Deuteronomy 28:29
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.
Original Language Analysis
וְהָיִ֜יתָ
H1961
וְהָיִ֜יתָ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
1 of 19
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ
And thou shalt grope
H4959
יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ
And thou shalt grope
Strong's:
H4959
Word #:
2 of 19
to feel of; by implication, to grope
בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֗יִם
at noonday
H6672
בַּֽצָּהֳרַ֗יִם
at noonday
Strong's:
H6672
Word #:
3 of 19
a light (i.e., window); dual double light, i.e., noon
כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר
H834
כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֨ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
4 of 19
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ
And thou shalt grope
H4959
יְמַשֵּׁ֤שׁ
And thou shalt grope
Strong's:
H4959
Word #:
5 of 19
to feel of; by implication, to grope
בָּֽאֲפֵלָ֔ה
in darkness
H653
בָּֽאֲפֵלָ֔ה
in darkness
Strong's:
H653
Word #:
7 of 19
duskiness, figuratively, misfortune; concrete, concealment
וְלֹ֥א
H3808
וְלֹ֥א
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
8 of 19
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
תַצְלִ֖יחַ
and thou shalt not prosper
H6743
תַצְלִ֖יחַ
and thou shalt not prosper
Strong's:
H6743
Word #:
9 of 19
to push forward, in various senses (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive)
אֶת
H853
אֶת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
10 of 19
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ
in thy ways
H1870
דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ
in thy ways
Strong's:
H1870
Word #:
11 of 19
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
וְהָיִ֜יתָ
H1961
וְהָיִ֜יתָ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
12 of 19
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
אַ֣ךְ
H389
עָשׁ֧וּק
and thou shalt be only oppressed
H6231
עָשׁ֧וּק
and thou shalt be only oppressed
Strong's:
H6231
Word #:
14 of 19
to press upon, i.e., oppress, defraud, violate, overflow
וְגָז֛וּל
and spoiled
H1497
וְגָז֛וּל
and spoiled
Strong's:
H1497
Word #:
15 of 19
to pluck off; specifically to flay, strip or rob
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
16 of 19
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
הַיָּמִ֖ים
evermore
H3117
הַיָּמִ֖ים
evermore
Strong's:
H3117
Word #:
17 of 19
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso
וְאֵ֥ין
H369
Cross References
Isaiah 59:10We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men.Job 5:14They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night.Judges 13:1And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines forty years.Judges 10:8And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel: eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.Judges 3:14So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years.
Historical Context
Moses delivered this warning circa 1406 BC. The book of Judges repeatedly demonstrates this cycle—Israel's apostasy led to oppression by surrounding nations with no deliverer until they repented and God raised up judges. The Babylonian exile (586 BC) fulfilled this comprehensively when Israel groped in spiritual darkness despite possessing Torah.
Questions for Reflection
- What does it mean to grope in darkness at noonday, and how does spiritual blindness exceed physical blindness?
- Why does divine judgment remove prosperity despite human effort and ingenuity?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness. The Hebrew meshashesh (מְשַׁשֵּׁשׁ, grope/fumble) depicts helpless searching without direction. At noonday intensifies the irony—even with full sunlight, the covenant-breaker cannot find his way, indicating spiritual blindness more devastating than physical sight loss.
Thou shalt not prosper in thy ways (lo tatzliach, לֹא תַצְלִיחַ) means perpetual failure despite effort—divine removal of blessing ensures futility. Oppressed and spoiled evermore uses ashaq (עָשַׁק, exploited/defrauded) and gazal (גָּזַל, robbed), indicating systemic injustice with no man shall save thee—no human deliverer can rescue from divine judgment. Isaiah 59:9-10 laments this exact condition during Israel's apostasy.