Deuteronomy 28 35

Deuteronomy 28:35 kjv

The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

Deuteronomy 28:35 nkjv

The LORD will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.

Deuteronomy 28:35 niv

The LORD will afflict your knees and legs with painful boils that cannot be cured, spreading from the soles of your feet to the top of your head.

Deuteronomy 28:35 esv

The LORD will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.

Deuteronomy 28:35 nlt

The LORD will cover your knees and legs with incurable boils. In fact, you will be covered from head to foot.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 35 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:35 pronounces a severe divine judgment: a debilitating and widespread affliction of painful, incurable boils. This curse affects the entire body, from the soles of the feet to the crown of the head, indicating total and inescapable suffering. It signifies a profound loss of well-being, movement, and dignity as a consequence of persistent disobedience to God's covenant.

Deuteronomy 28 35 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 28 presents a pivotal moment in Israel's covenant with YHWH, following their Exodus and poised before entering the Promised Land. The chapter is structured as a suzerainty treaty, typical of ancient Near Eastern kings and their vassals. Verses 1-14 detail the blessings that will attend Israel if they faithfully obey God's commands. Conversely, verses 15-68 list an escalating series of curses, ranging from agricultural failure and defeat in battle to social decay, disease, and eventually exile, if they disobey.

Verse 35 is part of a detailed description of these curses, specifically focusing on physical diseases that God would bring upon a disobedient Israel. This particular curse emphasizes a severe, disfiguring, and unhealable affliction affecting the entire body, designed to impress upon the Israelites the dire consequences of forsaking their covenant obligations. It draws upon the memory of God's power displayed against Egypt in the Exodus, warning that the same divine hand that liberated them could turn in judgment. The historical-cultural context underscores that physical ailments were often perceived as direct consequences of divine favor or disfavor in ancient Israel and surrounding cultures. The uniqueness of YHWH's authority over such matters distinguishes Him from the impotent healing deities of surrounding nations.

Deuteronomy 28 35 Word analysis

• The Lord (יהוה - YHWH, "Yahweh"): The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship with Israel and His authority as their sovereign. This specific naming highlights that the affliction is a direct, deliberate act of divine judgment, not a random misfortune.
• will strike (יַכֶּכָה - yakkechah): Hiphil imperfect form of נכה (nakah), meaning "to strike down, smite, beat." The Hiphil stem indicates that YHWH will actively and directly cause this affliction. The verb is often used for forceful, decisive action, particularly in divine judgment or in warfare.
• you (־כָה - ka): Second person singular masculine suffix, addressing the individual Israelite, yet collectively referring to the nation. This curse would impact all who defied the covenant.
• with terrible (בְּשִׁחְנִים רָעוֹת - b'shikhneem ra'ot):
  • terrible (רָעוֹת - ra'ot): Feminine plural of רַע (ra'), meaning "evil, bad, harmful, grievous." It intensifies the nature of the boils, denoting their severity and detrimental impact.
  • boils (בְּשִׁחְנִים - b'shikhneem): Plural of שִׁחִין (shichin), referring to severe, festering boils, ulcers, or sores. This term is notably used to describe the sixth plague on Egypt in Exodus 9:9-11, establishing a strong parallel. The choice of this specific affliction reminds Israel of God's past demonstrations of power and judgment.
• on the knees (עַל־הַבִּרְכַּיִם - al-habirkaiyim): Refers to the lower leg joint. Affliction here would cause severe pain and hinder mobility, essential for daily tasks, work, and participation in community and worship.
• and on the legs (וְעַל־הַשֹּׁקַיִם - v'al-hashshokaiyim): Refers to the shins or calves. Together with "knees," these terms denote a focus on the limbs vital for movement and strength.
• so that you cannot be healed (אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תוּכַל לְהֵרָפֵא - asher lo-tuchal l'herape'):
  • you cannot (לֹא־תוּכַל - lo tuchal): Denotes a lack of ability or power.
  • be healed (לְהֵרָפֵא - l'herape'): Nifal infinitive construct of רָפָא (rafa), meaning "to heal, to restore." This phrase emphatically states the incurability of the condition. It highlights the divine source of the affliction, implying that no human intervention or pagan deity could provide a remedy. This contrasts with YHWH's identity as "YHWH Ropheka" (the Lord who heals you) in Exod 15:26.
• from the sole of your foot (מִכַּף רַגְלְךָ - mikkaf raglekha): כַּף (kaf) typically means "palm" but in context with רֶגֶל (regel, "foot") means "sole of the foot."
• to the crown of your head (וְעַד קָדְקֳדֶךָ - v'ad kadkadecha): קָדְקֹד (kodkod) means "crown of the head, scalp." This phrase, "from sole to crown," is a common Hebrew idiom (cf. Isa 1:6; Job 2:7) used to describe something that covers the entire body, emphasizing the totality, severity, and inescapable nature of the disease. It indicates no part of the person would be unaffected.

