being cursed "in the field" means failed crops, unproductive labor, livestock diseases, and personal struggle in earning a living.

Words-group analysis:

• "Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.": This entire phrase, through merism (a literary device using two contrasting parts to refer to the whole), expresses totality. It means "cursed in every possible place, under every circumstance, affecting all aspects of your life." The parallelism with verse 3 intensifies the binary outcome of the covenant choice. It implies no escape, no refuge, whether one is among people or isolated, in prosperity or in hard labor. It underscores the profound reach of God's judgment over all human endeavors and environments, directly tying their experience of life's bounty or hardship to their covenant fidelity.

Deuteronomy 28 16 Bonus Section

• The term "curse" (אָרוּר, arur) carries a significant theological weight. It denotes not just bad luck, but an active, supernatural force initiated by divine decree, impacting both individuals and their environment. It signifies being actively placed outside the sphere of God's grace and favor, which is the source of all life and blessing.
• The universal scope of the curse described in this verse also serves as a subtle polemic against the polytheistic beliefs of surrounding nations. Many pagan deities were believed to have dominion over specific aspects of life or particular regions (e.g., a god of the harvest, a god of the city). By stating that the curse of Yahweh would apply equally in the "city" and in the "field," Deuteronomy asserts that Yahweh's authority and reach are comprehensive, encompassing all aspects of human existence and all geographical domains. He is not a localized deity but the Sovereign Lord of all.
• This curse also harks back to the original curse on humanity and the ground in Gen 3:17-19 after the Fall, indicating a cosmic impact of sin and rebellion that affects the relationship between humanity, labor, and the earth itself. The disobedient will experience a renewed form of that struggle and futility.

Deuteronomy 28 16 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:16 introduces the pervasive nature of the curses that will befall Israel for covenant disobedience, presenting a stark contrast to the preceding blessings. This single verse effectively sets the tone for the severe judgments to follow, signaling that God's curse is not confined to one area but will permeate every sphere of their existence. The dichotomy of "city" and "field" is more than a simple geographical distinction; it's a rhetorical device (a merism) intended to signify the entirety of Israel's life—their public and private spheres, their communal and individual endeavors, their urban and agricultural pursuits.

Should Israel rebel against Yahweh, the source of life and sustenance, His divine disfavor would shadow their organized societal structures, leading to public shame, failed commerce, and disrupted communal life. Simultaneously, their most basic means of survival, agricultural labor in the field, would be afflicted with barrenness, blight, and famine. This pronouncement underlines God's comprehensive sovereignty; His hand of judgment reaches everywhere that humanity lives and labors. It serves as a dire warning and a powerful motivator for obedience, reminding Israel that their well-being, both personal and national, was inextricably linked to their faithfulness to their covenant God. This principle transcends the Mosaic covenant, finding echoes throughout scripture regarding the consequences of rebellion against divine order, until its ultimate resolution in the atoning work of Christ (Gal 3:13), who became a curse for us, thereby nullifying its ultimate hold for those in Him.