Leviticus 26 27

Leviticus 26:27 kjv

And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;

Leviticus 26:27 nkjv

'And after all this, if you do not obey Me, but walk contrary to Me,

Leviticus 26:27 niv

"?'If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me,

Leviticus 26:27 esv

"But if in spite of this you will not listen to me, but walk contrary to me,

Leviticus 26:27 nlt

"If in spite of all this you still refuse to listen and still remain hostile toward me,

Leviticus 26 verses

Leviticus 26 27 Meaning

Leviticus 26:27 declares that even after God has enacted prior warnings and disciplinary judgments for disobedience, if the people continue in their defiance and actively resist His covenant instructions, their state of rebellion is profound and their future judgments will intensify further. This verse emphasizes a persistent and intentional refusal to heed God's voice and to respond to His corrective discipline with repentance, marking a deepening of the covenant breach.

Leviticus 26 27 Context

Leviticus 26 constitutes the foundational covenant blessing and curse chapter, a culminating section of the covenant God established with Israel. Following extensive laws and ordinances, this chapter clearly delineates the consequences of Israel's obedience or disobedience to the Sinai Covenant. Verses 1-13 promise abundant blessings for fidelity, including peace, prosperity, and God's dwelling among His people. Conversely, verses 14-45 warn of escalating curses for covenant infidelity, ranging from pestilence and defeat to exile and desolation. Leviticus 26:27 specifically addresses a deeper stage of persistent rebellion. It follows the description of successive waves of divine judgment (Lev 26:18-20, 21-22, 23-26) which God employs to call His people to repentance. If, despite these escalating chastisements, Israel does not yield but instead hardens their hearts, God indicates an even more severe response, demonstrating His holy justice and unwavering commitment to His covenant.

Leviticus 26 27 Word analysis

• And if: Signifies a continued conditional statement, indicating a further progression in the sequence of disobedience and its consequences previously outlined (Lev 26:18, 21, 23). It underscores the opportunity given for repentance and highlights the severity of continued rebellion.

• in spite of this: This phrase points back to the preceding levels of chastisement and disciplinary measures God has already sent (famine, wild beasts, pestilence, military defeat in Lev 26:16-26). It emphasizes that despite experiencing the painful consequences of their actions, the people still have not turned back to God.

• you do not obey me: The Hebrew for "obey" is shama (שָׁמַע), which means not just "to hear," but "to hear and do," "to listen attentively," and "to obey." The negative particle indicates an active refusal to respond to God's warnings, commands, and disciplines. It's a failure of the will to comply with divine authority.

• but continue to walk hostilely toward me: This is the crux of the verse.

  • continue to walk: The Hebrew term halakhtem (הֲלַכְתֶּם) means "you walk" or "you conduct yourselves," implying a habitual manner of living and behavior. It describes a lifestyle or continuous course of action, not an isolated incident.
  • hostilely toward me: The crucial Hebrew word here is b'qeri (בְּקֶרִי), derived from the root qara (קָרָא), which can mean "to meet, to happen, to call out." In this specific construction, it often carries the nuance of "haphazardly," "casually," "with opposition," or "perversely." It signifies an attitude of disrespect, disdain, or active antagonism toward God and His ways, particularly in response to His judgments. It suggests that they are treating God's disciplinary actions as mere misfortune or chance occurrences, rather than recognizing them as divine consequences meant to bring them to repentance. This attitude of treating God's interventions flippantly or directly defying them is considered highly offensive to the Holy God.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "And if in spite of this you do not obey me": This clause highlights the stubbornness of the human heart that resists correction. It emphasizes that the warnings and previous judgments were clear, but the chosen people, through free will, remained impenitent. It’s a continuation of the theme from Lev 26:23, where a failure to respond to discipline leads to escalating severity.
  • "but continue to walk hostilely toward me": This phrase precisely defines the nature of their rebellion. It's not passive neglect, but an active, persistent opposition. The concept of "walking" signifies a chosen path or lifestyle, implying that their defiance is not a fleeting error but a settled orientation of the heart, characterized by an antagonistic stance against God's direct interaction and intervention. It describes a moral and spiritual perversity, viewing divine discipline with contempt or outright defiance.

Leviticus 26 27 Bonus section

The word qeri (rendered "hostilely" or "contrary") appears exclusively in Leviticus 26 and only in connection with Israel's defiance. Its repeated use in verses 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, and 40 underscores a specific and grave spiritual condition: an intentional and pervasive antagonism towards God's attempts to bring His people to repentance through suffering. It highlights the psychological and spiritual state where hardship, rather than leading to humility and repentance, provokes an even greater hardening of the heart and a cynical dismissal of God's role in their misfortunes. This particular sin is portrayed as exceptionally grievous because it demonstrates a refusal to recognize God's sovereignty over their circumstances and an obstinate rejection of His merciful intent behind corrective discipline. It implies a total misinterpretation of divine actions and a self-inflicted spiritual blindness.

Leviticus 26 27 Commentary

Leviticus 26:27 is a sobering expression of God's perfect justice and the reality of escalating consequences for persistent and defiant sin. It signifies a critical juncture in the covenant relationship: God, having employed various forms of discipline (economic hardship, disease, war) to call His people back to Himself, observes a continued, even hardened, posture of rebellion. The key is the attitude described by b'qeri—a deliberate and continuous walking "hostilely" or "perversely" against God, interpreting His judgments as mere chance or responding to them with defiant stubbornness rather than repentance. This is not simply weakness or falling into sin, but a chosen lifestyle of opposition to divine authority. Such impenitence forces a more severe divine response, for God's holiness demands that unrepentant rejection of His word and His disciplinary hand must face proportional judgment. This verse underlines the profound biblical principle that continued resistance to divine love and correction leads to deeper alienation and more stringent consequences.