Deuteronomy 28 59

Deuteronomy 28:59 kjv

Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

Deuteronomy 28:59 nkjv

then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues?great and prolonged plagues?and serious and prolonged sicknesses.

Deuteronomy 28:59 niv

the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses.

Deuteronomy 28:59 esv

then the LORD will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting.

Deuteronomy 28:59 nlt

then the LORD will overwhelm you and your children with indescribable plagues. These plagues will be intense and without relief, making you miserable and unbearably sick.

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 59 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:59 declares that if Israel persists in disobedience and fails to fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord, then God himself will bring upon them and their descendants uniquely severe, extraordinary, sure, and enduring plagues and diseases. These afflictions are described as beyond common experience, guaranteed to occur, and of long duration.

Deuteronomy 28 59 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 28 presents a stark dichotomy between the blessings promised for covenant obedience and the severe curses for disobedience. It forms the climax of Moses' second major speech to Israel, delivered just before they enter the promised land. The first fourteen verses describe unparalleled prosperity and divine favor, while the vast majority of the chapter, from verse 15 onwards, details a terrifying cascade of escalating curses. Verse 59 introduces a new level of divine judgment, signaling the profundity of Israel's potential rejection of their covenant Lord. It highlights that the punishments would be so intense and enduring that they would become a sign and a wonder to the generations and to all peoples. This echoes the structure of ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties, where paramount kings (suzerains) bound their lesser kings (vassals) with extensive lists of curses for disloyalty. God, as Israel's Suzerain, outlines the terrifying consequences of breaking their unique covenant with Him.

Deuteronomy 28 59 Word analysis

• then the Lord (וְהִפְלִיא יְהוָה, wəhiphli YHWH):

  • Lord (YHWH): Refers to the personal, covenant-making God of Israel, not an abstract deity. His direct involvement signifies the judgment originates solely from Him, not from chance.
  • will bring... extraordinary (hiphli from pālāʾ): This Hebrew verb means "to make wonderful," "to make marvelous," or "to distinguish, set apart." Here, in a negative sense, it means to make the afflictions extraordinary, unparalleled, or distinct in their severity. They are not typical human misfortunes but divinely orchestrated judgments of unique magnitude. It denotes God's unique and powerful intervention.

• on you and your offspring (עָלֶיךָ וְעַל־זַרְעֶךָ, ‘āleḵā wə‘al-zar‘eḵā):

  • you (‘āleḵā): Refers directly to the generation present at the covenant renewal.
  • your offspring (zar‘eḵā): Refers to future generations. This emphasizes the lasting and generational consequence of profound and persistent disobedience to God's covenant, affecting the nation over extended periods of time.

• extraordinary afflictions (מַכּוֹת גְּדֹלֹת, makkôt gəḏōlōt):

  • afflictions (makkôt): Literally "blows," "strokes," "plagues," or "smitings." Refers to direct, punitive judgments from God, often associated with epidemics or physical suffering.
  • extraordinary/great (gəḏōlōt): Meaning "great" or "mighty." When paired with hiphli, it means these "great blows" are uniquely or marvelously great in their destructive power.

• afflictions severe and lasting (וְנֶאֱמָנֹת, wəne’ĕmānōt):

  • severe/sure/faithful (ne’ĕmānōt): From āman, which means "to be firm, faithful, sure, trustworthy." In this context, it denotes that the afflictions are absolutely certain to come to pass as promised. Furthermore, it implies their lasting and persistent nature; they will not quickly subside or be easily overcome. The faithfulness is of God to His own warnings.

• and diseases grievous and lasting (וָחֳלָיִם רָעִים וְנֶאֱמָנִים, wāḥolāyîm rā‘îm wəne’ĕmānîm):

  • diseases (ḥolāyîm): Refers to sicknesses, illnesses, or maladies.
  • grievous/evil (rā‘îm): The Hebrew ra‘ here signifies not just physically unpleasant but morally or inherently bad, malign, harmful, severe, and destructive.
  • lasting/sure (ne’ĕmānîm): Repetition of the idea from the afflictions, emphasizing that these diseases are also certain, persistent, and not transient.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "then the Lord will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions...": Highlights God's active, direct, and powerful agency in judgment. The generational impact shows the profound and long-reaching consequences of breaking covenant with the living God. The term "extraordinary" underscores that these are divine judgments beyond natural occurrence or human intervention.
  • "...afflictions severe and lasting, and diseases grievous and lasting.": The parallelism and repetition of "severe/sure and lasting" for both "afflictions" and "diseases" strongly emphasize the certainty, intensity, and protracted duration of the promised judgment. This conveys a sense of inescapable and unrelenting suffering, contrasting sharply with the transient nature of normal sickness or trouble. It signifies a divine determination that these curses will run their full, dire course.

Deuteronomy 28 59 Bonus section

The Hebrew word pālāʾ (from which hiphli is derived) often translates to "marvelous" or "wondrous" when referring to God's works of salvation and deliverance (e.g., Exod 15:11; Ps 106:7). However, its usage here, in the context of judgment, conveys that the curses will be equally "wondrous" or "extraordinary" in their execution, testifying to the incomparable power and justice of the Lord. This divine attribute, manifested either in deliverance or destruction, always points to the uniqueness of God and His direct agency. This verse, therefore, paradoxically highlights God's ultimate sovereignty and distinctiveness through His capacity to bring unparalleled affliction, just as He can bring unparalleled blessing.

Deuteronomy 28 59 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:59 underscores the profound seriousness of Israel's covenant with the Lord, Yahweh. It conveys that persistent and profound disregard for God's name— His character, authority, and commands— would provoke an unprecedented level of divine judgment. This is not merely an unfortunate outcome but an active "bringing" by God Himself, marking His displeasure. The afflictions and diseases promised are described not only as "great" or "grievous" but "extraordinary," indicating they would be of a type and scale rarely seen, clearly bearing the stamp of divine intervention. More significantly, they are "lasting" and "sure" (or "faithful"), meaning they would undeniably come to pass as warned and endure for an extended period, profoundly affecting not just one generation but also their descendants. This highlights God's unswerving faithfulness to His word, whether in blessing or in cursing. The ultimate goal of such dire warnings was not merely punitive, but to instil a deep fear and reverence for the Lord, prompting obedience and steering His people away from the destructive path of apostasy and its inevitable consequences. Historically, Israel often experienced periods of severe national suffering and exile which were understood as the fulfillment of these very warnings.