The Covenant Blessings

1 Now if you give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and keep with care all these orders which I have given you today, then the Lord your God will put you high over all the nations of the earth:

1 (A)Now it shall be, if you diligently (a)obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the Lord your God (B)will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

1 “Now if you faithfully obey the Lord your God and are careful to follow all His commands I am giving you today, the Lord your God will put you far above all the nations of the earth.(A)

1 "Indeed, if you diligently obey the LORD your God to carry out all his commands that I'm giving you today, then the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.

2 And all these blessings will come on you and overtake you, if your ears are open to the voice of the Lord your God.

2 All these blessings will come upon you and (C)overtake you if you (b)obey the Lord your God:

2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

2 All these blessings will come and overtake you, because you obey the Lord your God:

2 Moreover, all these blessings will come upon you in abundance, if you obey the LORD your God:

3 A blessing will be on you in the town, and a blessing in the field.

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be (D)in the (c)country.

3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

3 You will be blessed in the cityand blessed in the country.

3 "Blessed will you be in the city and blessed will you be in the country.

4 A blessing will be on the fruit of your body, and on the fruit of your land, on the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herd, and the young of your flock.

4 “Blessed shall be the (d)offspring of your (e)body and the (f)produce of your ground and the (g)offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.

4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

4 Your descendants(a) will be blessed,and your land’s produce,and the offspring of your livestock,including the young of your herdsand the newborn of your flocks.(B)

4 "Blessed will your children be, as well as the produce of your land, the offspring of your beasts and cattle, and the offspring of your flock.

5 A blessing will be on your basket and on your bread-basin.

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

5 Your basket and kneading bowl will be blessed.

5 "Blessed will be your grain basket and your kneading bowl.

6 A blessing will be on your coming in and on your going out.

6 “Blessed shall you be (E)when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.

6 You will be blessed when you come inand blessed when you go out.

6 "Blessed will you be in your comings and goings.

7 By the power of the Lord, those who take arms against you will be overcome before you: they will come out against you one way, and will go in flight from you seven ways.

7 “The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be (h)defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.

7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

7 “The Lord will cause the enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you. They will march out against you from one direction but flee from you in seven directions.

7 "The LORD will make your enemies, who rise against you and attack from one direction, to flee from you in seven directions.

8 The Lord will send his blessing on your store-houses and on everything to which you put your hand: his blessing will be on you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

8 The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in (F)all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

8 The Lord will grant you a blessing on your storehouses and on everything you do;(b) He will bless you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

8 "The LORD will send blessings for you with regard to your barns and everything you undertake. Indeed, he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is about to give you.

9 The Lord will keep you as a people holy to himself, as he has said to you in his oath, if you keep the orders of the Lord your God and go on walking in his ways.

9 (G)The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.

9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

9 The Lord will establish you as His holy people,(C) as He swore to you, if you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in His ways.

9 "The LORD will assign you to be a holy people for himself, just as he promised you, as long as you keep his commands and walk in his ways.

10 And all the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is on you, and they will go in fear of you.

10 So all the peoples of the earth will see that (i)(H)you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will be afraid of you.

10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

10 Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by Yahweh’s name, and they will stand in awe of you.

10 "Then all the people of the earth will observe that the name of the LORDis proclaimed among you, and they will fear you.

11 And the Lord will make you fertile in every good thing, in the fruit of your body, and the fruit of your cattle, and the fruit of your fields, in the land which the Lord, by his oath to your fathers, said he would give you.

11 (I)The Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the (j)offspring of your (k)body and in the (l)offspring of your beast and in the (m)produce of your ground, in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.

11 The Lord will make you prosper abundantly with children,(c) the offspring of your livestock, and your land’s produce in the land the Lord swore to your fathers to give you.

11 "The LORD will show his abundant goodness with respect to your children, the offspring of your animals, and the produce of your farmland that he promised your ancestors he would give you.

12 Opening his store-house in heaven, the Lord will send rain on your land at the right time, blessing all the work of your hands: other nations will make use of your wealth, and you will have no need of theirs.

12 The Lord will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and (J)you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

12 The Lord will open for you His abundant storehouse, the sky, to give your land rain in its season and to bless all the work of your hands.(D) You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow.

