Leviticus 26:22 kjv
I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
Leviticus 26:22 nkjv
I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, destroy your livestock, and make you few in number; and your highways shall be desolate.
Leviticus 26:22 niv
I will send wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few in number that your roads will be deserted.
Leviticus 26:22 esv
And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted.
Leviticus 26:22 nlt
I will send wild animals that will rob you of your children and destroy your livestock. Your numbers will dwindle, and your roads will be deserted.
Leviticus 26 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:16 | "...I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart..." | Preceding curse, illness |
| Lev 26:33 | "And I will scatter you among the heathen... and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste." | Overall consequence: scattering & desolation |
| Deut 28:26 | "And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth..." | Broader curse including beasts for carrion |
| Deut 28:53 | "And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters... in the siege, and in the straitness..." | Extreme famine, eating children |
| Deut 28:62 | "And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude..." | Population reduction explicitly mentioned |
| Deut 32:24 | "They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust." | Divine judgment, includes "teeth of beasts" |
| 2 Kgs 17:25 | "...the Lord sent lions among them, which slew some of them." | Literal fulfillment, lions as divine judgment |
| Jer 9:11 | "And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant." | Desolation of land and cities |
| Jer 15:3 | "And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy." | Divine judgment, explicit mention of beasts |
| Lam 2:20 | "Behold, O Lord, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long?" | Lament over children lost/eaten |
| Eze 5:17 | "...and I will send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee..." | Evil beasts explicitly mentioned |
| Eze 14:15 | "If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts..." | Beasts making land desolate, parallel theme |
| Hos 9:16 | "Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their womb." | Loss of children, future generations |
| Isa 17:9 | "In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation." | Desolation due to divine judgment |
| Isa 33:8 | "The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth..." | Direct parallel: desolate highways |
| Zech 7:14 | "But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned..." | Desolation and lack of passage |
| Rev 6:8 | "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." | NT echo of beasts as agents of judgment |
| Ex 9:3 | "Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain." | Divine destruction of livestock (Plague 5) |
| Ps 104:21-22 | "The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens." | God's control over wild beasts, even their food |
| Job 5:23 | "For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee." | Reversal of this curse in blessing |
| Ezek 29:5 | "And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven." | Land laid waste for beasts to feed |
| Amos 5:19 | "As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him." | Animals as a constant threat/danger |
| Isa 24:1-3 | "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste... The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled..." | Extensive desolation |
| Micah 3:12 | "Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest." | Cities laid waste |
Leviticus 26 verses
Leviticus 26 22 Meaning
Leviticus 26:22 outlines a severe consequence for Israel's sustained disobedience to the covenant: God's direct intervention in sending wild animals as instruments of judgment. This divine action would lead to the catastrophic loss of children, the destruction of vital livestock, and a significant reduction in the population, ultimately resulting in deserted roads and a land gripped by fear and desolation. This escalating punishment signifies the breaking of the covenant relationship and the removal of God's protective hand, allowing natural order to devolve into chaos and danger.
Leviticus 26 22 Context
Leviticus Chapter 26 presents a pivotal section in the Book of Leviticus, serving as a solemn summary and conclusion to the covenant laws given on Mount Sinai. It is a detailed exposition of the covenant blessings promised for obedience (vv. 3-13) and the curses for disobedience (vv. 14-45). Verse 22 falls within the section detailing the curses, specifically introducing the third escalating stage of divine judgment after prior warnings had gone unheeded. The first stage (vv. 16-17) involved terror, sickness, defeat by enemies, and sowing in vain. The second (vv. 18-20) intensified with heaven like iron and earth like bronze, hindering produce, followed by futility of labor. Leviticus 26:22 initiates the third phase of intensified chastisement, marking a step deeper into God's righteous wrath. In an agricultural society like ancient Israel, children and cattle were critical for survival, labor, and lineage, while clear, safe highways symbolized societal stability and commerce. This verse thus speaks to a complete dismantling of social order and human prosperity.
Leviticus 26 22 Word analysis
- "I will also send": This phrase clearly establishes divine agency. It signifies that the impending calamities are not random occurrences or natural disasters but are directly orchestrated and imposed by the Lord Himself. It emphasizes His sovereignty and His active role in the execution of the covenant curses for covenant infidelity. This divine initiative underscores the seriousness of their rebellion.
