Leviticus 26 41

Leviticus 26:41 kjv

And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:

Leviticus 26:41 nkjv

and that I also have walked contrary to them and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if their uncircumcised hearts are humbled, and they accept their guilt?

Leviticus 26:41 niv

which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies?then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin,

Leviticus 26:41 esv

so that I walked contrary to them and brought them into the land of their enemies ? if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity,

Leviticus 26:41 nlt

When I have turned their hostility back on them and brought them to the land of their enemies, then at last their stubborn hearts will be humbled, and they will pay for their sins.

Leviticus 26 verses

Leviticus 26 41 Meaning

Leviticus 26:41 signifies God's punitive response to Israel's sustained rebellion, where He acts "contrary" to them by sending them into exile in the land of their enemies. This severe consequence serves a divine, redemptive purpose: to humble their "uncircumcised hearts"—their inner stubbornness and pride—leading them to acknowledge and willingly accept the just punishment for their iniquity. This spiritual turning is the crucial prerequisite for their eventual restoration.

Leviticus 26 41 Context

Leviticus chapter 26 serves as the concluding covenantal exhortation to the Israelites before their entry into the Promised Land. It sets out the blessings that will follow obedience to God's commandments (verses 3-13) and, starkly, the escalating curses and judgments that will result from disobedience, rebellion, and rejection of His laws (verses 14-39). Verse 41 falls within this extensive list of curses, specifically detailing the dire consequences of persistent recalcitrance and highlighting the culmination of these judgments: exile and dispersion among enemies. Despite the severity of these warnings, the latter part of the chapter, including verse 41, introduces a crucial glimmer of hope and outlines the conditions under which God would remember His covenant and bring restoration, even from the depths of their suffering in a foreign land. The historical context positions this passage as foundational teaching for a people about to embark on a nation-building journey, emphasizing their covenant relationship with God as the sole determinant of their prosperity and land tenure.

Leviticus 26 41 Word analysis

• וְאַף אֲנִי (ve'af ani) - "And I also" / "Even I": The Hebrew ve'af emphasizes the reciprocal nature of God's action. Just as they "walked contrary" to Him, so will He respond. "I also" underscores that this is a direct, deliberate action of God Himself, not arbitrary chance or external force. It signals His active involvement in their judgment as a judicial response to their behavior.
• אֵלֵךְ בְּקֶרִי עִמָּם (elekh beqeri immam) - "will walk contrary with them":
  • אֵלֵךְ (elekh): "I will walk," denoting a course of conduct or action.
  • בְּקֶרִי (beqeri): This is a critical term, often translated as "contrary," "with hostility," or "perversely." It derives from a root meaning "to meet accidentally" or "to befall," and here implies that God will treat their persistent indifference and casual disobedience as defiance. He will act against them in a way that appears haphazard or severe, reflecting their "careless" or "random" approach to His covenant. It's a precise judicial mirroring of their own recalcitrant and defiant disregard for Him. The suffering they endure will not be accidental, but divinely orchestrated to counter their indifference.
• וְהֵבֵאתִי אֹתָם בְּאֶרֶץ אֹיְבֵיהֶם (veheveti otam be'eretz oyveihem) - "and brought them into the land of their enemies": This clause describes the ultimate consequence of their sin and God's "contrary" action: the dreaded exile. Loss of the Promised Land, identity tied to land, and subjection to hostile powers was the worst curse imaginable for ancient Israel. It serves as a divinely appointed crucible for their spiritual transformation.
• אִם אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל (im az yikana' levavam he'arel) - "if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled": This introduces the conditional clause of hope.
  • יִכָּנַע (yikana'): "will be humbled," "subdued," "brought low." This denotes an internal, profound spiritual bowing from pride and obstinacy. It implies more than mere physical suffering; it is a genuine contriteness and submission to God, often brought about by distress.
  • לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל (levavam he'arel): "their uncircumcised hearts." The "heart" (לֵב/לְבָב) in Hebrew thought refers to the whole inner being: mind, will, affections, and moral conscience. An "uncircumcised heart" is a profound metaphor signifying spiritual imperviousness, a stubborn will resistant to God's instruction, lacking inner purity and openness to divine truth, despite physical circumcision being a sign of the covenant. It is the core problem that external suffering is designed to address.
• וְאָז יִרְצוּ אֶת עֲוֹנָם (ve'az yirtzu et avonam) - "and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity":
  • יִרְצוּ (yirtzu): "they accept," "they are pleased with," "they pay for." From the root ratzah, meaning "to be pleased with," but in a judicial context, it implies "to make amends," "to endure the consequence," and crucially, "to acknowledge the justice" of their suffering. It's not passive resignation, but an active, internal consent to the rightness of God's judgment and a willingness to bear the rightful consequences of their sin.
  • עֲוֹנָם (avonam): "their iniquity," "their guilt," or specifically here, the "punishment for their iniquity." This word points to the moral wrongdoing and its corresponding just retribution. Their acceptance implies recognizing that their suffering is not arbitrary but directly linked to their sinful actions.

Leviticus 26 41 Bonus section

• The reciprocal nature of God's "walking contrary" (בְּקֶרִי) emphasizes that God's actions are not whimsical but are a direct, proportional response to Israel's deliberate disengagement and recalcitrance toward the covenant. He meets their indifference with what they perceive as hardship and adversity, thereby holding a mirror to their spiritual state.
• The transition from a description of severe judgment to a conditional offer of hope within the very same list of curses (Lev 26:40-42) highlights God's ultimate desire for His people's repentance and restoration, even in the midst of pronounced divine anger. The covenant is not unilaterally broken by God, but His readiness for reconciliation hinges on Israel's profound spiritual transformation.
• The emphasis on the "uncircumcised heart" points to the core spiritual battle that transcends external rituals. It teaches that external conformity without internal surrender and purification is insufficient for true covenant faithfulness and will incur God's corrective discipline. This concept later becomes foundational in New Testament teaching on inner transformation (e.g., Rom 2:29).
• The divine pedagogic method seen in this verse suggests that hardship and exile serve a therapeutic purpose, aiming to produce introspection, humility, and genuine repentance that rituals alone cannot accomplish.

Leviticus 26 41 Commentary

Leviticus 26:41 provides a profound insight into God's judicial yet redemptive character. When Israel persists in its covenantal rebellion—symbolized by "walking contrary" to God through indifference and pride—He will respond by mirroring their actions with what appears as "contrary" dealings, primarily exile. This "tough love" from God is not simply retributive wrath but a designed pedagogical measure. The profound suffering and humiliation in a foreign land are intended to break their spiritually "uncircumcised hearts"—hearts hardened by pride, resistance to God's word, and moral impurity. The core of this transformation is for them to humble themselves and accept the divine judgment for their sin, recognizing its justice and bearing its consequences willingly. This verse thus articulates the essential prerequisite for restoration after divine judgment: genuine repentance, an acknowledgement of one's guilt, and submission to God's corrective hand, even through hardship. It teaches that true spiritual healing begins with recognizing the source and justness of one's afflictions and yielding to God's disciplinary purpose.