Deuteronomy 28:34 kjv
So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
Deuteronomy 28:34 nkjv
So you shall be driven mad because of the sight which your eyes see.
Deuteronomy 28:34 niv
The sights you see will drive you mad.
Deuteronomy 28:34 esv
so that you are driven mad by the sights that your eyes see.
Deuteronomy 28:34 nlt
You will go mad because of all the tragedy you see around you.
Deuteronomy 28 34 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:16 | ...terror, with wasting disease and fever that will dim the eyes and sap life away. You will plant your seed in vain... | Curse leading to mental terror and futility. |
| Deut 28:28 | The Lord will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of mind. | Direct parallel curse of madness. |
| Deut 28:65-67 | Among those nations you will find no repose... your life will hang in doubt... for the dread that your eyes shall see. | Expanded description of fear and lack of peace due to sights. |
| Isa 3:8 | ...Jerusalem has stumbled... because their words and their deeds are against the Lord... | Actions against the Lord bring downfall. |
| Jer 15:6 | You have forsaken me, declares the Lord... so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you; I am weary of relenting. | Divine weariness and relentless judgment. |
| Lam 3:65 | You will give them anguish of heart... | Internal suffering as divine punishment. |
| Ps 107:27 | They reeled and staggered like a drunken man and were at their wits’ end. | Illustrates despair and loss of direction. |
| Eccl 7:7 | Surely oppression drives the wise into madness, and a bribe corrupts the heart. | External pressure leading to mental distress. |
| Zech 12:4 | ...I will strike every horse with bewilderment and its rider with madness. | God striking with mental confusion and madness. |
| Job 12:24-25 | He deprives of intelligence the chiefs of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste... | God removes understanding, causing wandering and groping. |
| Rom 1:21-22 | ...though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God... but became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened... they became fools. | Spiritual blindness and foolishness from ungodliness. |
| 2 Tim 3:9 | ...their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. | The exposure of sin-induced folly. |
| 1 Cor 1:20 | Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? | God nullifies worldly wisdom, contrasting it with divine wisdom. |
| 1 Cor 1:27 | But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. | Divine reversal where worldly folly becomes wisdom in God's eyes. |
| Rev 16:10 | ...people gnawed their tongues in agony, and cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores... | End-time judgment causing intense physical and mental agony. |
| Luke 21:26 | People fainting from fear and the expectation of what is coming on the world... | End-time distress causing people to lose courage and faint. |
| John 9:39 | Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." | Spiritual blindness and judgment related to perception. |
| Matt 25:30 | And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | Ultimate despair, torment, and lamentation due to separation from God. |
| Gal 3:13 | Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— | Deliverance from the Law's curses through Christ. |
| Col 1:13 | He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, | Deliverance from the power of darkness and spiritual misery. |
| Isa 29:9 | Be stunned and amazed; blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with beer. | Prophecy of self-inflicted spiritual blindness and confusion. |
| Jer 5:21 | Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not; who have ears, but hear not. | Spiritual blindness despite physical faculties, linked to folly. |
| Hos 4:11 | Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away the understanding. | Sin (idolatry/immorality) leading to spiritual mental degradation. |
| Titus 3:3 | For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. | Description of former state of spiritual folly and distress. |
Deuteronomy 28 verses
Deuteronomy 28 34 Meaning
Deuteronomy 28:34 describes a severe curse upon Israel for disobedience: extreme mental anguish, bewilderment, and despair resulting from witnessing the relentless and devastating calamities brought upon them by divine judgment. The "madness" is not necessarily a medical diagnosis but a profound psychological distress that overwhelms reason and capacity for joy, hope, or normal function. It is a direct consequence of the shocking and unbearable "sight" of their misfortunes, particularly the loss of everything they cherished and depended on.
Deuteronomy 28 34 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 28 presents a stark dichotomy: the blessings that would follow Israel's obedience to God's covenant (vv. 1-14) and the curses for disobedience (vv. 15-68). This chapter is central to the covenant theology established at Mount Sinai, emphasizing the conditional nature of Israel's well-being in the Promised Land. Verse 34 falls squarely within the curses, specifically detailing the psychological impact of divine judgment. The curses described progressively escalate, moving from personal afflictions (v. 20ff) to national devastation, including agricultural ruin (vv. 38-40), foreign oppression (vv. 33, 43-44), and ultimately leading to exile and overwhelming distress. The "madness" of verse 34 is not an isolated curse but a culminating psychological torment that arises from continually witnessing the devastating and seemingly inescapable fulfillment of the preceding and subsequent curses, particularly the destruction of their crops, the loss of their children to enemies, and their own enslavement and humiliation. It underscores that God's judgment would penetrate beyond the physical realm, affecting their very minds and souls.
