Deuteronomy 28 48

Deuteronomy 28:48 kjv

Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

Deuteronomy 28:48 nkjv

therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:48 niv

therefore in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and dire poverty, you will serve the enemies the LORD sends against you. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:48 esv

therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:48 nlt

you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything. The LORD will put an iron yoke on your neck, oppressing you harshly until he has destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 48 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:48 declares that as a consequence of national disobedience to God's covenant, the Israelites would be utterly subjected to their enemies. These adversaries, specifically ordained by the Lord, would reduce them to abject poverty, hunger, thirst, and nakedness. The verse portrays a complete deprivation of basic necessities and an extreme, unyielding servitude, likened to an iron yoke, culminating in their ultimate destruction and removal from their land.

Deuteronomy 28 48 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 28 presents a stark dichotomy between blessings and curses. Verses 1-14 detail the abundant blessings promised for obedience to God's covenant commands. Conversely, verses 15-68 enumerate the severe and escalating curses for disobedience, emphasizing the catastrophic consequences of breaking faith with the Lord. Verse 48 falls deep within this latter section, highlighting the nadir of Israel's national humiliation and suffering if they persist in rebellion. It follows curses of illness, defeat in battle, and agricultural failure, pushing the consequences to an extreme of utter destitution and subjugation to foreign powers. Historically, this verse finds powerful echoes in the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, and later the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, where the people faced immense suffering, famine, and loss of their land and independence. The broader context of Deuteronomy is a renewal of the covenant at the threshold of the promised land, serving as a solemn warning and a prophetic outline of future events depending on their faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 28 48 Word analysis

• therefore (לָכֵן, lākhēn): This adverb functions as a conclusion, explicitly linking the severe judgment described to the preceding and ongoing covenant violations mentioned in Deut 28. It signifies a direct, inevitable consequence.

• you shall serve (וַעֲבַדְתָּ, va‘avadtā): From the root עָבַד (ʿāvad), meaning "to work, to serve, to be a slave." This indicates forced labor, abject servitude, and a complete loss of freedom and sovereignty, emphasizing a reversal from their prior liberation from Egyptian bondage (Dt 6:21-23). The choice to serve false gods leads directly to serving human oppressors.

• your enemies (אֹיְבֶיךָ, ʾoyvēkha): The hostile nations and peoples around them. This highlights God's agency, as these enemies are not mere happenstance, but are tools in the Lord's hand.

• whom the Lord will send against you (אֲשֶׁר יְשַׁלְּחֶנּוּ יְהוָה בָּךְ, ʾašer yᵊšalləḥennū Yahweh bākh): This phrase emphasizes divine sovereignty and purpose behind the calamities. It's not arbitrary misfortune but a deliberate act of Yahweh, underscoring that their judgment comes directly from the covenant God they betrayed. It counters any belief that these enemies operate independently of God's will.

• in hunger (בְּרָעָב, bᵊrâ‘āv): Famine, starvation. This describes a state of utter deprivation of the most basic human need for sustenance.

• in thirst (וּבְצָמָא, ūvᵊtsāmâʾ): Parched, unquenchable desire for water. Further emphasizes the desolation and lack of fundamental resources.

• in nakedness (וּבְעֵירֹם, ūvᵊ‘êrōm): Destitution, exposed and unprotected, lacking even adequate clothing. This signifies extreme poverty and vulnerability, loss of dignity and protection.

• and in the lack of all things (וּבְחֶסֶר כֹּל, ūvᵊḥeser kol): A comprehensive summary of complete material deprivation. It signifies that nothing would be abundant, and every necessity would be scarce, painting a picture of total destitution and desperation.

• and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck (וְנָתַן עֹל בַּרְזֶל עַל צַוָּארֶךָ, vᵊnāthan ‘ōl barzel ‘al tsawwāʾrekha):

  • yoke of iron (עֹל בַּרְזֶל, ‘ōl barzel): A powerful metaphor for harsh, unyielding, and inescapable servitude and oppression. While yokes were typically made of wood (cf. Jer 28:13), an "iron yoke" signifies an utterly unbreakable and excruciating bondage, far more severe than normal. It suggests an unbearable weight and an inability to break free. It underscores the severity and permanence of their enslavement, unlike the more flexible wooden yoke which could be broken.

• until He has destroyed you (עַד הִשְׁמִידוֹ אֹתָךְ, ‘ad hišmîdô ʾōthākh): From the root שָׁמַד (šāmad), meaning "to destroy, annihilate, exterminate." This signifies utter ruin, national decimation, and exile, often to the point of extinction or removal from the land promised to them. It underscores the ultimate and devastating outcome of persistent rebellion against God.

Deuteronomy 28 48 Bonus section

The curses described in Deuteronomy 28, especially verse 48, contain elements of ancient Near Eastern treaty patterns. In these suzerainty treaties, the conquering king (suzerain) would outline conditions and consequences for his vassal states. Blessings followed loyalty, and curses—often involving famine, defeat, exile, and desolation—followed disloyalty. This structure underscored God's position as Israel's divine King, demanding exclusive allegiance. The specific calamities listed were not random but were common features of warfare and conquest in that era, reinforcing the prophetic nature of the text. Furthermore, the reversal of blessing is complete: from being lenders, they become borrowers; from enjoying prosperity, they experience abject lack; from being heads of nations, they become tails, subservient to their oppressors.

Deuteronomy 28 48 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:48 stands as a grave warning, outlining the terrifying depth of judgment for national disobedience to God's covenant. It reveals that the Lord would not merely allow misfortune, but would actively dispatch hostile nations as instruments of His righteous indignation. The imagery used, "hunger, thirst, nakedness, and lack of all things," depicts an all-encompassing deprivation, robbing the people of their dignity, comfort, and very survival. The "yoke of iron" is particularly potent, symbolizing a servitude far more grievous and inescapable than any known human oppression, sealing their fate under a harsh, divine decree. This complete subjugation and destitution would persist "until He has destroyed you," pointing to national decimation, dispersion, and exile, serving as a historical foreshadowing of the Assyrian, Babylonian, and later Roman conquests and expulsions of the Jewish people from their land. The verse serves as a powerful reminder of God's covenant fidelity, upholding both His promises of blessing for obedience and His terrifying faithfulness in executing curses for rebellion.