Deuteronomy 28:44 kjv
He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
Deuteronomy 28:44 nkjv
He shall lend to you, but you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.
Deuteronomy 28:44 niv
They will lend to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, but you will be the tail.
Deuteronomy 28:44 esv
He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him. He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.
Deuteronomy 28:44 nlt
They will lend money to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, and you will be the tail!
Deuteronomy 28 44 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 28:12 | The LORD will open for you His good treasure... you shall lend to many nations... | Contrast: Blessing of lending, not borrowing. |
| Deut 28:13 | The LORD will make you the head and not the tail... | Contrast: Blessing of being the head. |
| Lev 26:17 | I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies... | General: Consequences of disobedience. |
| Lev 26:38 | You shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall devour you. | General: Judgment among foreign nations. |
| Judg 2:14 | The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who plundered them... | Historical: Israel's subjugation. |
| 1 Sam 8:5, 7 | "...now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations... they have rejected Me." | Disobedience: Desire for human king. |
| Neh 9:36-37 | Behold, we are slaves today, and in the land that You gave to our fathers to eat its fruit... | Fulfillment: Servitude in their own land. |
| Prov 22:7 | The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. | Principle: Borrower's servile position. |
| Jer 25:9-11 | "...I will bring Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon... and will utterly destroy them..." | Fulfillment: Foreign subjugation. |
| Jer 27:8 | "...I will punish that nation... till I have consumed it by My hand." | Consequence: National subjugation. |
| Lam 1:5 | Her foes have become her masters; Her enemies prosper. | Fulfillment: Enemies' prosperity over them. |
| Lam 2:17 | The LORD has done what He purposed; He has fulfilled His word... | Fulfillment: God's word of judgment confirmed. |
| Eze 36:18-20 | Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood... because they defiled My sanctuary... | Context: Judgment due to defilement. |
| Isa 1:7 | Your land is desolate; Your cities are burned with fire; Strangers devour your fields... | Fulfillment: Foreigners consume resources. |
| Isa 5:25 | Therefore the anger of the LORD burns against His people; He has stretched out His hand... | General: Divine anger leading to desolation. |
| 2 Ki 17:7-20 | They went after idols and became idolaters... Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from His sight. | Cause: Idolatry leading to punishment. |
| Amos 2:6 | For three transgressions of Israel... because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. | Social Injustice: Root cause for judgment. |
| Zech 7:14 | ...I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations... | Fulfillment: Dispersion and subjugation. |
| Luke 21:24 | They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all nations. | Prophecy: Future dispersion and foreign rule (Jesus on Jerusalem). |
| Rom 11:25-26 | ...a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved. | Hope/Limit: Hardening temporary for a divine purpose. |
| Gal 6:7 | Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. | Principle: Sowing and reaping applies universally. |
Deuteronomy 28 verses
Deuteronomy 28 44 Meaning
Deuteronomy 28:44 describes a severe consequence of covenant disobedience for Israel: a reversal of fortune and status with foreigners. Instead of Israel being in a position of economic strength and influence, lending to others and being "the head," they would fall into a state of weakness and dependency. The foreigner would rise to a position of financial power, lending to Israel, and gaining the status of "the head" or leader, while Israel would descend to the humiliating position of "the tail," subordinate and inferior. This verse highlights the profound degradation and loss of autonomy that would result from forsaking the Lord's commandments.
Deuteronomy 28 44 Context
Deuteronomy 28 is the concluding chapter of Moses' second major address to Israel, given just before they entered the Promised Land. It stands as the grand summary of the Mosaic covenant, presenting a stark choice: blessings for obedience (verses 1-14) or curses for disobedience (verses 15-68). Verse 44 falls squarely within the curses section, painting a vivid picture of the national degradation that would follow Israel's turning away from the Lord and His commandments. The broader chapter outlines how their position among nations, their economic stability, their health, their homes, and even their children would be directly affected by their faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God. Historically, such covenant structures, with detailed blessings and curses, were common in ancient Near Eastern treaties between a great king (suzerain) and his vassal states, underscoring Yahweh's rightful authority as Israel's divine King.
Deuteronomy 28 44 Word analysis
- He shall lend: Hebrew yalwekhá (יַלְוֶה֙). This is the Hiphil imperfect form of lavah (לָוָה), meaning "to cause to lend" or simply "to lend." In the ancient world, lending typically indicated a position of economic strength, abundance, and authority, while borrowing signaled need, poverty, and submission.
- to you: Referring to Israel, the covenant people, implying that they would be in dire straits.
- and you shall not lend: Hebrew tilweh (תִּלְוֶֽה). This is the Qal imperfect of lavah, meaning "you shall borrow" or "you shall not be able to lend." It depicts Israel's total inability to reciprocate, confirming their position of absolute economic disadvantage and dependence.
- to him: Referring to the foreigner, the ger (גֵּר), implying that the tables have been turned. The one who was often the vulnerable resident alien would now hold economic sway over the Israelites.
- he shall be: This verb implies a continuous state or an established reality.
- the head: Hebrew rosh (רֹאשׁ). Literally "head," but metaphorically representing leadership, authority, superiority, prominence, and the highest position. This directly reverses the promise in Deuteronomy 28:13 that Israel would be the head.
- and you shall be: Again, implying an established, degrading reality for Israel.
- the tail: Hebrew zanáv (זָנָב). Literally "tail," metaphorically symbolizing the lowest position, subordination, inferiority, humiliation, and lack of power or influence. This is the direct opposite of being "the head," showing the complete and utter reversal of their promised destiny.
Words-group analysis:
- He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him: This phrase underscores the economic humiliation and loss of financial independence. Israel, once blessed to be a global lender (Deut 28:12), is now forced to borrow from those who were supposed to be subject to them, marking a complete role reversal.
- He shall be the head, and you shall be the tail: This depicts the political and social degradation. Israel was meant to be the leading nation, a "kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Ex 19:6), admired and sought after. Instead, they would be reduced to a state of subservience, obscurity, and powerlessness under the very nations they were meant to lead or influence.
Deuteronomy 28 44 Bonus section
The repeated structure of the curses in Deuteronomy 28 often uses "the foreigner" or "stranger" as agents or beneficiaries of Israel's decline (cf. vv. 33, 43). This highlights God's sovereignty even in judgment; He can use other nations, previously unrelated to Israel's covenant, as instruments to bring His discipline upon His disobedient people. This also serves as a strong warning against assimilation into foreign cultures and their idolatrous practices, as it leads directly to the loss of distinctiveness and ultimately, subjugation. The specific mention of lending and borrowing points to economic curses as fundamental to national power and autonomy. The loss of financial independence quickly leads to the loss of political freedom and self-determination, a reality many nations throughout history have experienced.
Deuteronomy 28 44 Commentary
Deuteronomy 28:44 presents a chilling prophecy of the consequences of covenant disobedience. It is not merely a hypothetical scenario but a powerful and concise summary of the total economic and social degradation awaiting Israel if they turned from Yahweh. The promise in Deut 28:13 states Israel will be "the head and not the tail," and Deut 28:12 indicates they will lend to nations. Verse 44 thus directly reverses these covenant blessings. The "foreigner" (or ger), who in many other places is to be protected by Israel, rises above them, showcasing the depth of God's disciplinary judgment. This was historically realized numerous times, notably during the periods of Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman domination, where Israel found themselves subjugated economically and politically, frequently under foreign rule and heavy taxation, serving foreign masters instead of leading them. The power dynamics of lending and borrowing, head and tail, sharply contrast the divinely intended prosperity and prominence with the abject poverty and servility born from spiritual straying.