But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:

DEUTERONOMY 28:15KJV
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Deuteronomy 28:15 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 28:15 mean?

Deuteronomy 28:15 warns that if the Israelites do not listen to God and fail to follow all His commandments and statutes, then a series of curses will come upon them and overtake them. The verse sets up a clear consequence for disobedience to God’s instructions as given through Moses.

In this passage, Moses is speaking to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. He is explaining the terms of their covenant with God: blessings will follow obedience, but disobedience will bring curses. This verse introduces the long list of specific curses that follow, emphasizing the seriousness of keeping God’s commands in their new life as a nation.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 28:15

  • "Hearken" (שָׁמַע, shamaʿ): This word means more than just hearing; it carries the sense of truly listening with the intention to obey. The verse stresses that God wants active, attentive obedience, not just passive hearing.
  • "Curses" (קְלָלָה, qelalah): This word refers to consequences or negative outcomes, not just spoken words. The curses are described as real-life hardships that will "come upon" and "overtake" the people if they turn away from God’s ways.
  • "Overtake" (נָשַׂג, nasag): This word gives the image of something catching up to and overwhelming someone. The idea is that the consequences of disobedience are unavoidable and will eventually catch up with those who ignore God’s commands.

Why Deuteronomy 28:15 matters

  • Deuteronomy 28:15 marks the turning point from blessings for obedience to warnings about the results of disobedience, setting the tone for the rest of the chapter.
  • The verse clarifies that the covenant with God is not just about privilege but also about responsibility and accountability.
  • Understanding the seriousness of the word "hearken" helps readers see that God’s expectation was not just ritual observance but heartfelt, active obedience.

Where else these words appear

“curses” Hebrew H7045 · used in 33 verses

  • Genesis 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
  • Deuteronomy 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
  • Proverbs 27:14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

“overtake” Hebrew H5381 · used in 47 verses

  • Genesis 31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
  • Leviticus 26:5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
  • Psalms 7:5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

“statutes” Hebrew H2708 · used in 100 verses

  • Genesis 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
  • Leviticus 26:43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
  • 2 Kings 23:3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.