12 "The LORD will open his rich treasury, the heavens, to release rain upon your land in season and bless everything you undertake so that you'll lend to many nations but won't borrow.

13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; and you will ever have the highest place, if you give ear to the orders of the Lord your God which I give you today, to keep and to do them;

13 (K)The Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I charge you today, to (n)observe them carefully,

13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:

13 The Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you will only move upward and never downward if you listen to the Lord your God’s commands I am giving you today and are careful to follow them.

13 "The LORD your God will make you the head and not the tail placing you above and not beneath if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I'm giving you today to keep and observe.

14 Not turning away from any of the orders which I give you today, to the right hand or to the left, or going after any other gods to give them worship.

14 and (L)do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

14 Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not go after other gods to worship them.

14 Do not deviate from any of his commands that I'm giving you today neither to the right nor the left to follow and serve other gods."

Curses For Disobedience

15 But if you do not give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, and take care to do all his orders and his laws which I give you today, then all these curses will come on you and overtake you:

15 (M)But it shall come about, if you do not (o)obey the Lord your God, to observe to do all His commandments and His statutes with which I charge you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

15 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:

15 “But if you do not obey the Lord your God by carefully following all His commands and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overtake you:(E)

15 "But if you don't obey the LORD your God and faithfully carry out all his commands and statutes that I'm giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you and overwhelm you:

16 You will be cursed in the town and cursed in the field.

16 (N)Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the (p)country.

16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

16 You will be cursed in the cityand cursed in the country.

16 "Cursed will you be in the city and cursed will you be in the country.

17 A curse will be on your basket and on your bread-basin.

17 (O)Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

17 Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed.

17 "Cursed will be your grain basket and your kneading bowl.

18 A curse will be on the fruit of your body, and on the fruit of your land, on the increase of your cattle, and the young of your flock.

18 (P)Cursed shall be the (q)offspring of your (r)body and the (s)produce of your ground, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.

18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

18 Your descendants(d) will be cursed,and your land’s produce,the young of your herds,and the newborn of your flocks.

18 "Cursed will your children be, as well as the produce of your land, the offspring of your beasts and cattle, and the offspring of your flock.

19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

19 (Q)Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

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

19 You will be cursed when you come inand cursed when you go out.

19 "Cursed will you be in your comings and goings."

Curses By Disease And Drought

20 The Lord will send on you cursing and trouble and punishment in everything to which you put your hand, till sudden destruction overtakes you; because of your evil ways in which you have been false to me.

20 (R)The Lord will send upon you curses, confusion, and (S)rebuke, in all (t)you undertake to do, until you are destroyed and until (T)you perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken Me.

20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

20 The Lord will send against you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything you do(e) until you are destroyed and quickly perish, because of the wickedness of your actions in abandoning Me.

20 "The LORD will send the curse among you, will confuse you, and will rebuke you in everything you undertake until you are destroyed and perish quickly because of your evil deeds, since you will have forsaken him.

21 The Lord will send disease after disease on you, till you have been cut off by death from the land to which you are going.

21 (U)The Lord will make the pestilence cling to you until He has consumed you from the land where you are entering to possess it.

21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.

21 The Lord will make pestilence cling to you until He has exterminated you from the land you are entering to possess.

21 The LORD will cause you to be ill with long-lasting diseases until you are wiped out from the land that you are entering to possess.

22 The Lord will send wasting disease, and burning pain, and flaming heat against you, keeping back the rain till your land is waste and dead; so will it be till your destruction is complete.

22 (V)The Lord will smite you with consumption and with fever and with inflammation and with fiery heat and with (u)the sword and (W)with blight and with mildew, and they will pursue you until (X)you perish.

22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

22 The Lord will afflict you with wasting disease, fever, inflammation, burning heat, drought,(f) blight, and mildew; these will pursue you until you perish.

22 The LORD will afflict you with tuberculosis, fever, inflammation, high fever, drought, blight, and mildew. These will attack you until you are completely destroyed.

23 And the heaven over your heads will be brass, and the earth under you hard as iron.

23 (v)The heaven which is over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you, iron.

23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.

23 The sky above you will be bronze, and the earth beneath you iron.

23 The sky above your head will become bronze while the ground beneath you will become iron.

24 The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust, sending it down on you from heaven till your destruction is complete.

