Deuteronomy 28 68

Deuteronomy 28:68 kjv

And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

Deuteronomy 28:68 nkjv

"And the LORD will take you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, 'You shall never see it again.' And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you."

Deuteronomy 28:68 niv

The LORD will send you back in ships to Egypt on a journey I said you should never make again. There you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.

Deuteronomy 28:68 esv

And the LORD will bring you back in ships to Egypt, a journey that I promised that you should never make again; and there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer."

Deuteronomy 28:68 nlt

Then the LORD will send you back to Egypt in ships, to a destination I promised you would never see again. There you will offer to sell yourselves to your enemies as slaves, but no one will buy you."

Deuteronomy 28 verses

Deuteronomy 28 68 Meaning

Deuteronomy 28:68 is the culmination of the curses for disobedience, prophesying Israel's ultimate degradation. It declares that the LORD will personally orchestrate their return to a state akin to their former bondage in Egypt, not as freed people but as merchandise. This deportation will be by sea, an ironic reversal of their Exodus liberation. There, they will be sold as slaves to their enemies, stripped of dignity and value, to such an extent that "no man shall buy you," signifying utter hopelessness and a lack of any human or divine deliverer in their desolate state.

Deuteronomy 28 68 Context

Deuteronomy chapter 28 presents a stark exposition of the blessings and curses dependent upon Israel's covenant obedience. The first fourteen verses describe bountiful blessings, while the remaining verses, 15 through 68, detail progressively dire consequences for disobedience. Verse 68 is the climactic and most terrifying of these curses, marking the lowest point of judgment. It represents an extreme reversal of Israel's founding story: liberation from Egyptian bondage. Historically, this prophecy looks forward to the various exiles and dispersals that befell Israel due to their unfaithfulness, where they were indeed scattered among nations, losing their land and identity as a free people, and often enduring servitude. It directly opposes the foundational act of their redemption and highlights God's sovereign hand in both blessing and judgment according to the covenant.

Deuteronomy 28 68 Word analysis

• And the LORD (וְיִהְוֶה, wəyihveh): Emphasizes God Himself as the initiator and orchestrator of this severe judgment. This curse is not a random misfortune but a deliberate act of divine covenant enforcement, highlighting His absolute sovereignty.
• shall bring thee (יְשִׁיבְךָ, yešīvḵā): Future tense, indicating a prophetic pronouncement. The Hebrew verb implies an act of causing return or bringing back. It is a forceful, active bringing.
• into Egypt (מִצְרַיִם, Miṣrayim): The quintessential land of slavery, idolatry, and oppression, from which God miraculously delivered Israel in the Exodus. Its mention here signifies a terrifying reversal of their liberation and a return to their deepest fears.
• again (שֵׁנִית, šēnîṯ): Denotes a second time or repetition. This word intensifies the irony and horror, implying a return to the very suffering from which God once redeemed them. It undermines their identity as God's redeemed people.
• with ships (בָּאֳנִיּוֹת, bāʾŏniyyôṯ): This is a highly significant detail. The original Exodus deliverance involved crossing the Red Sea on dry ground (Exod 14). Being transported "with ships" implies a forced, demeaning deportation, possibly across the Mediterranean. It contrasts sharply with their miraculous deliverance, highlighting their lack of dignity and agency as they are packed and moved as cargo. This detail could point to later historical events, such as the slave trade routes after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, where many Jews were transported by sea to various parts of the Roman Empire as slaves.
• by the way whereof I spake unto thee (בַּדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי לָךְ, bad·de·reḵ ʼăšer ʼāmar·tî lāḵ): Directly refers to a prior divine instruction. This likely alludes to Deuteronomy 17:16, where God explicitly forbade their king from multiplying horses for himself or causing the people to "return no more that way" to Egypt. This repetition of the path out of Egypt means either the path taken from Egypt, or the very destination itself. Now, this very forbidden path becomes the route back into bondage, making the curse a direct consequence of defying divine prohibition.
• Thou shalt see it no more again (לֹא תֹסִיף עוֹד לִרְאוֹתָהּ, lō ṯōsîf ‘ôḏ lirʼōṯāh): This phrase echoes the divine promise in Exodus 14:13 regarding the Egyptians, "the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again." Here, however, it's used in a highly ironic and dreadful way. It could mean they will not again see "the way of liberty" they experienced at the Exodus, or they will not see "Egypt" in its role as a place they could once more flee to, as forbidden. More likely, it refers to seeing the land of freedom, or seeing the way out of bondage as they once did. The path (the one leading out of Egypt in freedom) will be forever lost to them; they are utterly condemned to remain in bondage.
• and there ye shall be sold (וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּם, wəhiṯmakkar·tem): The verb "to sell" (מָכַר, māḵar) implies becoming property, stripped of human dignity and autonomy. The use of the reflexive/reciprocal Hithpael stem might suggest they are responsible for their own being "sold" or offering themselves up, though often interpreted passively in this context, meaning they will be sold. It speaks to extreme vulnerability and objectification.
• unto your enemies (לְאֹיְבֶיךָ, ləʼōyḇeḵā): Your adversaries, those who are hostile to you. They are not merely becoming indentured servants but are enslaved by their tormentors.
• for bondmen and bondwomen (לַעֲבָדִים וְלִשְׁפָחוֹת, la‘ăḇāḏîm wəlišp̄āḥôṯ): Explicitly stating their status as male and female slaves. This term defines their ultimate low status, without rights or possessions, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of their subjugation.
• and no man shall buy you (וְאֵין קֹנֶה, wəʼên qōneh): This is the devastating final phrase. "No man" implies no human go'el or kinsman-redeemer (Lev 25) will be able or willing to purchase their freedom. They will be in such an abject and hopeless state that even in the slave market, they hold no value, or there is no one left to perform an act of mercy or redemption for them. This signifies utter despair, abandonment, and a condition beyond human salvation, pointing to God having withdrawn even the slightest avenue of relief.

