Deuteronomy 28:60
Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.
Original Language Analysis
וְהֵשִׁ֣יב
Moreover he will bring
H7725
וְהֵשִׁ֣יב
Moreover he will bring
Strong's:
H7725
Word #:
1 of 11
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
אֵ֚ת
H853
אֵ֚ת
Strong's:
H853
Word #:
3 of 11
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
כָּל
H3605
כָּל
Strong's:
H3605
Word #:
4 of 11
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
7 of 11
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם
of
H6440
מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם
of
Strong's:
H6440
Word #:
9 of 11
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
Historical Context
Leviticus 26:16 similarly threatened wasting diseases. During the Babylonian siege, plague accompanied famine (Jeremiah 21:6-7). The Roman siege likewise brought epidemic disease due to crowding and starvation. Throughout the diaspora, Jewish communities suffered disproportionately from medieval plague outbreaks.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this passage demonstrate that God's deliverance is conditional on covenant faithfulness?
- What does the reversal of Exodus 15:26 teach about the nature of blessing and curse?
- In what ways does Christ's healing ministry demonstrate the reversal of these curses?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of—the Hebrew kol-maḏwēh miṣrayim (כָּל־מַדְוֵה מִצְרַיִם, 'every disease of Egypt') refers both to the ten plagues and to the endemic diseases Israel witnessed in Egypt. And they shall cleave unto thee (וְדָבְקוּ בָךְ, wǝḏāḇǝqû ḇāḵ)—the verb 'cleave' is used positively for marriage (Genesis 2:24) and covenant loyalty (Deuteronomy 10:20), but here for clinging disease.
This reverses the Exodus promise in Exodus 15:26: 'I will put none of these diseases upon thee.' What God prevented, He will now inflict. The 'diseases of Egypt' Israel 'feared' would now become their punishment. The verb 'cleave' suggests permanence—these diseases won't be temporary like Egypt's plagues but chronic. This includes leprosy, blindness, and other afflictions prevalent in Egypt.