24 (Y)The Lord will make the rain of your land powder and dust; from heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.

24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

24 The Lord will turn the rain of your land into falling(g) dust; it will descend on you from the sky until you are destroyed.

24 The LORD will change the rain on your land to powder and dust. It will come down from the sky until you are exterminated."

Curses By Defeat And Deportation

25 The Lord will let you be overcome by your haters: you will go out against them one way, and you will go in flight before them seven ways: you will be the cause of fear among all the kingdoms of the earth.

25 (Z)The Lord shall cause you to be (w)defeated before your enemies; you will go out one way against them, but you will flee seven ways before them, and you will (AA)be an example of terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

25 The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will march out against them from one direction but flee from them in seven directions. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

25 "The LORD will cause you to be defeated by your enemies. You'll go out against them in one direction, but you'll flee from them in seven directions. Consequently, you'll be in a state of great terror throughout all the kingdoms of the earth.

26 Your bodies will be meat for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth; there will be no one to send them away.

26 (AB)Your carcasses will be food to all birds of the sky and to the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away.

26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

26 Your corpses will be food for all the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land, with no one to scare them away.(F)

26 Your dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the earth, with no one to chase them away.

27 The Lord will send on you the disease of Egypt, and other sorts of skin diseases which nothing will make well.

27 (AC)The Lord will smite you with the boils of Egypt and with (AD)tumors and with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.

27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.

27 “The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, tumors, a festering rash, and scabies, from which you cannot be cured.

27 "The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, skin disease, and festering rashes, and none of them will be curable.

28 He will make your minds diseased, and your eyes blind, and your hearts wasted with fear:

28 The Lord will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart;

28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:

28 The Lord will afflict you with madness, blindness, and mental confusion,

28 The LORD will afflict you with insanity, blindness, and mental confusion.

29 You will go feeling your way when the sun is high, like a blind man for whom all is dark, and nothing will go well for you: you will be crushed and made poor for ever, and you will have no saviour.

29 and you will (x)(AE)grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you.

29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.

29 so that at noon you will grope as a blind man gropes in the dark.(G) You will not be successful in anything you do. You will only be oppressed and robbed continually, and no one will help you.

29 As a result, you'll wander aimlessly in broad daylight just as a blind person wanders in darkness. You won't prosper in life. Instead, you'll be oppressed and plundered all day long, with no deliverer.

30 You will take a wife, but another man will have the use of her: the house which your hands have made will never be your resting-place: you will make a vine-garden, and never take the fruit of it.

30 (AF)You shall betroth a wife, but another man will violate her; (AG)you shall build a house, but you will not live in it; you shall plant a vineyard, but you will not (y)use its fruit.

30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.

30 You will become engaged to a woman, but another man will rape her. You will build a house but not live in it. You will plant a vineyard but not enjoy its fruit.

30 "You'll be engaged to a woman, but another man will rape her. You'll build a house, but you won't live in it. You'll plant a vineyard, but you won't harvest it.

31 Your ox will be put to death before your eyes, but its flesh will not be your food: your ass will be violently taken away before your face, and will not be given back to you: your sheep will be given to your haters, and there will be no saviour for you.

31 Your ox shall be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat of it; your donkey shall be torn away from you, and will not be restored to you; your sheep shall be given to your enemies, and you will have none to save you.

31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.

31 Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will not eat any of it. Your donkey will be taken away from you and not returned to you. Your flock will be given to your enemies, and no one will help you.

31 Your ox will be slaughtered in front of you, and you won't be able to eat it. Your donkey will be stolen from you while you watch and won't be returned to you. Your flock of sheep will be handed to your enemies, and there will be no deliverer.

32 Your sons and your daughters will be given to another people, and your eyes will be wasted away with looking and weeping for them all the day: and you will have no power to do anything.

32 (AH)Your sons and your daughters shall be given to another people, while your eyes look on and yearn for them continually; but there will be nothing (z)you can do.

32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.

32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another people, while your eyes grow weary looking for them every day. But you will be powerless to do anything.(h)

32 Your sons and daughters will be given to another people while you watch. You won't be able to approach them at all, and you'll be powerless to help.

