Deuteronomy 28 52

Deuteronomy 28:52 kjv

And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

Deuteronomy 28:52 nkjv

"They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the LORD your God has given you.

Deuteronomy 28:52 niv

They will lay siege to all the cities throughout your land until the high fortified walls in which you trust fall down. They will besiege all the cities throughout the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 28:52 esv

"They shall besiege you in all your towns, until your high and fortified walls, in which you trusted, come down throughout all your land. And they shall besiege you in all your towns throughout all your land, which the LORD your God has given you.

Deuteronomy 28:52 nlt

They will attack your cities until all the fortified walls in your land ? the walls you trusted to protect you ? are knocked down. They will attack all the towns in the land the LORD your God has given you.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 52 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:52 describes a severe curse upon disobedient Israel: enemies will besiege them in all their towns, leading to the destruction of their highest and most trusted fortified walls throughout the land given to them by the Lord. This signifies total military conquest and loss of security, emphasizing that their human defenses, in which they placed their confidence, would fail spectacularly under divine judgment.

Deuteronomy 28 52 Context

Deuteronomy 28 outlines the blessings for obedience to the covenant and, primarily, the curses for disobedience. Verses 15-68 describe increasingly severe judgments, illustrating the progressive unraveling of the covenant relationship and its blessings due to persistent sin. Verse 52 specifically details one aspect of this judgment: the brutal siege of Israelite cities by foreign invaders. In ancient Near Eastern societies, cities, particularly fortified ones, were symbols of power, security, and wealth. Their walls provided the primary defense against enemies. The phrase "in which you trusted" implies that Israel's security would lie not in their strongholds but in their covenant fidelity to the Lord. The destruction of these trusted defenses, especially "throughout all your land," signifies complete subjugation, loss of national sovereignty, and the failure of any human efforts to resist divine judgment. This historical context reveals how reliant communities were on their fortifications, making their downfall a particularly devastating outcome.

Deuteronomy 28 52 Word analysis

• They shall besiege you (וְהֵצֵר֙ לְךָ֜ - wəhētsēr ləkā):
  • וְהֵצֵר֙ (wəhētsēr): From the root צָרַר (tsarar), meaning to bind, tie up, oppress, confine, be an adversary, to distress, or specifically to besiege. The Hiphil imperfect form indicates causing distress or besieging. It emphasizes an active, aggressive, and oppressive action. Its implication here is sustained pressure and encirclement.
  • לְךָ֜ (ləkā): "for you" or "to you," indicating the direct object and recipient of this hostile action – the Israelites.
• in all your towns (בְּכׇל־שַׁעֲרֶיךָ֙ - bəkol-sha‘areyḵā):
  • שַׁעֲרֶיךָ֙ (sha‘areyḵā): Literally "your gates," referring to the gateways of a city, which often represented the city itself (as major public gathering and defense points), and its entire populace. This signifies the besieging of every populated center, leaving no refuge. It highlights the pervasive and inescapable nature of the judgment.
• until your high (גְבֹהֹ֥ת - gəvōhot) and fortified (בְּצֻרֹ֖ת - bətsurot) walls:
  • גְבֹהֹ֥ת (gəvōhot): "high ones," emphasizing impressive height, designed for defense and perhaps as a display of human might and security.
  • בְּצֻרֹ֖ת (bətsurot): From the root בָצַר (batsar), meaning to cut off, fence in, or fortify. Here, "fortified," referring to walls made strong, impregnable. It highlights the sense of security and trust they once provided.
  • Together, "high and fortified walls" speak to human ingenuity, power, and the perceived invulnerability of their defenses.
• in which you trusted (בָּטַחְתָּ֨ - bāṭaḥtā):
  • בָּטַחְתָּ֨ (bāṭaḥtā): From the root בָּטַח (batach), meaning to trust, confide in, rely on, feel secure. This is a critical word, indicating misplaced confidence. Instead of trusting solely in the Lord who gives protection and land, they would come to rely on their physical fortifications. This reliance on human works rather than divine provision is often condemned in Scripture. It implies idolatry of human strength.
• come down (תֵרַ֖דְנָה - teraḏna):
  • תֵרַ֖דְנָה (teraḏna): From the root יָרַד (yarad), meaning to go down, descend, fall. This signifies the complete destruction and collapse of these once-mighty defenses. The image is one of devastating collapse.
• throughout all your land (בְּכׇל־אַרְצֶ֑ךָ - bəkol-ʾartseḵā):
  • This phrase underscores the universal scope of the judgment. Not just a few cities, but every city across the entire God-given land would experience this downfall.
• which the Lord your God has given you (אֲשֶׁר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֧יךָ נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ - ʾăšer Yahweh ʾĔloheykha nātan-lākh):
  • This poignant clause highlights the tragic irony. The very land given as a blessing by God would become the theatre of judgment. It emphasizes divine ownership and the covenant breaking as the cause. The gift turns into a curse when the giver is forsaken.

Deuteronomy 28 52 Bonus section

The repetitive nature of "They shall besiege you in all your towns" at the beginning and end of the verse emphasizes the overwhelming and inescapable nature of this specific curse. It implies a total encirclement and deprivation of relief, stressing the severity and breadth of the judgment. The inclusion of the geographical scope, "throughout all your land," given by God underscores that not a single part of their God-given heritage would escape the devastation due to their sin. This verse thus functions as a chilling reminder of the fragility of human-made security in the face of divine wrath, challenging believers throughout history to assess where their ultimate trust lies. It speaks to a profound theological truth that only God is the true fortress and deliverer.

Deuteronomy 28 52 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:52 paints a stark picture of the consequences of Israel's apostasy. The curse describes an unrelenting siege, not just of a few isolated strongholds, but of "all your towns." The specific mention of "high and fortified walls" and the explicit declaration "in which you trusted" points to the fundamental issue: Israel's tendency to rely on human constructs and military might rather than the faithful covenant-keeping power of the Lord their God. This misplaced trust is shown to be futile as these formidable defenses would "come down" completely. The judgment would be pervasive, affecting "throughout all your land," underscoring the completeness of the calamity. The final clause, "which the Lord your God has given you," adds a poignant layer of irony and grief. The very land promised, acquired, and secured by divine power would become vulnerable and devastated due to disobedience, serving as a powerful lesson that true security lies solely in God's provision and protection, not in human strength or ingenuity. This prophecy saw fulfillment in various historical events, most notably the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, both times fortified cities fell because divine favor was withdrawn. The message is timeless: our confidence must always be in the Lord alone.