Leviticus 26:18 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 26:18 mean?

Leviticus 26:18 says that God will increase Israel’s punishment if the people still refuse to listen to him after earlier punishments. The verse presents the increased punishment as a consequence of their sins and their continued refusal to listen.

God is speaking to Israel through Moses. Coming after the punishments described in verses 14–17, the words “seven times more” mark a further stage of punishment.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 26:18

• “hearken” — שָׁמַע (shamaʿ): This word can mean to hear or to listen. Here, listening has the sense of paying attention to God’s instructions, not merely hearing words.
• “punish” — יָסַר (yasar): This word can mean to discipline or correct. It suggests punishment that responds to wrongdoing and aims to correct the people’s conduct.
• “seven” — שֶׁבַע (shevaʿ): This is the Hebrew word for the number seven. In the phrase “seven times more,” it expresses the severity of the further punishment.

Why Leviticus 26:18 matters

• The verse makes the further punishment conditional. The word “if” ties it to Israel’s response after the earlier warnings and punishments.
• The verse begins a repeated pattern in the passage. Similar warnings appear in verses 21, 24, and 28, each linking continued resistance with further punishment.