American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Leviticus 26
1
You shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither raise you up a standing image, neither shall you set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down to it: for I am the LORD your God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Numbers 33:52
References God
Leviticus 19:4
Exodus 23:24
Exodus 20:23
References Lord
Deuteronomy 27:15
2
You shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Reference
Temple
Leviticus 19:30
3
If you walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 1:19
4
Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
Reference
5
And your threshing shall reach to the vintage, and the vintage shall reach to the sowing time: and you shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
Reference
6
And I will give peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 35:9
Zephaniah 3:13
Jeremiah 30:10
Ezekiel 14:15
Peace
Psalm 147:14
Ezekiel 34:25
Psalm 29:11
Haggai 2:9
Zechariah 9:10
Word
Hosea 2:18
7
And you shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
8
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Reference
Light
Deuteronomy 32:30
Parallel theme
Joshua 23:10
Deuteronomy 28:7
1 Chronicles 11:20
Numbers 14:9
1 Chronicles 11:11
9
For I will have respect to you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
Reference
Covenant
Nehemiah 9:23
Ezekiel 16:62
Isaiah 55:3
Psalm 89:3
Exodus 6:4
Parallel theme
Psalm 107:38
Genesis 28:3
Jeremiah 33:3
Deuteronomy 28:11
Exodus 1:7
10
And you shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 25:22
11
And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 29:45
Psalm 106:40
Ephesians 2:22
Leviticus 20:23
Temple
Exodus 25:8
Revelation 21:3
Psalm 76:2
13
I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 2:20
References God
Exodus 20:2
Leviticus 25:38
Leviticus 25:55
References Lord
Ezekiel 34:27
Psalm 116:16
14
But if you will not listen to me, and will not do all these commandments;
Reference
Parallel theme
Jeremiah 17:27
Leviticus 26:18
Hebrews 12:25
Acts 3:23
Malachi 2:2
Word
Lamentations 2:17
Lamentations 1:18
15
And if you shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that you will not do all my commandments, but that you break my covenant:
Reference
16
I also will do this to you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
Reference
17
And I will set my face against you, and you shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and you shall flee when none pursues you.
Reference
Kingdom
Deuteronomy 28:25
Parallel theme
Proverbs 28:1
Leviticus 17:10
Psalm 53:5
Jeremiah 19:7
Judges 2:14
18
And if you will not yet for all this listen to me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 119:164
Proverbs 24:16
1 Samuel 2:5
Sin
Leviticus 26:21
Leviticus 26:28
Leviticus 26:24
19
And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
Reference
20
And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
Reference
21
And if you walk contrary to me, and will not listen to me; I will bring seven times more plagues on you according to your sins.
Reference
22
I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
Reference
24
Then will I also walk contrary to you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
Reference
25
And I will bring a sword on you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when you are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
Reference
Covenant
Ezekiel 20:37
Parallel theme
Numbers 14:12
Deuteronomy 28:21
Word
Ezekiel 5:17
Jeremiah 24:10
Deuteronomy 32:25
Ezekiel 33:2
Ezekiel 14:17
Ezekiel 29:8
Ezekiel 6:3
26
And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and you shall eat, and not be satisfied.
Reference
28
Then I will walk contrary to you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
Reference
Parallel theme
Isaiah 59:18
Isaiah 63:3
Isaiah 66:15
Jeremiah 21:5
Ezekiel 8:18
Ezekiel 5:15
Ezekiel 5:13
29
And you shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall you eat.
Reference
30
And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcasses on the carcasses of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
Reference
31
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the smell of your sweet odors.
Reference
32
And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
Reference
33
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
Reference
Parallel theme
Zechariah 7:14
Deuteronomy 4:27
Ezekiel 20:23
Psalm 44:11
Ezekiel 22:15
Word
Jeremiah 9:16
Luke 21:24
34
Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Chronicles 36:21
35
As long as it lies desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when you dwelled on it.
36
And on them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursues.
Reference
37
And they shall fall one on another, as it were before a sword, when none pursues: and you shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
Reference
Parallel theme
Judges 2:14
38
And you shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
39
And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 24:23
Deuteronomy 28:65
Ezekiel 6:9
Sin
Ezekiel 4:17
Ezekiel 33:10
Exodus 20:5
40
If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary to me;
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 36:31
Joshua 7:19
Sin
Proverbs 28:13
Numbers 5:7
Psalm 32:5
1 Kings 8:47
Leviticus 26:24
Leviticus 26:21
41
And that I also have walked contrary to them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
Reference
42
Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
Reference
43
The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lies desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
Reference
44
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
Reference
45
But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezekiel 20:22
References Egypt
Ezekiel 20:9
References God
Leviticus 25:38
Leviticus 22:33
Summary of Leviticus 26
Leviticus 26 describes the blessings that Israel would receive if they obeyed the Lord and the curses that would befall them if they remained disobedient. By focusing on Israel’s faithfulness and unfaithfulness to the covenant, Leviticus 26 deals with many themes presented in previous chapters. It begins with several blessings that will be given to Israel if they obey the Lord. After discussing the great blessings that can be obtained through obedience, the author warns the Israelites of the punishments that will be brought upon them if they remain disobedient. Even though God warns Israel of His judgment, He reassures them that He will not annul His covenant with them because of their disobedience.
