Deuteronomy 7:14 kjv
Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
Deuteronomy 7:14 nkjv
You shall be blessed above all peoples; there shall not be a male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
Deuteronomy 7:14 niv
You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young.
Deuteronomy 7:14 esv
You shall be blessed above all peoples. There shall not be male or female barren among you or among your livestock.
Deuteronomy 7:14 nlt
You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.
Deuteronomy 7 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great…" | Abrahamic promise of blessings and nationhood |
| Exod 23:25-26 | "You shall serve the Lord your God... I will bless your bread... None shall suffer miscarriage or be barren..." | Blessings for serving God, specific fertility |
| Lev 26:3-9 | "If you walk in my statutes... I will give you your rains in their season... I will give you abundance." | Covenant blessings for obedience, fruitfulness |
| Deut 28:1-14 | "If you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord... blessed shall you be in the city... the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the increase of your livestock..." | Comprehensive blessings for obedience, includes fertility |
| Psa 115:14 | "May the Lord give you increase, more and more, you and your children." | Divine increase and progeny |
| Isa 1:19 | "If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;" | Blessing linked to willingness and obedience |
| 1 Sam 2:5 | "Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger; Hannah, the barren, has borne seven, but she who had many children has become feeble." | God's power over fertility, exalting the barren |
| Gal 3:8-9 | "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.'" | Blessing extends to Gentiles through faith |
| Gen 1:28 | "Be fruitful and multiply..." | First command to humans for fruitfulness |
| Psa 127:3 | "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward." | Children as a divine blessing and reward |
| Deut 7:6 | "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His treasured possession out of all the peoples on the face of the earth." | Israel's unique status, distinct from other nations |
| Deut 7:12-13 | "And because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant..." | Conditionality of the blessings |
| Deut 30:9 | "The Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb, and in the fruit of your livestock..." | Holistic prosperity promised for obedience |
| Josh 1:7-8 | "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law... that you may have good success wherever you go." | Success and prosperity through obedience |
| Mal 3:10 | "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse... see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more room." | Blessings linked to faithfulness (tithing) |
| Psa 107:38 | "He blesses them, and they multiply greatly, and He does not let their livestock diminish." | Divine increase for both people and animals |
| Heb 11:11 | "By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who had promised." | God's power over barrenness through faith |
| Luk 1:7 | "But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years." | Historical accounts of barrenness remedied by God |
| Jer 29:11 | "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." | God's benevolent plans for His people |
| 3 Jn 1:2 | "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." | Holistic well-being sought by God |
Deuteronomy 7 verses
Deuteronomy 7 14 Meaning
Deuteronomy 7:14 declares a covenantal blessing upon the people of Israel: that they will be supremely favored among all nations, and their community, including both humans and livestock, will experience complete fruitfulness, free from barrenness. This promise of abundant life and fertility is contingent upon their obedience to the LORD's commands and faithfulness to the covenant, demonstrating God's provision for the holistic well-being and proliferation of His chosen people.
Deuteronomy 7 14 Context
Deuteronomy chapter 7 falls within Moses' second discourse to the Israelites on the plains of Moab, just before they enter the promised land. This chapter is a pivotal instruction regarding their interaction with the pagan nations of Canaan. It reiterates Israel's unique status as a holy and chosen people of the LORD (Deut 7:6). The immediate verses leading up to 7:14 emphasize the divine command to utterly destroy the inhabitants and their idolatrous altars to prevent the Israelites from being lured into false worship (Deut 7:1-5). Verses 7-11 establish that God chose Israel not because of their size, but out of His enduring love and faithfulness to the oath He swore to their fathers. Verse 12 serves as the conditional pivot: "And because you listen to these judgments and keep and do them, the LORD your God will keep with you the covenant..." The blessing of verse 14, including freedom from barrenness, is directly tied to this obedient keeping of God's covenant, presenting a vivid contrast to the fruitlessness associated with idol worship and disobedience, and demonstrating the superiority of Yahweh as the true source of life and abundance.
Deuteronomy 7 14 Word analysis
"You shall be blessed":
- Hebrew: Baruch (בָּרוּךְ), related to bārakh (to kneel), signifying divine favor, enablement, and an outpouring of goodness.
