Leviticus 26:15

English Standard Version

if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
and if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor my ordinances, so that you will not do all my mitzvot, but break my covenant;

King James Version
And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:

Lexham English Bible
and if you reject my statutes and if your inner self abhors my regulations, to not carry out all my commands by your breaking my covenant,

New Century Version
and if you turn away from my rules and hate my laws, refusing to obey all my commands, you have broken our agreement.

New English Translation
if you reject my statutes and abhor my regulations so that you do not keep all my commandments and you break my covenant—

Amplified Bible
if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul rejects My ordinances, so that you will not [obediently] do all My commandments, and in this way break My covenant,

New American Standard Bible
if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul loathes My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, but rather to break My covenant,

Geneva Bible (1587)
And if ye shall despise mine ordinances, either if your soule abhorre my lawes, so that yee will not do all my commandements, but breake my couenant,

Legacy Standard Bible
if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul loathes My judgments so as not to do all My commandments and so break My covenant,

Complete Jewish Bible
if you loathe my regulations and reject my rulings, in order not to obey all my mitzvot but cancel my covenant;

Darby Translation
and if ye shall despise my statutes, and if your soul shall abhor mine ordinances, so that ye do not all my commandments, that ye break my covenant,

Easy-to-Read Version
If you refuse to obey my laws and commands, you have broken my agreement.

George Lamsa Translation
And if you despise my laws, or if your soul abhor my judgments so that you will not do all my commandments, and make my covenant of no effect;

Good News Translation
If you refuse to obey my laws and commands and break the covenant I have made with you,

Christian Standard Bible®
if you reject my statutes and despise my ordinances, and do not observe all my commands—and break my covenant,

Literal Translation
and if you reject My statutes, and if your soul hates My judgments, so as not to do all My commands, to the breaking of My covenant;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and wyl despyse my statutes, and yf youre soules refuse my lawes, yt ye wyll not do all my commaundementes, & shal let my couenaunt stonde,

American Standard Version
and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant;

Bible in Basic English
And if you go against my rules and if you have hate in your souls for my decisions and you do not do all my orders, but go against my agreement;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And yf ye shall dispise myne ordinaunces, either if your soule abhorre my lawes, so that ye wyll not do all my commaundementes, but breake my couenaunt,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
and if ye shall reject My statutes, and if your soul abhor Mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant;

King James Version (1611)
And if ye shall despise my Statutes, or if your soule abhorre my Iudgements, so that ye wil not doe all my Commandements, but that yee breake my Couenant:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
but disobey them, and your soul should loathe my judgments, so that ye should not keep all my commands, so as to break my covenant,

English Revised Version
and if ye shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant;

Berean Standard Bible
and if you reject My statutes, despise My ordinances, and neglect to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and if ye forsaken my lawis, and despisen my domes, that ye doon not tho thingis that ben ordeyned of me, and that ye brengen my couenaunt to auoydyng, also Y schal do these thingis to you;

Young's Literal Translation
and if at My statutes ye kick, and if My judgments your soul loathe, so as not to do all My commands -- to your breaking My covenant --

Update Bible Version
and if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant;

Webster's Bible Translation
And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul shall abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, [but] that ye break my covenant:

World English Bible
and if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhor my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant;

New King James Version
and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant,

New Living Translation
and if you break my covenant by rejecting my decrees, treating my regulations with contempt, and refusing to obey my commands,

New Life Bible
if you turn away from My Laws and do not want to do what I tell you to do, and do not do it, and so break My agreement,

New Revised Standard
if you spurn my statutes, and abhor my ordinances, so that you will not observe all my commandments, and you break my covenant,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And if, my statutes, ye refuse, And, my regulations, your souls shall abhor, - So that ye will not do all my commandments, But shall break my covenant

Douay-Rheims Bible
If you despise my laws, and contemn my judgments so as not to do those things which are appointed by me, and to make void my covenant:

Revised Standard Version
if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
if, instead, you reject My statutes, and if your soul abhors My ordinances so as not to carry out all My commandments, and so break My covenant,

