Deuteronomy 28 51

Deuteronomy 28:51 kjv

And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

Deuteronomy 28:51 nkjv

And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you.

Deuteronomy 28:51 niv

They will devour the young of your livestock and the crops of your land until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine or olive oil, nor any calves of your herds or lambs of your flocks until you are ruined.

Deuteronomy 28:51 esv

It shall eat the offspring of your cattle and the fruit of your ground, until you are destroyed; it also shall not leave you grain, wine, or oil, the increase of your herds or the young of your flock, until they have caused you to perish.

Deuteronomy 28:51 nlt

Its armies will devour your livestock and crops, and you will be destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine, olive oil, calves, or lambs, and you will starve to death.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 51 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:51 describes a severe curse upon the Israelites for their disobedience to the covenant. It vividly portrays an invading nation, sent by God, that will consume every aspect of their livelihood. This foreign enemy will eat all their agricultural produce from the ground (grain, new wine, oil) and the increase of their livestock (herds and flocks), stripping them completely of all sustenance and economic resources. The repetition of "until you are destroyed" emphasizes the absolute and devastating nature of this judgment, indicating not just hardship but complete national ruin.

Deuteronomy 28 51 Context

This verse is found within Deuteronomy Chapter 28, a pivotal chapter in the Mosaic covenant, delivered by Moses to the Israelites on the plains of Moab before their entry into the Promised Land. The chapter meticulously details the consequences of Israel's faithfulness or unfaithfulness to God's commands. Verses 1-14 outline the lavish blessings for obedience, while verses 15-68 delineate severe curses for disobedience. Deuteronomy 28:51 falls squarely within the curses section, specifically among the warnings about economic devastation and oppression by foreign nations if Israel were to turn away from God.

Historically, these curses were profoundly realized during the Assyrian invasions and later, the Babylonian exile. Invading empires like Assyria and Babylon systematically conquered, besieged, and plundered Israel and Judah, consuming their resources and carrying off their produce and people, directly fulfilling the prophecies of this verse. This served as a polemic against contemporary polytheistic beliefs, demonstrating that Israel's well-being and security depended solely on their relationship with YHWH, not on the supposed power of idols or the inherent fertility of the land.

