And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
DEUTERONOMY 28:63KJVWhat does Deuteronomy 28:63 mean?
Deuteronomy 28:63 says that just as God once took joy in blessing and increasing the people of Israel, He will also take action to destroy them and remove them from their land if they turn away from Him. This verse warns that God’s response to Israel’s disobedience will be as thorough and certain as His earlier blessings for their obedience.
In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites before they enter the promised land, explaining the consequences of breaking their covenant with God. The verse uses strong language to show that God’s involvement in their fate is not half-hearted—He is fully invested both in blessing and, if necessary, in judgment. The warning is part of a larger section listing the blessings for obedience and the curses for disobedience.
The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 28:63
- "LORD" (יְהוָה, Yahweh): This is the personal name of God, emphasizing that it is Israel’s own covenant God who is acting, not a distant or impersonal force.
- "Rejoiced" (שָׂשׂ, sās): This word means to take joy or delight. The verse uses it both for God’s joy in blessing and in carrying out judgment, highlighting the seriousness of both outcomes.
- "Destroy" (שָׁמֵד, shāmad) and "nought" (שָׁמֵד, shāmad): Both words come from the same root, meaning to wipe out or bring to nothing. The repetition stresses the totality of the judgment.
- "Plucked" (נָתַשׁ, nātash): This word means to uproot or tear away, painting a vivid picture of being forcefully removed from the land, not just leaving voluntarily.
Why Deuteronomy 28:63 matters
- This verse clears up the idea that God’s blessings and judgments are unequal; it shows that God is just as committed to keeping His warnings as He is to fulfilling His promises.
- Deuteronomy 28:63 emphasizes the seriousness of Israel’s covenant with God, making clear that their relationship with Him has real consequences.
- The verse connects to the broader context of Deuteronomy 28, where Moses lays out both blessings and curses, helping the people understand the weight of their choices as they prepare to enter the land.