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ "But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, ¹⁵ if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant, ¹⁶ then I will do this to you: I will visit you with panic, with wasting disease and fever that consume the eyes and make the heart ache. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. ¹⁷ I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down before your enemies. Those who hate you shall rule over you, and you shall flee when none pursues you. ¹⁸ And if in spite of this you will not listen to me, then I will discipline you again sevenfold for your sins, ¹⁹ and I will break the pride of your power, and I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze. ²⁰ And your strength shall be spent in vain, for your land shall not yield its increase, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit. ²¹ "Then if you walk contrary to me and will not listen to me, I will continue striking you, sevenfold for your sins. ²² And I will let loose the wild beasts against you, which shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock and make you few in number, so that your roads shall be deserted. ²³ "And if by this discipline you are not turned to me but walk contrary to me,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

despise: Leviticus 26:43, Numbers 15:31, 2 Samuel 12:9, 2 Samuel 12:10, 2 Kings 17:15, 2 Chronicles 36:16, Proverbs 1:7, Proverbs 1:30, Jeremiah 6:19, Zechariah 7:11-13, Acts 13:41, 1 Thessalonians 4:8

soul: Psalms 50:17, Proverbs 5:12, Romans 8:7

break: Genesis 17:14, Exodus 19:5, Exodus 24:7, Deuteronomy 31:16, Isaiah 24:5, Jeremiah 11:10, Jeremiah 31:32, Ezekiel 16:59, Hebrews 8:9

Reciprocal: Leviticus 26:30 - my soul Deuteronomy 17:2 - in transgressing Deuteronomy 28:58 - If thou wilt Judges 2:15 - had said 2 Kings 22:16 - all the words Isaiah 42:25 - he hath poured Jeremiah 2:17 - Hast thou Lamentations 1:5 - for Ezekiel 20:13 - and they Ezekiel 44:7 - broken Amos 2:4 - because Micah 3:9 - that Mark 12:9 - he will

Cross-References

Genesis 21:25
When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized,

Genesis 21:30
He said, "These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And if ye shall despise my statutes,.... Which is an aggravated sin; to be negligent hearers of the commands of God is bad, not to be doers of them worse, but to treat them with contempt is worse still:

or if your soul abhor my judgments: which is worst of all, to despise them as if not wisely or righteously made is a dreadful reflection upon the Maker of them; but to abhor them as bad things, not fit to be regarded, but to be had in the utmost detestation, is shocking impiety:

so that ye will not do all my commandments; nor any of them, but are set against them, and determined and resolved on the contrary:

[but] that ye break my covenant; the covenant made with them at Sinai, when they promised, on their part, that they would hearken and be obedient, Exodus 24:7.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As “the book of the covenant” Exodus 20:22-33 concludes with promises and warnings Exodus 23:20-33, so does this collection of laws contained in the Book of Leviticus. But the former passage relates to the conquest of the land of promise, this one to the subsequent history of the nation. The longer similar passage in Deuteronomy Deut. 27–30 is marked by broader and deeper promises and denunciations having immediate reference not only to outward consequences, but to the spiritual death incurred by transgressing the divine will.

Leviticus 26:4

Rain in due season - The periodical rains, on which the fertility of the holy land so much depends, are here spoken of. There are two wet seasons, called in Scripture the former and the latter rain Deuteronomy 11:14; Jeremiah 5:24; Joel 2:23; Hosea 6:3; James 5:7. The former or Autumn rain falls in heavy showers in November and December. In March the latter or Spring rain comes on, which is precarious in quantity and duration, and rarely lasts more than two days.

Leviticus 26:5

Compare the margin reference; Joel 2:19; Job 11:18.

Leviticus 26:8

Five of you shall chase - A proverbial mode of expression for superiority in warlike prowess Deuteronomy 32:30; Isaiah 30:17.

Leviticus 26:9

Establish my covenant - All material blessings were to be regarded in the light of seals of the “everlasting covenant.” Compare Genesis 17:4-8; Nehemiah 9:23.

Leviticus 26:10

Bring forth the old because of the new - Rather, clear away the old before the new; that is, in order to make room for the latter. Compare the margin reference.

