Judgment · Historical judgment oracle

Leviticus 26:14-33

God · ~1440 BC · Status: Fulfilled · Confidence: 65%
“But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:”
King James Version · the opening of the passage — the whole of it is condensed below
More of Leviticus 26 on this siteLeviticus 26:3-13 · Leviticus 26:33 · Leviticus 26:34-35 · Leviticus 26:36-39 · Leviticus 26:40-45
This prophecy resolves outside this entry — at 26:40

Covenant curses for disobedience including disease, drought, defeat, and exile, fulfilled progressively over Israel's history.

The prophecy, condensed

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you. And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins. And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
Leviticus 26:14-33 · King James Version · condensed from 517 words · every cut marked …
Commentary — not Scripture
Read the 'and if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me' at verses 18, 21, 23 and 27 - the curse escalates in four deliberate stages, each one a fresh chance to turn. That structure is the mercy inside the judgment. The mercy after it is at 26:40-45, past where this entry stops: 'then will I remember my covenant.'
Read the full prophecy — all 20 verses

26:14But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;

26:15And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:

26:16I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

26:17And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

26:18And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.

26:19And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:

26:20And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.

26:21And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

26:22I 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.

26:23And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;

26:24Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

26:25And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

26:26And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

26:27And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;

26:28Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

26:29And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.

26:30And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.

26:31And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

26:32And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

26:33And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Fulfillment References

Deuteronomy 28:15-68 Lamentations 1-5

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