Words-group analysis

• "And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships": This phrase sets up the ultimate reversal of the Exodus. Instead of a divine liberation from Egypt by miraculous means, it's a divine judgment returning them to Egypt (or an Egyptian-like bondage) via ordinary, yet undignified, commercial or punitive transport. This highlights God's role in the curse and the profound irony of their punishment.
• "by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again": This segment underscores the deliberate violation of God's prior command and promise. The path, once forbidden for seeking Egyptian reliance or for their return to Egypt for safety, now becomes the very path of their enforced servitude, removing any hope of returning to their homeland. The "no more again" transforms from a statement of past liberation's permanence into a declaration of future perpetual bondage and hopelessness concerning their homeland.
• "and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you": This section describes the profound degradation and ultimate despair. Being "sold" objectifies them, stripping identity and freedom. Being sold to "enemies" ensures cruel treatment. The mention of "bondmen and bondwomen" confirms absolute slavery. Most crushingly, "no man shall buy you" suggests they are so worthless or abandoned that no human will redeem them, implying a complete lack of human mercy, a permanent state of subjugation, and abandonment even in the slave market.

Deuteronomy 28 68 Bonus section

This verse carries profound implications for both historical interpretation and theological understanding. Historically, many scholars see this verse as prophetic not only of the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, where some Israelites were indeed carried off by foreign powers, but also more significantly of the Jewish Diaspora after the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE. During this period, large numbers of Jews were captured and sold into slavery throughout the Roman Empire, often transported across the Mediterranean Sea on ships, losing their national homeland and freedom for many centuries. This specific curse emphasizes that unlike the Exodus where God was their rescuer, in their covenant disobedience, God Himself orchestrates their judgment. The theological impact is immense, serving as a powerful reminder of the conditional nature of the Old Covenant. It stands in stark contrast to the New Covenant in Christ, where believers, once "sold under sin" (Rom 7:14) and utterly helpless, find redemption and freedom not through human buyers but through the divine act of Christ, who paid the ultimate price, "not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ" (1 Pet 1:18-19), ensuring that for His redeemed, there is indeed a Buyer.

Deuteronomy 28 68 Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:68 presents the ultimate curse for Israel's unfaithfulness, reversing the very foundation of their national identity—the Exodus. God Himself, who delivered them from Egypt, prophesies their return to an equivalent state of bondage. The means, "with ships," highlights a dehumanizing mass deportation, a stark contrast to their miraculous, land-based escape from Pharaoh. The path that was forbidden for their independent return now becomes the route of their forced exile, emphasizing a dire consequence of rejecting God's clear instruction. The most profound and tragic aspect is their commodification and the subsequent inability to find any human redeemer. To be "sold" implies utter degradation, but for "no man to buy you" speaks of complete worthlessness in the eyes of their captors, or a total absence of a benevolent party. This final statement points to a state of total despair, abandoned by human compassion and seemingly left without recourse, emphasizing the severity of God's covenant judgment upon chronic disobedience. It shows that ultimate salvation can only come from a divine redeemer.