Deuteronomy 28:68
And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
Original Language Analysis
וֶהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֙
again
H7725
וֶהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֙
again
Strong's:
H7725
Word #:
1 of 19
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);
יְהוָ֥ה׀
And the LORD
H3068
יְהוָ֥ה׀
And the LORD
Strong's:
H3068
Word #:
2 of 19
(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god
בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙
by the way
H1870
בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙
by the way
Strong's:
H1870
Word #:
5 of 19
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
H834
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
Strong's:
H834
Word #:
6 of 19
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc
לֹֽא
H3808
לֹֽא
Strong's:
H3808
Word #:
9 of 19
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
תֹסִ֥יף
it no more again
H3254
תֹסִ֥יף
it no more again
Strong's:
H3254
Word #:
10 of 19
to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
ע֖וֹד
H5750
ע֖וֹד
Strong's:
H5750
Word #:
11 of 19
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ
unto thee Thou shalt see
H7200
לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ
unto thee Thou shalt see
Strong's:
H7200
Word #:
12 of 19
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם
and there ye shall be sold
H4376
וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם
and there ye shall be sold
Strong's:
H4376
Word #:
13 of 19
to sell, literally (as merchandise, a daughter in marriage, into slavery), or figuratively (to surrender)
שָׁ֧ם
H8033
וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת
and bondwomen
H8198
וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת
and bondwomen
Strong's:
H8198
Word #:
17 of 19
a female slave (as a member of the household)
וְאֵ֥ין
H369
Cross References
Jeremiah 44:12And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.Hosea 9:3They shall not dwell in the LORD'S land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.Jeremiah 43:7So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.Hosea 8:13They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.Deuteronomy 17:16But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.Luke 21:24And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.Nehemiah 5:8And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer.Esther 7:4For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.Exodus 20:2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Historical Context
After AD 70, Vespasian sold thousands of Jews as slaves. After Bar Kokhba (AD 135), Hadrian sold Jewish captives so cheaply at Mamre that the slave market crashed—buyers couldn't be found. Some were shipped to Egypt. This verse's specific fulfillment demonstrates divine authorship of Scripture.
Questions for Reflection
- How does returning to 'Egypt' symbolize the complete failure of covenant relationship?
- What does the worthlessness of Israel as slaves teach about the consequences of rejecting God?
- How does Christ's redemption price (His blood) contrast with Israel's worthlessness under curse?
Related Resources
Explore related topics, people, and study resources to deepen your understanding of this passage.
Analysis & Commentary
And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships—this reverses the Exodus, Israel's founding narrative. The Hebrew wĕhešîḇǝḵā YHWH miṣrayim bāʾŏniyyôṯ (וֶהֱשִׁיבְךָ יְהוָה מִצְרַיִם בָּאֳנִיּוֹת, 'and the LORD will return you to Egypt in ships') means literal return to slavery. By the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again references God's promise in Deuteronomy 17:16 that Israel would never return to Egypt. And there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you—so worthless that even as slaves, no one wants you.
This final curse epitomizes total reversal: from freedom to slavery, from Promised Land to Egypt, from God's treasured possession to rejected merchandise. 'With ships' may reference slave ships or deportation vessels. The phrase 'no man shall buy you' is devastating—valueless even as slaves. After the Bar Kokhba revolt (AD 135), Romans sold so many Jewish slaves that the market was glutted and prices collapsed—literal fulfillment.