The chapter begins with three prohibitions. The Israelites were warned that they should not make idols and graven images and that they should not bow down to them. They should also keep the Sabbath days and regard His sanctuary with reverence (Leviticus 26:1-2). These commands summarize all of the ideas introduced in the book of Leviticus, including the need to worship the true God and observe the Sabbath and treat His sanctuary with respect.
When Israel obeyed the Lord and kept His commandments, He promised to bless them. His blessing consisted of agricultural abundance and protection from enemies and wild beasts (Leviticus 26:3-5). The Lord would bring plenty of rains, so that His people would reap a bountiful harvest and enjoy the fruits of their labor. He would also guarantee peace in the land so that Israelites could rest and sleep in safety. Additionally, the Lord would protect them from wild animals and enemies who sought to harm them. If Israel was harassed by its enemies, the Lord would enable them to repel attacks and even conquer their enemies. For example, the people of Israel could defeat their enemies with five Israelites killing a hundred enemies and one hundred killing ten thousand.
Further blessings of obedience include the fact that the Lord would have respect unto Israel, make them fruitful and multiply them, and confirm His covenant with them. The Lord would bless them with an abundance of food until they had to throw away some of their surplus. The most precious blessing that the Lord promised Israel was that He would dwell in their midst (Leviticus 26:11-12). It seems that having God’s presence in their midst was the best blessing that the Lord could give to Israel.
The Lord reminded Israel that He had brought them out of Egypt and had redeemed them from the Egyptians. He had broken their yoke and made them free men (Leviticus 26:13). As the Lord prepared to bring judgment upon Israel because of their persistent disobedience, the tone of the chapter changed. If the Israelites did not obey the Lord’s commandments and statutes, they would suffer terrible curses. Disobedience would lead to them losing the joy that they experienced when they left Egypt. They would suffer from wasting diseases, with hot fever burning in their eyes and causing them to waste away in sorrow.
The enemies of Israel would also conquer them, and they would be delivered into the hands of their enemies despite fighting them. When Israel was threatened by foreign powers, they would panic and flee even when no one was chasing after them. When they faced their enemies, they would suffer defeat and humiliation. The land of Israel would fail to yield its produce, and their strength would be spent without bringing them any harvest.
Moreover, if Israel continued to disobey, the Lord would humble their proud power. He would make their heaven like iron and their land like brass, so that they would only get a fraction of the food they needed. Their land would not deliver its produce, and the trees would not yield their fruit. If they continued in their ways, the Lord would bring wild beasts upon them that would diminish their numbers until their streets were empty.
The Lord warned that He would bring a sword upon Israel to punish them for their sins. It would bring pestilence among them. Moreover, they would suffer from the famine because the Lord would withhold food from them. The verses describe in detail how starvation and severe deprivation would affect Israel. They would reach a state of desperation in which their children would eat their own children, and their neighbors would turn against them. The curse would penetrate even the holy places and the cities of Jerusalem, leaving the land desolate.
One of the reasons for the Lord’s judgment was that they had violated His instructions concerning the Sabbath. If the Israelites did not leave the land alone on the seventh year, the land would enjoy its Sabbaths while the Israelites were in captivity. Leviticus 26:34-35 says that the land would enjoy its Sabbaths when it was desolate. During this time, the people who survived would be scattered among their enemies and experience fear and terror. The sound of a leaf would terrify them, but they would not be able to flee because their enemies would destroy them. Their land would be desolate, and their cities would be laid waste.
Leviticus 26 ends on a positive note because it shows that Israel could turn to the Lord and restore their covenant relationship with Him. Beginning with Leviticus 26:40, the author discusses the mercy that the Lord would show to Israel when they confessed their sins and the sins of their fathers. They had to humble themselves and accept the guilt that came with their disobedience. The Lord would remember His covenant when they repented, and He would forgive them.
This teaching is significant because it shows that the Lord’s punishments were not permanent. When Israel repented, the Lord would forgive them, and the suffering that had befallen them would be over. However, Leviticus 26 emphasizes that the Lord would remember His covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham, and He would remember the land, even when Israel was in captivity. The author of Leviticus warned Israel that the Lord would not give them peace until they repented. The people needed to understand that the covenant did not depend on their faithfulness but rather on the Lord’s mercy.
Leviticus 26 describes the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. The Israelites would receive great blessings when they obeyed the Lord. They would experience peace, agricultural abundance, and the protection of the Lord. On the other hand, disobedience would bring them sorrow, enemies, and devastating judgments. The Lord warned that these punishments would come upon them if they continued in their rebellious ways. The author concluded the chapter by assuring the Israelites that the Lord would forgive their sins and disobedience if they repented.
This teaching reveals the type of relationship that the Lord wanted to establish with Israel. He wanted them to be obedient to Him and observe His commandments. He reminded them that He had brought them out of Egypt and made them His possession. By emphasizing the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience, the Lord was trying to convince Israel that He was the right God to serve. The covenant that He offered them was the best option available to them because it did not depend on their faithfulness but rather on His mercy.
