Deuteronomy 28 18

Deuteronomy 28:18 kjv

Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

Deuteronomy 28:18 nkjv

"Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

Deuteronomy 28:18 niv

The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

Deuteronomy 28:18 esv

Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock.

Deuteronomy 28:18 nlt

Your children and your crops
will be cursed.
The offspring of your herds and flocks
will be cursed.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 18 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:18 proclaims a severe curse from the Lord upon Israel if they disobey His covenant. This specific verse targets the very foundations of life and prosperity in an ancient agricultural and pastoral society. "The fruit of your womb" signifies sterility, miscarriages, or stillbirths, reversing the blessing of progeny. "The fruit of your ground" denotes crop failure, blight, and famine, directly affecting the primary food source. "The increase of your herds and the young of your flock" points to disease, infertility, and death among livestock, devastating a nation's wealth and protein supply. Together, these elements signify a comprehensive breakdown of sustenance and future generation, striking at the heart of their physical and economic well-being, highlighting divine judgment upon rebellion.

Deuteronomy 28 18 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 28 presents a comprehensive covenant speech from Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before entering the Promised Land. This chapter functions as a pivotal point, laying out in stark detail the consequences of Israel's faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God's covenant. Verses 1-14 detail abundant blessings for obedience, promising prosperity, health, victory, and renown. In stark contrast, verses 15-68 delineate severe curses for disobedience. Verse 18 is part of the initial phase of these curses, which escalate in intensity and scope, progressing from immediate personal and environmental devastation to national calamity, exile, and ultimate desolation. The historical and cultural context for this ancient agrarian society meant that land fertility, human offspring, and thriving livestock were not merely indicators of prosperity but were essential for survival itself. The curses explicitly target these areas, directly countering the blessings previously promised. This serves as a potent theological statement that Yahweh alone controls life, death, fertility, and prosperity, directly challenging the allure and claims of pagan fertility deities prevalent in Canaanite worship.

Deuteronomy 28 18 Word analysis

• Cursed (אָרוּר, arur): This passive participle denotes a state of being subjected to a curse, often implying a divine origin. It signifies a profound reversal of divine favor, resulting in degradation, distress, and a complete lack of blessing. It’s an irreversible declaration of disfavor, a public and definitive separation from blessing, not merely bad luck.
• shall be: Indicates a future consequence, a certain outcome for covenant breaking.
• the fruit of your womb (פְּרִי בִטְנְךָ, pĕri bitnəkā):
  • fruit (פְּרִי, pĕri): While commonly meaning literal fruit, here it refers to offspring or progeny.
  • womb (בִּטְנְךָ, bitnəkā): The belly, signifying the reproductive capacity. This phrase collectively points to human children, implying infertility, miscarriages, or stillbirths—a direct attack on the perpetuation of the family line, which was paramount in Israelite society.
• and the fruit of your ground (וּפְרִי אַדְמָתֶךָ, u-pĕri 'admatəkā):
  • ground (אַדְמָתֶךָ, 'admatəkā): Referring to the arable land. This speaks of agricultural produce. A curse on this means crop failure, blighted harvests, or unproductive soil—the very source of the nation's food and wealth.
• the increase of your herds (וּשְׁגַר אַלּוּפֶיךָ, u-šĕgar 'allufeykā):
  • increase (וּשְׁגַר, u-šĕgar): Denotes the progeny or offspring of animals.
  • herds (אַלּוּפֶיךָ, 'allufeykā): Refers to cattle or larger domesticated animals. This points to a curse affecting the reproduction and health of oxen and cattle, vital for labor, meat, and dairy.
• and the young of your flock (וְעַשְׁתְּרוֹת צֹאנֶךָ, vĕ-'ašhtrot tsonəkā):
  • young (וְעַשְׁתְּרוֹת, vĕ-'ašhtrot): While some link it to the Canaanite goddess Astarte (ironically, implying that seeking fertility from other gods would result in barrenness even in the objects of such worship), the primary understanding is "progeny," "offspring," or "increase."
  • flock (צֹאנֶךָ, tsonəkā): Sheep and goats. This highlights a curse on smaller livestock, which were a crucial source of wool, milk, and meat.
• Words-Group Analysis:
  • "the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground": This grouping directly parallels the two most essential life-sustaining categories in ancient Israel: human continuation (children) and food supply (agriculture). The curse on these signifies existential threats at a familial and national level.
  • "the increase of your herds and the young of your flock": This pair covers all types of livestock, representing economic wealth, labor, and a major component of diet. Their loss indicates widespread poverty, loss of labor capacity, and widespread hunger.
  • Overall Scope: The verse’s power lies in its comprehensive scope, touching every critical domain of life—human, plant, and animal—emphasizing that disobedience incurs a pervasive, all-encompassing divine curse. This serves as a profound warning that every aspect of existence is subject to God's decree.

Deuteronomy 28 18 Bonus section

The structure of curses in Deuteronomy 28, of which verse 18 is an early part, often mirrors the ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties between a great king (God) and his vassals (Israel). These treaties always included severe imprecations against those who violated the covenant, often invoking natural disasters, famine, and loss of progeny—elements directly present in this verse. This further solidifies the verse's meaning within the formal, binding legal context of God's covenant with Israel. The curse in this verse also served as a powerful polemic against the Canaanite worship of gods like Baal and Asherah, who were believed to control fertility. By stating that Yahweh would curse the "fruit of your womb" and "fruit of your ground," God declared His absolute control over what pagan deities purportedly governed, proving their impotency and highlighting His unique, unrivaled power. It teaches that true blessing or cursing in these fundamental areas comes solely from the LORD.

Deuteronomy 28 18 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:18 acts as a chilling counterpart to the blessings promised earlier in the chapter. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, explicitly challenging the notion that prosperity and fertility could be attained through means other than obedience to Him. The curse on "fruit of womb," "fruit of ground," "increase of herds," and "young of flock" signifies a comprehensive and foundational breakdown. This is not merely economic hardship, but a reversal of God's primal blessing to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28). It highlights a theological principle: the source of life and sustenance is God alone, and when the covenant relationship is broken through disobedience, He, the giver of life, can withhold or reverse His blessings. This verse implies widespread barrenness in families, agricultural blight leading to famine, and epidemics among animals. For an agrarian society, this meant starvation, collapse, and ultimately, a challenge to their very survival. It demonstrates that the consequences of spiritual rebellion permeate the physical and material realms.