Deuteronomy 28:41
Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.
Original Language Analysis
בָּנִ֥ים
sons
H1121
בָּנִ֥ים
sons
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
1 of 9
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
וּבָנ֖וֹת
and daughters
H1323
וּבָנ֖וֹת
and daughters
Strong's:
H1323
Word #:
2 of 9
a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively)
תּוֹלִ֑יד
Thou shalt beget
H3205
תּוֹלִ֑יד
Thou shalt beget
Strong's:
H3205
Word #:
3 of 9
to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
וְלֹֽא
H3808
וְלֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
4 of 9
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יִהְי֣וּ
H1961
יִהְי֣וּ
Strong's:
H1961
Word #:
5 of 9
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
כִּ֥י
H3588
כִּ֥י
Strong's:
H3588
Word #:
7 of 9
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
Cross References
Deuteronomy 28:32Thy 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.Lamentations 1:5Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy.
Historical Context
Assyrian (722 BC) and Babylonian (586 BC) conquests fulfilled this curse. Nebuchadnezzar specifically took young nobles—"children in whom was no blemish" (Daniel 1:3-4)—to serve Babylon. Parents endured the grief of surviving their children's futures being consumed by foreign empires.
Questions for Reflection
- Why would losing children to captivity be listed among the most severe covenant curses?
- How does this curse reveal God's intention for families to experience covenant blessings together across generations?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity. The most devastating curse yet—losing children to exile. The Hebrew shebi (captivity) meant forced deportation to foreign lands. Children represented covenant continuity, inheritance, and future hope; their loss meant the covenant promises dying out. Where blessing promised children filling the land (Deuteronomy 28:4, 11), curse brought childlessness through exile.
This precisely describes Babylonian captivity—Daniel, Ezekiel, and thousands deported to Babylon (2 Kings 24:14-16). Parents watched helplessly as children were marched to foreign lands, often never to return. Lamentations 1:5 mourns: "Her children are gone into captivity before the enemy."