33 The fruit of your land and all the work of your hands will be food for a nation which is strange to you and to your fathers; you will only be crushed down and kept under for ever:

33 (AI)A people whom you do not know shall eat up the produce of your ground and all your labors, and you will never be anything but oppressed and crushed continually.

33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:

33 A people you don’t know will eat your land’s produce and everything you have labored for. You will only be oppressed and crushed continually.

33 "A people whom you don't know will devour what your land and labor produces. You'll be only oppressed and discouraged continuously

34 So that the things which your eyes have to see will send you out of your minds.

34 You shall be driven mad by the sight of (aa)what you see.

34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

34 You will be driven mad by what you see.

34 until you are driven insane from what your eyes will see.

35 The Lord will send a skin disease, attacking your knees and your legs, bursting out from your feet to the top of your head, so that nothing will make you well.

35 (AJ)The Lord will strike you on the knees and legs with sore boils, from which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head.

35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.

35 The Lord will afflict you with painful and incurable boils on your knees and thighs—from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.(H)

35 "The LORD will afflict you with incurable boils on your knees and legs, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head.

36 And you, and the king whom you have put over you, will the Lord take away to a nation strange to you and to your fathers; there you will be servants to other gods of wood and stone.

36 (AK)The Lord will bring you and your king, whom you set over you, to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods, (AL)wood and stone.

36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

36 “The Lord will bring you and your king that you have appointed to a nation neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will worship other gods, of wood and stone.

36 "The LORD will banish you and your king whom you will appoint over you to go to a nation that neither you nor your ancestors have known, and there you'll serve other gods of wood and stone.

37 And you will become a wonder and a name of shame among all the nations where the Lord will take you.

37 (AM)You shall become a horror, a proverb, and a taunt among all the people where the Lord drives you.

37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

37 You will become an object of horror, scorn, and ridicule among all the peoples where the Lord will drive you.(I)

37 You'll become a desolation and a proverb, and you'll be mocked among the people where the LORD will drive you."

The Curse Of Reversed Status

38 You will take much seed out into the field, and get little in; for the locust will get it.

38 (AN)You shall bring out much seed to the field but you will gather in little, for (AO)the locust will consume it.

38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.

38 “You will sow much seed in the field but harvest little, because locusts will devour it.

38 "You'll plant many seeds in a field, but your harvest will be small because the locust will consume it.

39 You will put in vines and take care of them, but you will get no wine or grapes from them; for they will be food for worms.

39 (AP)You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm will devour them.

39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.

39 You will plant and cultivate vineyards but not drink the wine or gather the grapes, because worms will eat them.

39 You'll plant a vineyard, but you won't drink wine or harvest any grapes because worms will consume it.

40 Your land will be full of olive-trees, but there will be no oil for the comfort of your body; for your olive-tree will give no fruit.

40 (AQ)You shall have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off.

40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.

40 You will have olive trees throughout your territory but not anoint yourself with oil, because your olives will drop off.

40 You'll have olive trees throughout your territory, but you won't be able to anoint yourself with oil because the olives will drop off the trees.

41 You will have sons and daughters, but they will not be yours; for they will go away prisoners into a strange land.

41 (AR)You shall (ab)have sons and daughters but they will not be yours, for they will go into captivity.

41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.

41 You will father sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, because they will be taken prisoner.

41 You'll bear sons and daughters, but they won't belong to you because they'll go into captivity.

42 All your trees and the fruit of your land will be the locust's.

42 (AS)The cricket shall possess all your trees and the produce of your ground.

42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

42 Whirring insects will take possession of all your trees and your land’s produce.

42 Whirling locusts will consume every tree and the produce of your land.

43 The man from a strange land who is living among you will be lifted up higher and higher over you, while you go down lower and lower.

43 (AT)The alien who is among you shall rise above you higher and higher, but you will go down lower and lower.

43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.

43 The foreign resident among you will rise higher and higher above you, while you sink lower and lower.

43 The foreigner in your midst will be elevated higher and higher over you, while you are brought low little by little.

44 He will let you have his wealth at interest, and will have no need of yours: he will be the head and you the tail.

44 (AU)He shall lend to you, but you will not lend to him; (AV)he shall be the head, and you will be the tail.

