And 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.

LEVITICUS 26:25KJV
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Leviticus 26:25 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 26:25 mean?

Leviticus 26:25 warns that if the Israelites break their covenant with God, He will bring war (“a sword”) against them to punish them for violating their agreement with Him. Even when they gather for safety inside their cities, God will send disease among them, and ultimately, they will fall into the hands of their enemies.

In this verse, God is speaking to the people of Israel through Moses, laying out the consequences of disobedience to the covenant made at Sinai. The verse describes a sequence of escalating judgments—first war, then pestilence, and finally defeat by enemies—meant to show the seriousness of breaking the covenant relationship with God.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 26:25

  • “Sword” (חֶרֶב, cherev): This word often refers to war or violent conflict, not just a literal weapon. Here, it signals the threat of invasion or attack as a direct result of covenant unfaithfulness.
  • “Avenge” (נָקַם, naqam): This verb means to seek justice or repayment. The idea is that the breaking of the covenant is not just a rule violation but a personal offense to God, and the punishment is seen as a form of justice.
  • “Quarrel” (רִיב, riv): This word points to a dispute or grievance. In this context, it refers to the “quarrel of my covenant,” meaning the conflict or issue arising from Israel’s failure to keep their agreement with God.
  • “Covenant” (בְּרִית, berit): This is the formal agreement between God and Israel, involving promises and obligations on both sides. The verse centers on the consequences of violating this special relationship.

Why Leviticus 26:25 matters

  • Leviticus 26:25 clarifies that the disasters described are not random but are directly tied to Israel’s relationship with God and their faithfulness to the covenant.
  • The verse connects physical disasters (war, disease, defeat) to spiritual causes, showing that in the biblical worldview, national suffering can be understood as a response to covenant unfaithfulness.
  • This verse is part of a larger section outlining blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, helping readers see the seriousness with which God views His covenant and the real-life consequences for breaking it.

Where else these words appear

“quarrel” Hebrew H5359 · used in 17 verses

  • Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
  • Proverbs 6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
  • Isaiah 61:2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

“avenge” Hebrew H5358 · used in 31 verses

  • Genesis 4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
  • 1 Samuel 14:24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.
  • Jeremiah 5:29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

“within” Hebrew H413 · used in 37 verses

  • Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
  • Exodus 8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
  • 1 Samuel 4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband.

“pestilence” Hebrew H1698 · used in 48 verses

  • Exodus 5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
  • Psalms 91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
  • Jeremiah 42:22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go and to sojourn.