Leviticus 26 14

Leviticus 26:14 kjv

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;

Leviticus 26:14 nkjv

'But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments,

Leviticus 26:14 niv

"?'But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands,

Leviticus 26:14 esv

"But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments,

Leviticus 26:14 nlt

"However, if you do not listen to me or obey all these commands,

Leviticus 26 verses

Leviticus 26 14 Meaning

Leviticus 26:14 serves as a pivotal warning, marking the transition from the promised blessings for covenant obedience to the dire curses for disobedience. It stipulates the foundational condition for God's impending judgments: if the Israelites willfully refuse to heed God's instructions and neglect to diligently perform all His established commands, negative repercussions will inevitably follow. This verse underscores that the continuity of covenant blessing is contingent upon steadfast and comprehensive obedience, inherently linking an act of deliberate "not listening" to a corresponding failure in "not carrying out" God's directives.

Leviticus 26 14 Context

Leviticus 26 constitutes the concluding discourse of the "Holiness Code" (chapters 17-26), acting as the theological summation of the Sinai covenant. Preceded by extensive laws on priestly conduct, sacrifices, purity, and sacred feasts, this chapter functions as a critical appendix, explicitly detailing the reciprocal implications of the covenant relationship. Verses 3-13 describe God's bountiful blessings—prosperity, peace, fruitfulness, and divine presence—that await a truly obedient Israel. However, verse 14 initiates the counter-declaration, unveiling a severe catalog of escalating curses (vv. 14-39), including plagues, military defeat, famine, desolation of their land, and ultimately, forced exile. This blessing-and-curse framework is a common feature in ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal treaties, where a superior sovereign outlined terms, rewards, and punishments for a dependent nation. For Israel, this established Yahweh as their sole divine King, whose authority demanded complete fidelity, with their continued possession of the promised land irrevocably tied to their corporate obedience to His holy statutes.

Leviticus 26 14 Word analysis

• "But if" (וְאִם - ve'im): This conjunctive phrase sharply introduces a contingent alternative, creating a powerful contrast with the preceding promises of blessing. It implies a distinct choice with inevitable, opposite outcomes, initiating the conditional clause for the curses.
• "you will not listen" (לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ - lo tish'me'u): The Hebrew verb shama (שָׁמַע) conveys a deeper meaning than mere hearing; it denotes active heeding, understanding, and obedient response. "Not listening" implies an inner refusal or rejection of divine instruction, a spiritual stubbornness and defiance of God's voice and authority.
• "to me" (לִי - li): This direct address emphasizes the personal nature of the covenant. The refusal to listen is not to abstract laws, but directly to God Himself, indicating a breakdown in the relational aspect of their covenant with the divine Lawgiver.
• "and will not carry out" (וְלֹא תַעֲשׂוּ - ve'lo ta'asu): From the root asah (עָשָׂה), meaning "to do," "perform," or "make." This phrase links the internal refusal to hear with the external failure to act. It clarifies that genuine covenant loyalty demands not just intellectual reception of God's word, but its practical application and fulfillment in one's life.
• "all" (כָּל - kol): This comprehensive term emphasizes the holistic and unreserved nature of the demanded obedience. It signals that partial obedience or selective adherence to commands is insufficient, stressing the integrity and indivisibility of God's covenantal requirements.
• "these commandments" (הַמִּצְוֹת הָאֵלֶּה - hammitz'vot ha'e'leh): Refers to the collective body of divine decrees, laws, and ordinances (the mitzvot) that God had just given to Israel through Moses. It encompasses the entirety of the Mosaic covenant, reiterating that the consequences are for disregard of the whole revealed will of God.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "But if you will not listen to me": This initial clause diagnoses the core problem as a spiritual deafness and disinterest in God's direct word. It is a refusal to yield one's will to the divine Speaker, prioritizing self over divine authority and setting the stage for subsequent external disobedience.
• "and will not carry out all these commandments": This second clause outlines the observable manifestation of that inner rebellion. It’s not just a failure to know what God commands, but a failure to do it. The use of "all" stresses that selective obedience is not true obedience; God expects a full-orbed adherence to His revealed will as a coherent whole. The link between "listen" and "carry out" reinforces that genuine obedience is a holistic act of both hearing with an obedient heart and enacting that which is heard.
• "not listen to me and will not carry out all these commandments": Together, these phrases depict a twofold, intentional breach of covenant. It portrays a people characterized by both internal rejection of God's voice and external defiance of His specific laws. This composite failure constitutes a grave and deliberate act of rebellion, warranting the severe consequences that God, as the divine Suzerain, had stipulated in the covenant treaty.

Leviticus 26 14 Bonus section

This specific verse, along with the entirety of Leviticus 26, deeply reflects the structure and theological assumptions of ancient Near Eastern covenant or treaty documents. These agreements, made between powerful suzerains and lesser vassals, consistently included blessings for allegiance and devastating curses for rebellion. By presenting His covenant with Israel in this familiar framework, God emphasized the absolute nature of His sovereignty and Israel's dependent relationship as His chosen people. The language "you will not listen to me" humanizes the divine interaction, reminding Israel that their covenant was a personal relationship with the Living God, not merely a legalistic adherence to rules. Their failure was therefore not just breaking a law, but betraying a divine Person. The scope "all these commandments" further underscored that covenant demands comprehensive fidelity, not pick-and-choose obedience, thereby ensuring the holiness required for God to dwell among them.

Leviticus 26 14 Commentary

Leviticus 26:14 stands as a critical pivot within God's covenant presentation to Israel, transitioning from abundant blessing to severe judgment. It starkly asserts that divine favor and national flourishing are irrevocably tied to obedience, while neglect breeds calamity. The verse pinpoints a two-pronged failure: "not listening" to God's personal word and consequently "not carrying out" all of His commandments. The Hebrew verb for "listen," shama, denotes far more than physical hearing; it implies profound attention, acceptance, and active compliance. Thus, "not listening" is a deliberate act of the will, a rebellion of the heart against divine authority. This internal refusal inevitably manifests in external disobedience, neglecting the comprehensive body of God's revealed will. This verse is a foundational principle of the Mosaic covenant: the people's ongoing secure tenure in the Promised Land and their experience of God's presence were always conditional upon their corporate fidelity. The historical narrative of Israel, marked by periods of prosperity followed by severe judgment and exile, serves as a poignant illustration of this very principle repeatedly being played out due to their chronic failure to listen and obey.