44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

44 He will lend to you, but you won’t lend to him. He will be the head, and you will be the tail.

44 He will lend to you, but you won't lend to him. He'll be the head, but you'll be the tail.

45 And all these curses will come after you and overtake you, till your destruction is complete; because you did not give ear to the voice of the Lord your God, or keep his laws and his orders which he gave you:

45 “So all these curses shall come on you and pursue you and overtake you (AW)until you are destroyed, because you would not (ac)obey the Lord your God by keeping His commandments and His statutes which He commanded you.

45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:

45 “All these curses will come, pursue, and overtake you until you are destroyed, since you did not obey the Lord your God and keep the commands and statutes He gave you.

45 All these curses will come upon you and will overwhelm you until you are exterminated, because you didn't obey the LORD your God to keep his commands and statutes, which he had commanded you.

46 These things will come on you and on your seed, to be a sign and a wonder for ever;

46 They shall become (AX)a sign and a wonder on you and your (ad)descendants forever.

46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.

46 These curses will be a sign and a wonder against you and your descendants forever.

46 These curses will serve as a sign and wonder for you and your descendants as long as you live."

The Curse Of Military Siege

47 Because you did not give honour to the Lord your God, worshipping him gladly, with joy in your hearts on account of all your wealth of good things;

47 (AY)Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and a glad heart, for the abundance of all things;

47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;

47 Because you didn’t serve the Lord your God with joy and a cheerful heart, even though you had an abundance of everything,

47 "Because you didn't serve the LORD your God joyfully and wholeheartedly, despite the abundance of everything you have,

48 For this cause you will become servants to those whom the Lord your God will send against you, without food and drink and clothing, and in need of all things: and he will put a yoke of iron on your neck till he has put an end to you.

48 therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, (AZ)in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the lack of all things; and He (BA)will put an iron yoke on your neck until He has destroyed you.

48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

48 you will serve your enemies the Lord will send against you, in famine, thirst, nakedness, and a lack of everything. He will place an iron yoke(J) on your neck until He has destroyed you.

48 you'll serve your enemies whom the LORD your God will send against you. You will serve in famine and in drought, in nakedness, and in lack of everything. They'll set a yoke of iron upon your neck until they have exterminated you.

The Curse Of An Enemy Nation

49 The Lord will send a nation against you from the farthest ends of the earth, coming with the flight of an eagle; a nation whose language is strange to you;

49 (BB)The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, (BC)as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand,

49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;

49 The Lord will bring a nation from far away, from the ends of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you don’t understand,

49 "The LORD will raise a distant nation against you from the other side of the earth. Swooping down like a vulture,

50 A hard-faced nation, who will have no respect for the old or mercy for the young:

50 a nation of fierce countenance who will (BD)have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young.

50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:

50 a ruthless nation,(i) showing no respect for the old and not sparing the young.

50 it will be a nation whose language you don't understand, whose stern appearance neither shows regard nor extends grace to anyone whether old or young.

51 He will take the fruit of your cattle and of your land till death puts an end to you: he will let you have nothing of your grain or wine or oil or any of the increase of your cattle or the young of your flock, till he has made your destruction complete.

51 Moreover, it shall eat the (ae)offspring of your herd and the produce of your ground until you are destroyed, who also leaves you no grain, new wine, or oil, nor the increase of your herd or the young of your flock until they have caused you to perish.

51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

51 They will eat the offspring of your livestock and your land’s produce until you are destroyed. They will leave you no grain, new wine, oil, young of your herds, or newborn of your flocks until they cause you to perish.

51 Its army will consume the offspring of your animals and the produce of your soil until you are exterminated. They will leave you without your grain, wine, oil, the increase of your cattle, and the lamb of your flock, until you are completely destroyed.

52 Your towns will be shut in by his armies, till your high walls, in which you put your faith, have come down: his armies will be round your towns, through all your land which the Lord your God has given you.

52 (BE)It shall besiege you in all your (af)towns until your high and fortified walls in which you trusted come down throughout your land, and it shall besiege you in all your (ag)towns throughout your land which the Lord your God has given you.

52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

52 They will besiege you within all your gates until your high and fortified walls, that you trust in, come down throughout your land. They will besiege you within all your gates throughout the land the Lord your God has given you.