Leviticus 26:16

The first warning for disobedience is disease. “Terror” (literally trembling) is rendered trouble in Psalms 78:33; Isaiah 65:23. It seems here to denote that terrible affliction, an anxious temperament, the mental state ever at war with Faith and Hope. This might well be placed at the head of the visitations on a backslider who had broken the covenant with his God. Compare Deuteronomy 32:25; Jeremiah 15:8; Proverbs 28:1; Job 24:17; Psalms 23:4.

Consumption, and the burning ague - Compare the margin reference. The first of the words in the original comes from a root signifying to waste away; the latter (better, fever), from one signifying to kindle a fire. Consumption is common in Egypt and some parts of Asia Minor, but it is more rare in Syria. Fevers of different kinds are the commonest of all diseases in Syria and all the neighboring countries. The opposite promise to the threat is given in Exodus 15:26; Exodus 23:25.

Leviticus 26:18

For all this - i. e. for all the afflictions in Leviticus 26:16-17.

Seven times - The sabbatical number is here proverbially used to remind the people of the covenant. Compare Genesis 4:15, Genesis 4:24; Psalms 119:164; Proverbs 24:16; Luke 17:4.

Leviticus 26:19, Leviticus 26:20

The second warning is utter sterility of the soil. Compare Deuteronomy 11:17; Deuteronomy 28:18; Ezekiel 33:28; Ezekiel 36:34-35.

Leviticus 26:21, Leviticus 26:22

The third warning is the multiplication of destructive animals, etc. Compare Deuteronomy 32:24; Ezekiel 5:17; Ezekiel 14:15; Judges 5:6-7; Isaiah 33:8.

Leviticus 26:23-26

The fourth warning. Yahweh now places Himself as it were in a hostile position toward His people who “will not be reformed” (rather, brought unto God: Jeremiah 2:30). He will avenge the outraged cause of His covenant, by the sword, pestilence, famine, and captivity.

Leviticus 26:26

Omit “and.” “To break the staff of bread,” was a proverbial expression for cutting off the supply of bread, the staff of life (Psalms 105:16; Ezekiel 4:16; Ezekiel 5:16; Ezekiel 14:13; compare Isaiah 3:1). The supply was to be so reduced that one oven would suffice for baking the bread maple by ten women for ten families, and when made it was to be dealt out in sparing rations by weight. See 2 Kings 6:25; Jeremiah 14:18; Lamentations 4:9; Ezekiel 5:12; Hosea 4:10; Micah 6:14; Haggai 1:6.

Leviticus 26:27-33

The fifth warning. For Leviticus 26:29 see 2 Kings 6:28-29; Jeremiah 19:8-9; Lamentations 2:20; Lamentations 4:10; Ezekiel 5:10, for Leviticus 26:30 see 2 Chronicles 34:3; Ezekiel 6:4; Jeremiah 14:19, for Leviticus 26:31 see 2 Kings 25:9; Psalms 74:6-7 : for Leviticus 26:32-33 see Deuteronomy 28:37; Psalms 44:11; Jeremiah 9:16; Jeremiah 18:16; Ezekiel 5:1-17; Jeremiah 4:7; Ezekiel 9:6; Ezekiel 12:15; Zechariah 7:14.

Leviticus 26:30

High places - There is no doubt that the word here denotes elevated spots dedicated to false worship (see Deuteronomy 12:2), and especially, it would seem, to that of Baal Numbers 22:41; Joshua 13:17. Such spots were, however, employed and approved for the worship of Yahweh, not only before the building of the temple, but afterward (Judges 6:25-26; Judges 13:16-23; 1 Samuel 7:10; 1 Samuel 16:5; 1 Kings 3:2; 1 Kings 18:30; 2 Kings 12:3; 1 Chronicles 21:26, etc.). The three altars built by Abraham at Shechem, between Bethel and Ai, and at Mamre, appear to have been on heights, and so was the temple.

