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.
Read it in contextPunishments for Disobedience
Start reading at Leviticus 26:14 (Leviticus 26:14 to Leviticus 26:39).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD.
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.
26:34Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
26:35As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
26:36And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.
26:37And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
26:38And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
26:39And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional author, with the laws presented as the LORD's instructions given through him. Aaron and his sons are key recipients of priestly instructions, not alternate named authors. Biblical references: Leviticus 1:1; Leviticus 27:34. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Leviticus 26:1–27:34): The covenant blessings, warnings, and concluding regulations concern the children of Israel. Moses is the intermediary through whom the LORD delivers them. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel under the Sinai covenant. Some instructions address the whole congregation; others specifically address Aaron and the priests. Biblical references: Leviticus 1:2; Leviticus 6:9; Leviticus 19:2. stated in the text
What
What is the topic of this reading unit? Punishments for Disobedience. Read Leviticus 26:14 through Leviticus 26:39 as a connected unit. interpretation
How does it contribute to the book? Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD. interpretation
When
When are the events or message set? The laws and priestly narratives are set in Israel's Sinai sanctuary setting. A modern date of composition is not given by a publication statement in the text. book background
Where
What is the book’s geographic setting? The tabernacle and Israel's camp form the main setting. Instructions about priests, offerings, houses, and the land have different immediate objects. book background
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in Punishments for Disobedience (Leviticus 26:14 to Leviticus 26:39).
Start reading at Leviticus 26:14. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Hebrews explicitly relates the sacrificial and priestly order to Christ's priesthood and offering. Read the comparison in Hebrews rather than assigning an unsupported meaning to each ritual detail. See Hebrews 9:11, Hebrews 10:1, Hebrews 10:10. interpretation
How should this book guide our response? Take worship, holiness, and the treatment of others seriously. Distinguish ritual uncleanness, moral wrongdoing, and the specific duties of priests; they are not interchangeable categories. interpretation
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Leviticus 26
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Leviticus presents the LORD's instructions to Moses for Israel, including priestly duties. A command's immediate audience, sanctuary setting, and covenant purpose should remain visible. The opening identifies Moses as the recipient of speech, not by itself as the narrator of every line. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD.
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. Blessings and warnings state covenant consequences, followed by regulations concerning vows and things dedicated to the LORD.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Leviticus
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Leviticus presents the LORD's instructions to Moses for Israel, including priestly duties. A command's immediate audience, sanctuary setting, and covenant purpose should remain visible. The opening identifies Moses as the recipient of speech, not by itself as the narrator of every line.
Connection to the wholeThe consecration and beginning of priestly service lead to an account of judgment, emphasizing the seriousness of distinguishing holy from common.
Connection to the wholeThese distinctions order Israel's life around the sanctuary; ritual uncleanness should not automatically be equated with a personal moral offense.
Connection to the wholeThe chapter brings priestly access, blood, and cleansing together in a recurring observance within the covenant's sacrificial order.