- "wild beasts" (חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה – hayyat haśśāḏeh): Refers specifically to "beasts of the field" or untamed animals. In the ancient Near East, thriving human populations and controlled agriculture kept these animals at bay. Their intrusion signifies the breakdown of human society and divine protection. It represents chaos encroaching on order, and an aspect of creation turning hostile, serving as instruments of divine justice.
- "among you": This denotes the immediate and personal nature of the judgment. The wild beasts will directly infiltrate and plague the covenant people in their habitations and lands, not merely operate at the fringes.
- "which shall rob you of your children" (וְשִׂכְּלָה אֶתְכֶם – wəśikkəlaʾ etk̄em): This translates more accurately as "and make you bereaved" or "deprive you of your children." This is a profoundly painful consequence, striking at the heart of family, legacy, and hope for the future. In ancient Israel, large families were considered a blessing, and childlessness or loss was a deep sorrow and a sign of judgment, as it imperiled the continuity of the covenant community.
- "and destroy your cattle" (וְהִכְרִיתָה אֶת בְּהֶמְתְּכֶם – wəhik̄rîṯāh ʾet bəhēmṯkām): "Destroy" here means to cut off or exterminate. Livestock was essential for sustenance, labor, trade, and even sacrifice. Their destruction signifies economic ruin, severe famine, and a complete undermining of the agricultural base of their society, leading to widespread suffering and dependency.
- "and make you few in number" (וְהִמְעִיטָה אֶתְכֶם – wəhimʿîṭāh etk̄em): This speaks to demographic decline, not just through direct attacks by beasts but also through the overall conditions of famine, disease, and fear that would accompany such chaos. It represents a diminution of the national strength and presence, a reversal of the blessing of multiplication given to Abraham.
- "and your highways shall be desolate" (וְשָׁמְמוּ דַּרְכֵיכֶם – wəšāməmû darḵêkām): "Highways" refer to roads or paths, and "desolate" means laid waste, empty, or ruined. This imagery points to a breakdown of civil order and human movement. Fear of wild animals and the overall societal collapse would make travel impossible, hindering commerce, communication, and community life, leading to isolation and confirming the severity of the desolation upon the land itself. It indicates a complete cessation of normal life.
- "rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number": This grouping highlights the multi-faceted, existential threat posed by these judgments: attacks on human life (children, population), and economic foundation (cattle), leading to profound despair and societal collapse. The order emphasizes the personal anguish (children) followed by economic devastation (cattle), culminating in national diminishment.
Leviticus 26 22 Bonus section
The inclusion of "wild beasts" as a specific curse holds theological significance. In the Edenic state, humanity was given dominion over animals (Gen 1:28). This curse signifies a reversal of that dominion, where untamed creation now turns hostile against disobedient humanity, symbolic of the broader curse upon the ground itself due to sin (Gen 3:17-19). This judgment, which causes humans to become "few in number," contrasts sharply with the original covenant promise of multiplied descendants, turning the foundational blessing of abundant life into a severe judgment of diminishment and existential threat. Furthermore, the description of desolate highways foreshadows literal historical outcomes during periods of judgment, when the land became so dangerous and depopulated that normal passage ceased (as seen in Jeremiah's laments and archaeological evidence of ancient trade routes).
Leviticus 26 22 Commentary
Leviticus 26:22 reveals God's righteous and escalating judgment for Israel's persistent breach of covenant. Beyond the familiar curses of famine and military defeat, the Lord promises to turn aspects of creation against them. The "wild beasts" are not merely a natural nuisance but agents of divine justice, demonstrating God's sovereign control over every facet of His creation. The threefold impact – loss of children, destruction of cattle, and population reduction – represents a direct assault on the very foundations of Israelite society: their lineage and future, their economic livelihood, and their national strength. The resulting desolation of highways paints a picture of societal breakdown, widespread fear, and an end to normal human interaction and commerce. This verse starkly reminds that divine protection is conditional upon obedience, and rebellion invites an undoing of the blessings that sustain life and community. It served as a dire warning for the Israelites to uphold the covenant given at Sinai, lest they face the full consequences of forsaking their Lord.