52 They'll besiege all your cities until your high and fortified walls in which you have trusted collapse throughout the land. Indeed, they will besiege all your cities, which the LORD your God gave you."

53 And your food will be the fruit of your body, the flesh of the sons and daughters which the Lord your God has given you; because of your bitter need and the cruel grip of your haters.

53 (BF)Then you shall eat the (ah)offspring of your own body, the flesh of your sons and of your daughters whom the Lord your God has given you, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will (ai)oppress you.

53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:

53 “You will eat your children,(j) the flesh of your sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you(K) during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you.

53 "You'll eat your own children the flesh of your sons and daughters, whom the LORD your God gave you on account of the siege and the distress with which your enemy will oppress you.

54 That man among you who is soft and used to comfort will be hard and cruel to his brother, and to his dear wife, and to of those his children who are still living;

54 The man who is (aj)refined and very delicate among you (ak)shall be hostile toward his brother and toward the wife (al)he cherishes and toward the rest of his children who remain,

54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:

54 The most sensitive and refined man among you will look grudgingly(k) at his brother, the wife he embraces,(l) and the rest of his children,

54 Even the compassionate man among you the very sensitive one will look with evil in his eyes toward his brother, his beloved wife, and his surviving sons, whom he spared.

55 And will not give to any of them the flesh of his children which will be his food because he has no other; in the cruel grip of your haters on all your towns.

55 so that he will not give even one of them any of the flesh of his children which he will eat, since he has nothing else left, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will (am)oppress you in all your (an)towns.

55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.

55 refusing to share with any of them his children’s flesh that he will eat because he has nothing left during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you in all your towns.

55 He will withhold from each of them the flesh of his sons that he is eating since there will be nothing left on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in all your cities.

56 The most soft and delicate of your women, who would not so much as put her foot on the earth, so delicate is she, will be hard-hearted to her husband and to her son and to her daughter;

56 (BG)The (ao)refined and delicate woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground for delicateness and (ap)refinement, (aq)shall be hostile toward the husband (ar)she cherishes and toward her son and daughter,

56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,

56 The most sensitive and refined woman among you, who would not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground because of her refinement and sensitivity, will begrudge the husband she embraces, her son, and her daughter,

56 The most tender and sensitive lady among you, who doesn't venture to touch the soles of her feet to the ground on account of her daintiness, will look with hostility in her eyes against her beloved husband, her sons, and her daughters.

57 And to her baby newly come to birth, and to the children of her body; for having no other food, she will make a meal of them secretly, because of her bitter need and the cruel grip of your haters on all your towns.

57 and toward her afterbirth which issues from between her (as)legs and toward her children whom she bears; for (BH)she will eat them secretly for lack of anything else, during the siege and the distress by which your enemy will (at)oppress you in your (au)towns.

57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.

57 the afterbirth that comes out from between her legs and the children she bears, because she will secretly eat them for lack of anything else during the siege and hardship your enemy imposes on you within your gates.

57 She will eat her afterbirth and her newborn children secretly since there will be nothing left on account of the siege and distress with which your enemy will oppress you in your cities."

The Curse Of Covenant Termination

58 If you will not take care to do all the words of this law, recorded in this book, honouring that name of glory and of fear, THE LORD YOUR GOD;

58 “If you are not careful to observe all the words of this law which are written in this book, to (av)(BI)fear this honored and awesome (BJ)name, (aw)the Lord your God,

58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;

58 “If you are not careful to obey all the words of this law, which are written in this scroll, by fearing this glorious and awesome name—Yahweh, your God—

58 "If you aren't careful to observe all the words of this Law that have been written in this book, instructing you to fear this glorious and awesome name of the LORD your God,

59 Then the Lord your God will make your punishment, and the punishment of your seed, a thing to be wondered at; great punishments and cruel diseases stretching on through long years.

59 then the Lord will bring extraordinary plagues on you and (ax)your descendants, even (ay)severe and lasting plagues, and miserable and chronic sicknesses.

59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

59 He will bring extraordinary plagues on you and your descendants, severe and lasting plagues, and terrible and chronic sicknesses.

59 then he will inflict extraordinary plagues on you and your children great and lasting plagues and severe and lasting illnesses.