Deuteronomy 28 51 Word analysis

• "It shall eat" (אָכַל - akal): The Hebrew verb means "to eat," "to consume," or "to devour." The impersonal "it" refers to the foreign, swift, and fierce nation introduced in preceding verses (Deut 28:49-50), signifying that this devouring is an act of an enemy agent, specifically sent or permitted by God as judgment. It highlights the completeness and voracity of the consumption.
• "the offspring of your livestock" (יְבוּל בְּהֶמְתְּךָ - yevul behemtəkā):
  • Yevul refers to "produce," "yield," or "increase."
  • Behemah means "livestock," "cattle," or "domestic animals."This phrase indicates the loss of the natural increase of their herds and flocks—the young animals essential for sustenance, dairy, wool, and future prosperity. This strike goes beyond consuming existing food; it attacks the means of future production.
• "and the produce of your ground" (וּפְרִי אַדְמָתְךָ - ūpərī ’admātəḵā):
  • Pəri means "fruit" or "produce."
  • ’Admāh refers to "ground" or "land."This covers all agricultural yield from farming, signaling a complete economic assault on both pastoral and agrarian foundations.
• "until you are destroyed" (עַד הַשָּׁבְרֶךָ - ‘ad haššāvəreḵā):
  • ‘Ad means "until."
  • Haššāvərāh (from the root shāvar) means "breaking," "shattering," or "utter ruin."This phrase emphasizes the process leading to complete and final national devastation, not merely a temporary setback.
• "which it leaves you neither grain" (אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יַעֲזָב לְךָ דָּגָן - ’ăšer lo-ya‘azāv ləḵā dāgān):
  • Lo-ya‘azāv: "does not leave." Highlights absolute stripping, nothing spared.
  • Dāgān: Refers to "grain" (e.g., wheat, barley), the staple crop and foundational food source in the ancient Near East.
• "new wine" (תִּירוֹשׁ - tîrōš): Unfermented or freshly pressed grape juice. Along with grain and oil, tîrōš often symbolizes the bounty and blessing of the land. Its absence signifies spiritual as well as physical famine.
• "nor oil" (וְיִצְהָר - wəyiṣhār): Olive oil, a crucial commodity for cooking, anointing, lighting, and trade. This triad of grain, new wine, and oil (dāgān, tîrōš, yiṣhār) consistently appears in biblical texts as a symbol of agricultural prosperity and God's blessing. Their removal signifies a complete reversal of divine favor.
• "nor the increase of your herds" (וְעַשְׁתֵּרֹת בְּקָרֶיךָ - wə‘aštērōt bəqāreyḵā):
  • ‘Aštērōt (from the root ‘āšār): "riches," "increase," or "produce."
  • Bāqār: "cattle," "oxen."This again signifies the consumption of calves and other young large livestock, representing the wealth accumulated from large animal husbandry.
• "or the lambs of your flock" (וְיֶבֶל צֹאנֶךָ - wəyēḇel ṣō’neḵā):
  • Yēḇel: Similar to yevul, meaning "produce" or "increase."
  • Ṣō’n: "flock" (sheep and/or goats).This completes the picture of livestock devastation, indicating the consumption of young small animals.
• "until it has destroyed you" (עַד הַאֲבִדֶךָ - ‘ad ha’abbiḏeḵā):
  • ‘Ad means "until."
  • Ha’abbiḏeḵā (from ’ābaḏ): "to perish," "to be destroyed," or "to vanish."This second occurrence of "until it has destroyed you" serves as a powerful rhetorical device, reiterating and intensifying the message of total ruin. The use of two different but complementary Hebrew verbs for "destruction" (shāvar and ’ābaḏ) underscores the certainty and severity of the judgment—a comprehensive undoing of the nation.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "It shall eat the offspring of your livestock and the produce of your ground": This initial sweeping statement encompasses the entire economic base of ancient Israelite society – both pastoral (raising animals) and agrarian (farming). It signals a complete and systematic destruction of their economic self-sufficiency.
• "until you are destroyed... until it has destroyed you": The repeated phrase, utilizing two distinct Hebrew verbs for "destroy," dramatically underscores the absolute finality and certainty of the judgment. It's not just a setback, but an inexorable path to ruin and extinction from the land, which emphasizes God's judicial intent.
• "which it leaves you neither grain, new wine, nor oil, nor the increase of your herds or the lambs of your flock": This detailed enumeration specifies the very components of sustenance and prosperity. Grain, new wine, and oil are fundamental to human survival and are frequently mentioned as blessings of the land. The further mention of "increase of your herds" and "lambs of your flock" specifies that the very means of regeneration and future provision for both large and small livestock are wiped out, illustrating a complete stripping of current and future resources.

Deuteronomy 28 51 Bonus section

• The devastating scenario described in this verse directly contrasts with the "land flowing with milk and honey" and the promise of abundance (Deut 11:13-14) that were contingent upon obedience.
• The specificity of the food items (grain, new wine, oil) and livestock categories (herds, flock) indicates that this curse targeted the entirety of Israel's agrarian and pastoral economy, which formed the bedrock of their society.
• This verse paints a grim picture of conditions typical during prolonged sieges of fortified cities, where resources within the walls would be completely depleted, and outside, invading armies would consume all surrounding crops and animals. This historical reality would have resonated strongly with the original audience, who understood the horrors of ancient warfare and sieges.
• The underlying theological principle is that all blessings, including material prosperity, derive from YHWH, and withdrawal of His favor leads to an opposite state of deprivation and ruin.

Deuteronomy 28 51 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:51 provides a stark illustration of the consequences of covenant disloyalty. It vividly portrays a state of complete economic devastation brought about by divine judgment through foreign invasion. The curse ensures that nothing is left to the Israelites – not only are their current stores of food consumed, but also the future capacity to produce (offspring of livestock, new produce). This total depletion means that life as a community in the land would become unsustainable, directly leading to their "destruction" and eventual removal from the land promised to them. The repeated emphasis on "until you are destroyed" drives home the comprehensive and inescapable nature of God's righteous wrath against persistent rebellion, leaving no aspect of national well-being untouched by the calamity. It serves as a dire warning that true prosperity and security depend solely on obedient faithfulness to YHWH, highlighting His ultimate sovereignty over all provisions and the destiny of nations.