The high places in the holy land may thus have been divided into those dedicated to the worship of Yahweh, and those which had been dedicated to idols. And it would seem as if there was a constant struggle going on. The high places polluted by idol worship were of course to be wholly condemned. They were probably resorted to only to gratify a degraded superstition. See Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:2-5. The others might have been innocently used for prayer and religious teaching. But the temptation appears to have been too great for the temper of the people. They offered sacrifice and burnt incense on them; and hence, thorough reformers of the national religion, such as Hezekiah and Josiah, removed the high places altogether 2 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 23:5.

Your images - The original word is rendered in the margin of our Bible sun images (2 Chronicles 14:5; Isaiah 17:8; Ezekiel 6:4, etc.). Phoenician inscriptions prove that the word was commonly applied to images of Baal and Astarte, the god of the sun and the goddess of the moon. This exactly explains 2 Chronicles 34:4 following.

Idols - The Hebrew word here literally means things which could be rolled about, such as a block of wood or a lump of dirt. It was no doubt a name given in derision. Compare Isaiah 40:20; Isa 44:19; 2 Kings 1:2.

Leviticus 26:31

Sanctuaries - The holy places in the tabernacle and the temple (Psalms 68:35. Compare Psalms 74:7).

I will not smell the savor ... - See Leviticus 1:9.

Leviticus 26:35

More literally: All the days of its desolation shall it rest that time which it rested not in your Sabbaths while ye dwelt upon it. That is, the periods of rest of which the land had been deprived would be made up to it. Compare 2 Chronicles 36:20-21.

Leviticus 26:38

The land of your enemies shall eat you up - Compare Numbers 13:32; Ezekiel 36:13.

Leviticus 26:39

Iniquity - The meaning here is, in the punishment of their iniquity, and, in the next clause, in the punishment of the iniquity (as in Leviticus 26:41, Leviticus 26:43) of their fathers. In the next verse the same Hebrew word is properly represented by “iniquity.” Our translators have in several places put one of the English words in the text and the other in the margin (Genesis 4:13; Genesis 19:15; 2 Kings 7:9; Psalms 69:27, etc.). The language of Scripture does not make that trenchant division between sin and punishment which we are accustomed to do. Sin is its own punishment, having in itself, from its very commencement, the germ of death. “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” James 1:15; Romans 2:5; Romans 5:12.

Leviticus 26:40

trespass - The Hebrew word signifies an injury inflicted on the rights of a person, as distinguished from a sin or iniquity regarded as an outrage of the divine law. Every wrong act is of course both a sin and a trespass against God. In this place Yahweh takes the breach of the covenant as a personal trespass.

Leviticus 26:41

Uncircumcised hearts - The outward sign of the covenant might be preserved, but the answering grace in the heart would be wanting (Acts 7:51; Romans 2:28-29; Jeremiah 6:10; Jeremiah 9:26; compare Colossians 2:11).

Accept of the punishment of their iniquity - literally, enjoy their iniquity. The word here and in Leviticus 26:43 rendered “accept” in this phrase, is the same as is rendered “enjoy” in the expression “the land shall enjoy her sabbaths” Leviticus 26:34. The antithesis in Leviticus 26:43 is this: The land shall enjoy her sabbaths - and they shall enjoy the punishment of their iniquity. The meaning is, that the land being desolate shall have the blessing of rest, and they having repented shall have the blessing of chastisement. The feelings of a devout captive Israelite are beautifully expressed in Tobit 13:1-18.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 26:15. If ye shall despise my statutes - abhor my judgments — As these words, and others of a similar import, which point out different properties of the revelation of God, are frequently occurring, I Judge it best to take a general view of them, once for all, in this place, and show how they differ among themselves, and what property of the Divine law each points out.

1. STATUTES. חקת chukkoth, from חק chak, to mark out, define, c. This term seems to signify the things which God has defined, marked, and traced out, that men might have a perfect copy of pure conduct always before their eyes, to teach them how they might walk so as to please him in all things, which they could not do without such instruction as God gives in his word, and the help which he affords by his Spirit.

2. JUDGMENTS. שפטים shephatim, from שפט shaphat, to distinguish, regulate, and determine meaning those things which God has determined that men shall pursue, by which their whole conduct shall be regulated, making the proper distinction between virtue and vice, good and evil, right and wrong, justice and injustice; in a word, between what is proper to be done, and what is proper to be left undone.