Word Group Analysis:

• "The Lord will strike you": Highlights God's active role as the instigator of judgment. It underscores His sovereignty and justice, responding directly to Israel's rebellion.
• "terrible boils": The descriptive nature of the boils, emphasized by "terrible," suggests extreme pain, disfigurement, and debilitating effects, designed to degrade and humble the disobedient. Its connection to the Egyptian plagues transforms a past act of deliverance into a future instrument of judgment, deepening the impact on Israel's psyche.
• "on the knees and on the legs": This specificity points to the immediate impact on mobility and daily life, leading to significant personal suffering and public humiliation, potentially making it impossible for them to stand, walk, or perform their duties.
• "so that you cannot be healed": This is a key phrase signifying the incurability and divine origin of the malady. It renders human attempts at healing futile, reinforcing the message that only the divine Hand that inflicted the disease could potentially reverse it, assuming a return to obedience. This divine inability to heal would expose the emptiness of reliance on foreign gods or human power.
• "from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head": This common hyperbole indicates an all-encompassing affliction. No part of the body, no aspect of life, would be untouched by the consequences of their disobedience. It denotes complete spiritual and physical degradation.

Deuteronomy 28 35 Bonus section

The specific targeting of "knees and legs" highlights God's strategic judgment against sources of human strength and mobility. A people unable to walk or stand would be severely hampered in defense, labor, and public assembly, symbolizing the crippling of their societal and military power. This physical impairment underscores the deeper spiritual inability to stand firm or walk in God's ways when disobedient. The phrase "from sole to crown" not only speaks of physical totality but also evokes a picture of complete internal and external spiritual sickness, leaving no area of life sound or wholesome, a concept later seen in Isa 1:6 concerning Judah's pervasive sin. This curse acts as a vivid and visceral metaphor for total systemic breakdown, warning against even a partial departure from God's statutes.

Deuteronomy 28 35 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:35 encapsulates the devastating consequences of covenant disobedience, focusing on an intensely physical manifestation of divine wrath. The description of "terrible boils" from "sole to crown" depicts a total and painful bodily disintegration. This is not a random disease, but a targeted divine strike (implied by "will strike") with an unyielding persistence, "so that you cannot be healed." The deliberate echoes of the plagues of Egypt, particularly the sixth plague, serve as a stark reminder: the God who smote Israel's enemies can just as powerfully turn His hand against His own people if they betray their sacred covenant. This specific curse, affecting movement and presenting a visibly repulsive condition, also would lead to isolation and shame, serving as a public declaration of God's displeasure. Beyond physical suffering, it implies an absolute spiritual bankruptcy and separation from God's favor. It warns that reliance on human means or other gods for healing would be futile when the Almighty Himself inflicts the wound. The totality of the curse serves as a strong deterrent, urging faithful adherence to God's commandments for the well-being and flourishing of the entire nation.