The chapter begins with three prohibitions. The Israelites were warned that they should not make idols and graven images and that they should not bow down to them. They should also keep the Sabbath days and regard His sanctuary with reverence (Leviticus 26:1-2). These commands summarize all of the ideas introduced in the book of Leviticus, including the need to worship the true God and observe the Sabbath and treat His sanctuary with respect.
When Israel obeyed the Lord and kept His commandments, He promised to bless them. His blessing consisted of agricultural abundance and protection from enemies and wild beasts (Leviticus 26:3-5). The Lord would bring plenty of rains, so that His people would reap a bountiful harvest and enjoy the fruits of their labor. He would also guarantee peace in the land so that Israelites could rest and sleep in safety. Additionally, the Lord would protect them from wild animals and enemies who sought to harm them. If Israel was harassed by its enemies, the Lord would enable them to repel attacks and even conquer their enemies. For example, the people of Israel could defeat their enemies with five Israelites killing a hundred enemies and one hundred killing ten thousand.
Further blessings of obedience include the fact that the Lord would have respect unto Israel, make them fruitful and multiply them, and confirm His covenant with them. The Lord would bless them with an abundance of food until they had to throw away some of their surplus. The most precious blessing that the Lord promised Israel was that He would dwell in their midst (Leviticus 26:11-12). It seems that having God’s presence in their midst was the best blessing that the Lord could give to Israel.
The Lord reminded Israel that He had brought them out of Egypt and had redeemed them from the Egyptians. He had broken their yoke and made them free men (Leviticus 26:13). As the Lord prepared to bring judgment upon Israel because of their persistent disobedience, the tone of the chapter changed. If the Israelites did not obey the Lord’s commandments and statutes, they would suffer terrible curses. Disobedience would lead to them losing the joy that they experienced when they left Egypt. They would suffer from wasting diseases, with hot fever burning in their eyes and causing them to waste away in sorrow.
The enemies of Israel would also conquer them, and they would be delivered into the hands of their enemies despite fighting them. When Israel was threatened by foreign powers, they would panic and flee even when no one was chasing after them. When they faced their enemies, they would suffer defeat and humiliation. The land of Israel would fail to yield its produce, and their strength would be spent without bringing them any harvest.
Moreover, if Israel continued to disobey, the Lord would humble their proud power. He would make their heaven like iron and their land like brass, so that they would only get a fraction of the food they needed. Their land would not deliver its produce, and the trees would not yield their fruit. If they continued in their ways, the Lord would bring wild beasts upon them that would diminish their numbers until their streets were empty.
The Lord warned that He would bring a sword upon Israel to punish them for their sins. It would bring pestilence among them. Moreover, they would suffer from the famine because the Lord would withhold food from them. The verses describe in detail how starvation and severe deprivation would affect Israel. They would reach a state of desperation in which their children would eat their own children, and their neighbors would turn against them. The curse would penetrate even the holy places and the cities of Jerusalem, leaving the land desolate.
One of the reasons for the Lord’s judgment was that they had violated His instructions concerning the Sabbath. If the Israelites did not leave the land alone on the seventh year, the land would enjoy its Sabbaths while the Israelites were in captivity. Leviticus 26:34-35 says that the land would enjoy its Sabbaths when it was desolate. During this time, the people who survived would be scattered among their enemies and experience fear and terror. The sound of a leaf would terrify them, but they would not be able to flee because their enemies would destroy them. Their land would be desolate, and their cities would be laid waste.
Leviticus 26 ends on a positive note because it shows that Israel could turn to the Lord and restore their covenant relationship with Him. Beginning with Leviticus 26:40, the author discusses the mercy that the Lord would show to Israel when they confessed their sins and the sins of their fathers. They had to humble themselves and accept the guilt that came with their disobedience. The Lord would remember His covenant when they repented, and He would forgive them.
This teaching is significant because it shows that the Lord’s punishments were not permanent. When Israel repented, the Lord would forgive them, and the suffering that had befallen them would be over. However, Leviticus 26 emphasizes that the Lord would remember His covenant with Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham, and He would remember the land, even when Israel was in captivity. The author of Leviticus warned Israel that the Lord would not give them peace until they repented. The people needed to understand that the covenant did not depend on their faithfulness but rather on the Lord’s mercy.
Leviticus 26 describes the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. The Israelites would receive great blessings when they obeyed the Lord. They would experience peace, agricultural abundance, and the protection of the Lord. On the other hand, disobedience would bring them sorrow, enemies, and devastating judgments. The Lord warned that these punishments would come upon them if they continued in their rebellious ways. The author concluded the chapter by assuring the Israelites that the Lord would forgive their sins and disobedience if they repented.
This teaching reveals the type of relationship that the Lord wanted to establish with Israel. He wanted them to be obedient to Him and observe His commandments. He reminded them that He had brought them out of Egypt and made them His possession. By emphasizing the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience, the Lord was trying to convince Israel that He was the right God to serve. The covenant that He offered them was the best option available to them because it did not depend on their faithfulness but rather on His mercy.