Deuteronomy 28 34 Word analysis
- So that you shall be driven mad
- shall be driven mad (תִּשְׁתַּגֵּעַ - tishtagga): This Hebrew verb is from the root shaga (שָׁגַע), meaning "to be mad, to rave, to act crazily." It often implies a loss of sound judgment, rational thinking, and emotional stability. This "madness" is not primarily physical insanity as a disease but a state of extreme mental anguish, overwhelming despair, terror, and confusion. It suggests a mind disoriented by horror and suffering, incapable of processing the calamity rationally or finding solace. The form used here is Hithpael, often implying a reflexive or intensive action, meaning they "make themselves mad" or are "driven into a state of madness" by the overwhelming circumstances, yet it is a divine judgment.
- because of the sight
- sight (מִרְאֵה - mir'eh): This noun refers to what is seen, observed, or perceived visually. It signifies the direct, tangible, and inescapable evidence of the ongoing disaster. This is not a hidden or abstract curse; the evidence of their ruin will be plainly before their eyes. The continuous viewing of desolation, famine, oppression, and humiliation of their people will break their minds.
- which your eyes see
- your eyes see (עֵינֶיךָ תִרְאֶינָה - eineykha tir'eynah): This phrase emphasizes the personal and direct experience of witnessing the destruction. It is not something heard or imagined, but physically perceived. The repetition highlights the direct, inescapable, and visceral nature of the suffering that would overwhelm them. It conveys the sheer volume and continuous presence of the horrific events.
- Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "So that you shall be driven mad because of the sight": This establishes a direct causal link. The sight is the catalyst for the psychological collapse. It’s not just general misfortune, but the vivid, ongoing exposure to that misfortune that will devastate their mental faculties. This highlights the severity of God's judgment: it targets not just possessions or physical well-being but the very sanity and inner peace.
- "the sight which your eyes see": This pleonasm (redundancy for emphasis) intensifies the impact. It's not abstract "sight" but what they personally and repeatedly behold that will be the source of their madness. It underscores the overwhelming and inescapable nature of the judgment, emphasizing the constant visual input of misery and destruction.
Deuteronomy 28 34 Bonus section
The curse of "madness" underscores God's absolute sovereignty, affecting even the deepest recesses of the human mind and spirit. It goes beyond material or physical punishment, indicating that God's judgment encompasses the entire being. This intellectual and psychological disorientation directly opposes the divine wisdom and discernment that God intends for His people, replacing order with confusion, and peace with terror. The specific wording also forms a polemic against pagan deities, which were often invoked for prosperity but had no power over the mind in such a comprehensive, judging manner. The "sight which your eyes see" signifies the complete manifestation of God's wrath, demonstrating that the judgment is tangible, undeniable, and utterly consuming, leading to an inescapable inner torment born from outer calamity. This state anticipates later prophetic laments where Israel, experiencing exile, grapples with immense psychological and spiritual anguish (e.g., in Lamentations or certain Psalms).
Deuteronomy 28 34 Commentary
Deuteronomy 28:34 describes one of the most severe consequences of disobedience: a profound mental and emotional breakdown. This "madness" is not incidental but a direct judgment from God, distinct from any specific disease, acting as an overwhelming psychological response to relentless divine punishment. It reflects the unbearable horror and hopelessness that would arise from constantly witnessing the cumulative devastation detailed in the preceding and subsequent verses of the chapter—famine, plague, defeat by enemies, loss of children, oppression, and ultimate exile. The visual reality of their land laid waste, their people subjugated, and their hopes crushed would be so traumatizing that their minds would become bewildered and lose coherence. This curse functions as a warning against rebellion against God's covenant, revealing that divine displeasure affects not only outward circumstances but also the inner well-being and sanity. It stands in stark contrast to the wholeness and shalom promised for obedience, serving as a powerful deterrent.
Examples of practical usage could include understanding the corrosive impact of continuous despair in the absence of hope in God, the psychological toll of prolonged separation from God's protection and blessings, and the deep distress that results from the breaking of a sacred covenant. It can highlight the holistic nature of God's dealings with humanity, impacting physical, spiritual, and psychological aspects.