- Significance: Not merely good fortune, but an active pronouncement and bestowal of well-being from God. It highlights God as the active giver of all good things.
"above all peoples":
- Hebrew: Mikkol ha‘ammim (מִכָּל הָעַמִּים), literally "from all the peoples" or "beyond all peoples."
- Significance: Emphasizes Israel's unique distinction and privilege, not because of their inherent greatness, but due to God's electing love. This points to a special divine protection and provision that other nations, worshipping other gods, would not experience. It contrasts with pagan ideas of national prosperity which relied on specific fertility cults or territorial deities.
"there shall not be a male or female barren":
- Hebrew: Lo' yihyeh vaqaq 'ishah 'aqarah (לֹא יִהְיֶה עָקָר וַעֲקָרָה), where 'aqar (עָקָר) refers to male infertility or one without offspring, and 'aqarah (עֲקָרָה) specifically means a barren woman.
- Significance: Fertility was of paramount importance in ancient societies, deeply tied to family lineage, social standing, and national strength. Barrenness was often seen as a curse. This promise is a powerful guarantee of the continuation and growth of the Israelite population, directly combating the fear of decline and embodying God's life-giving power over nature, distinct from pagan deities whose domains were often perceived as limited.
"among you":
- Hebrew: Bakh (בָּךְ), meaning "in you" or "among you" (referring to the people of Israel).
- Significance: The blessing is specifically for the covenant community.
"or among your livestock":
- Hebrew: Uvbəvhemtəkha (וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ), meaning "and in your livestock."
- Significance: Extends the blessing of fertility and fruitfulness beyond human procreation to the vital economic and agricultural resources of the community. Livestock were essential for wealth, food, transport, and offerings. This demonstrates the holistic nature of God's blessing, covering all aspects of their earthly life and prosperity.
"Blessed above all peoples... barren among you or among your livestock" (phrase group):
- Significance: This coupling powerfully asserts Yahweh's absolute sovereignty over all life, fruitfulness, and prosperity, directly contrasting with the limited and often impotent claims of the gods worshipped by surrounding nations. The prosperity promised includes both human and animal populations, guaranteeing a thriving community both demographically and economically, thereby securing Israel's strength and continuity as a chosen nation. It reinforces that genuine blessing, including that of abundant life, flows directly and exclusively from the one true God, rather than from pagan fertility rites.
Deuteronomy 7 14 Bonus section
The promise of fruitfulness and lack of barrenness, encompassing both people and livestock, implicitly highlights the hesed (loyal love and covenant faithfulness) of God. This divine promise sets Israel apart, illustrating that their prosperity is not based on geopolitical power or adherence to pagan fertility rites, but on a unique, personal relationship with the God who controls life itself. The blessings mentioned here, particularly those of progeny and thriving livestock, directly relate to foundational Abrahamic promises and underscore God's intent for Israel to multiply and fill the land. This divine care covers the very essentials of life for an ancient nomadic-agricultural society. The mention of 'male or female' highlights that barrenness, whether in a man or a woman, was seen as a profound issue addressed directly by God. It signifies comprehensive health and vitality across all segments of their population.
Deuteronomy 7 14 Commentary
Deuteronomy 7:14 serves as a magnificent testament to God's desire for the flourishing of His chosen people, Israel, conditional upon their unwavering obedience. The promise of being "blessed above all peoples" establishes Israel's unique standing, a distinction rooted not in their merit but in God's covenant love. This blessing translates tangibly into practical life—the absence of barrenness among both men and women ensures population growth and generational continuity, a cornerstone of divine promise stretching back to Abraham. Extending this promise to livestock highlights a holistic prosperity, essential for an agrarian society dependent on these animals for sustenance and wealth. This divine assurance stands as a direct counter-claim to the regional pagan beliefs, which attributed fertility to idols like Baal and Asherah; Deuteronomy emphatically declares Yahweh alone as the source of all life and abundance. Ultimately, the verse illustrates the direct benefits of covenant fidelity, manifesting in complete societal and ecological well-being, serving as a sign of God's faithfulness when His people remain faithful to Him.