3. COMMANDMENTS. מצות mitsvoth, from צוה tsavah, to command, ordain, and appoint, as a legislator. This term is properly applied to those parts of the law which contain the obligation the people are under to act according to the statutes, judgments, c., already established, and which prohibit them by penal sanctions from acting contrary to the laws.

4. COVENANT. ברית berith, from בר bar, to clear, cleanse, or purify because the covenant, the whole system of revelation given to the Jews, was intended to separate them from all the people of the earth, and to make them holy. Berith also signifies the covenant-sacrifice, which prefigured the atonement made by Christ for the sin of the world, by which he purifies believers unto himself, and makes them a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Besides those four, we may add the following, from other places of Scripture.

5. TESTIMONIES. עדות edoth, from עד ad, beyond, farther, besides; because the whole ritual law referred to something farther on or beyond the Jewish dispensation, even to that sacrifice which in the fulness of time was to be offered for the sins of men. Thus all the sacrifices, c., of the Mosaic law referred to Christ, and bore testimony to him who was to come.

6. ORDINANCES. משמרות mishmaroth, from שמר shamar, to guard, keep safe, watch over those parts of Divine revelation which exhorted men to watch their ways, keep their hearts, and promised them, in consequence, the continual protection and blessing of God their Maker.

7. PRECEPTS. פקודים pikkudim, from פקד pakad, to overlook, take care or notice of, to visit; a very expressive character of the Divine testimonies, the overseers of a man's conduct, those who stand by and look on to see whether he acts according to the commands of his Master; also the visiters, because God's precepts are suited to all the circumstances of human life; some are applicable in adversity, others in prosperity; some in times of temptation and sadness, others in seasons of spiritual joy and exultation, c., c. Thus they may be said to overlook and visit man in all times, places, and circumstances.

8. TRUTH. אמת emeth, from אם am, to support, sustain, confirm because God is immutable who has promised, threatened, commanded, and therefore all his promises, threatenings, commandments, c., are unalterable and eternal. Error and falsity promise to direct and sustain, but they fail. God's word is supported by his own faithfulness, and it supports and confirms them who conscientiously believe it.

9. RIGHTEOUSNESS. צדקה tsedakah, from צדק which, though not used as a verb in the Hebrew Bible, seems to convey, from its use as a noun, the idea of giving just weight or good measure, see Leviticus 19:36. This is one of the characters which is attributed to the revelation God makes of himself (see Psalms 119:137-144) and by this the impartiality of the Divine testimonies is pointed out. God gives to all their due, and his word distributes to every man according to his state, circumstances, talents, graces, c. to none too much, to none too little, to all enough.

10. WORD of JEHOVAH. דבר יהוה debar Yehovah, from דבר, dabar, to drive, lead, bring forward, hence to bring forward, or utter one's sentiments; so the word of God is what God has brought forth to man from his own mind and counsel; it is a perfect similitude of his own righteousness, holiness, goodness, and truth. This Divine law is sometimes expressed by: -

11. אמרה imrah, speech or word, variously modified from אמר amar, to branch out, because of the interesting details into which the word of God enters in order to instruct man and make him wise unto salvation, or, as the apostle expresses it, "God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake unto the fathers by the prophets," πολυμερως και πολυτροπως, in many distinct parcels, and by various tropes or figures; a curious and elegant description of Divine revelation; Hebrews 1:1.

12. All these collectively are termed the LAW תורה torah, or תורת יהוה torath Yehovah, the law of the Lord, from ירה yarah, to direct, set straight and true, as stones in a building, to teach and instruct, because this whole system of Divine revelation is calculated to direct men to the attainment of present and eternal felicity, to set them right in their notions concerning the supreme God, to order and adjust them in the several departments of civil and religious society, and thus to teach and instruct them in the knowledge of themselves, and in the true knowledge of God. Thus those who receive the truth become the city of the living God - the temple of the Most High, built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit. To complete this description of the word law, Exodus 12:49, where other properties of the law of God are specified.