Deuteronomy 28:1-14 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

Deuteronomy 28. Blessings and Curses. This chapter is held by Kuenen, Dillmann, Driver, Addis, etc. to belong in the main to D (Deuteronomy 28:12-26 or Deuteronomy 28:5-26?). In favour of this conclusion note: (a) Moses speaks in the first person as in Deuteronomy 28:5-26. (b) It forms a fitting hortatory conclusion to Deuteronomy 28:12-26 (or Deuteronomy 28:5-26); cf. Exodus 23:20-33, and Leviticus 26:3-43, which close the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33) and H (Leviticus 17-26) respectively. (c) Many stylistic features characteristic of D recur in this chapter. (d) The curses of Deuteronomy 28:15 ff. may easily have excited in Josiah the strong emotion described in 2 Kings 22:11-13; cf. 2 Kings 22:16 f. Of this chapter the following parts are probably late additions: Deuteronomy 28:25 b, Deuteronomy 28:36 f., Deuteronomy 28:41; Deuteronomy 28:47 f., Deuteronomy 28:63-67, all of which presuppose the Exile; Deuteronomy 28:49-57, which imply the Chaldean invasion, and Deuteronomy 28:10 (cf. Leviticus 24:11).

Deuteronomy 28:1-14. The blessings annexed to obedience to the new law are all of a temporal character (the consecration to Yahweh in 9f. is to special privileges as His elect people).

Deuteronomy 28:5. basket: see Deuteronomy 26:2; it shall be blessed, i.e. full. kneading-trough: see Exodus 8:3; Exodus 12:34.

Deuteronomy 28:6. comest in and goest out: all the activities of human life (see Deuteronomy 31:2; Psalms 121:8).

Deuteronomy 28:7. seven: an indefinite number, implying many (see Deuteronomy 28:22, seven plagues), Deuteronomy 28:25.

Deuteronomy 28:12. See Deuteronomy 11:10 *.

Related Commentaries of Deuteronomy 28:1

Deuteronomy 28:1-14

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.a

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses,b and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods,c in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.