Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

DEUTERONOMY 28:19KJV
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Deuteronomy 28:19 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 28:19 mean?

Deuteronomy 28:19 states that the person being addressed will experience a curse both when they enter and when they leave, meaning in all aspects of daily life, they will face hardship or misfortune. This verse is part of a warning about the consequences of not following God's commands.

Moses is speaking to the Israelites before they enter the Promised Land, explaining the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience. In this section, he lists specific curses that would come upon the people if they turn away from God's instructions, emphasizing that trouble would meet them everywhere, whether coming or going.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 28:19

  • "Cursed" (אָרוּר, ʾārūr, H779) means to be under a declaration of misfortune or divine disfavor. Here, it signals a strong warning that the people will face negative consequences.
  • "In" (בּוֹא, bôʾ, H935) refers to entering, often understood as coming into a place or situation. This highlights that the curse is not limited to a specific location.
  • "Out" (יָצָא, yāṣāʾ, H3318) means going out or departing. Together with "in," it forms a pair that covers the whole range of daily movement, stressing that the curse is comprehensive and unavoidable.

Why Deuteronomy 28:19 matters

  • This verse makes clear that the consequences of disobedience are not limited to one area of life but affect every part, both public and private.
  • By pairing "coming in" and "going out," the verse uses a common Hebrew expression to show total coverage, meaning the curse is all-encompassing, not just occasional.
  • Deuteronomy 28 as a whole contrasts blessings and curses, and this verse helps underline the seriousness of the covenant relationship between God and Israel, showing that their choices have real, far-reaching effects.

Where else these words appear

“Cursed” Hebrew H779 · used in 52 verses

  • Genesis 3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
  • Numbers 24:9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
  • Joshua 9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.