60 He will send on you again all the diseases of Egypt, which were a cause of fear to you, and they will take you in their grip.

60 (BK)He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you.

60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.

60 He will afflict you again with all the diseases of Egypt, which you dreaded, and they will cling to you.

60 He will inflict on you all the diseases of Egypt that you dreaded, and they won't be curable.

61 And all the diseases and the pains not recorded in the book of this law will the Lord send on you till your destruction is complete.

61 Also every sickness and every plague which, not written in the book of this law, the Lord will bring on you (BL)until you are destroyed.

61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

61 The Lord will also afflict you with every sickness and plague not recorded in the book of this law, until you are destroyed.

61 Moreover, the LORD will inflict you with illnesses and plagues that were not written in this Book of the Law, until you are exterminated.

62 And you will become a very small band, though your numbers were like the stars of heaven; because you did not give ear to the voice of the Lord your God.

62 Then you shall be left few in number, (BM)whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, because you did not (az)obey the Lord your God.

62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.

62 Though you were as numerous as the stars of the sky, you will be left with only a few people, because you did not obey the Lord your God.

62 Because you will not have obeyed the LORD your God, very few of you will be left instead of you being as numerous as the stars in the heavens.

63 And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and increasing you, so the Lord will take pleasure in cutting you off and causing your destruction, and you will be uprooted from the land which you are about to take as your heritage.

63 It shall come about that as the Lord (BN)delighted over you to prosper you, and multiply you, so the Lord will (BO)delight over you to make you perish and destroy you; and you will be (BP)torn from the land where you are entering to possess it.

63 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.

63 Just as the Lord was glad to cause you to prosper and to multiply you, so He will also be glad to cause you to perish and to destroy you. You will be deported from the land you are entering to possess.

63 Just as the LORD delighted to prosper and increase you, so now the LORD will delight to destroy, exterminate, and banish you from the land that you are about to enter to possess."

64 And the Lord will send you wandering among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other: there you will be servants to other gods, of wood and stone, gods of which you and your fathers had no knowledge.

64 Moreover, the Lord will (BQ)scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall (BR)serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.

64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

64 Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

64 "He'll scatter you among the nations from one end of the earth to the other, and there you'll serve other gods made of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known.

65 And even among these nations there will be no peace for you, and no rest for your feet: but the Lord will give you there a shaking heart and wasting eyes and weariness of soul:

65 (BS)Among those nations you shall find no rest, and there will be no resting place for the sole of your foot; but there (BT)the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing of eyes, and despair of soul.

65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:

65 You will find no peace among those nations, and there will be no resting place(L) for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despondent spirit.

65 Among those nations you'll have no rest. There'll be no resting place for the soles of your feet. Instead, the LORD will give you an anxious heart, failing eyesight, and a despairing spirit.

66 Your very life will be hanging in doubt before you, and day and night will be dark with fears, and nothing in life will be certain:

66 So your life shall (ba)hang in doubt before you; and you will be in dread night and day, and shall have no assurance of your life.

66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:

66 Your life will hang in doubt before you. You will be in dread night and day, never certain of survival.

66 You'll cling to life, being fearful by both night and day, with no assurance of survival.

67 In the morning you will say, If only it was evening! And at evening you will say, If only morning would come! Because of the fear in your hearts and the things which your eyes will see.

67 (BU)In the morning you shall say, ‘Would that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Would that it were morning!’ because of the dread of your heart which you dread, and for the sight of your eyes which you will see.

67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

67 In the morning you will say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and in the evening you will say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread you will have in your heart and because of what you will see.

67 In the morning you'll say, "I wish it were evening.' Yet in the evening you'll say, "I wish it were morning,' on account of what you'll dread and what you'll see.

68 And the Lord will take you back to Egypt again in ships, by the way of which I said to you, You will never see it again: there you will be offering yourselves as men-servants and women-servants to your haters for a price, and no man will take you.

68 The Lord will bring you back to Egypt in ships, by the way about which I spoke to you, ‘You will never see it again!’ And there you will offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.”

68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

68 The Lord will take you back in ships to Egypt by a route that I said you would never see again.(M) There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

68 Finally, the LORD will bring you back to Egypt by ship, a place that I said you'd never see again. There you'll try to sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you."

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

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