Leviticus 26:33

Authorized King James Version

And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וְאֶתְכֶם֙
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
#2
אֱזָרֶ֣ה
And I will scatter
to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow
#3
בַגּוֹיִ֔ם
you among the heathen
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
#4
וַהֲרִֽיקֹתִ֥י
and will draw out
to pour out (literally or figuratively), i.e., empty
#5
אַֽחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם
after
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
#6
חָ֑רֶב
a sword
drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement
#7
וְהָֽיְתָ֤ה
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#8
אַרְצְכֶם֙
you and your land
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
#9
שְׁמָמָ֔ה
shall be desolate
devastation; figuratively, astonishment
#10
וְעָֽרֵיכֶ֖ם
and your cities
a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)
#11
יִֽהְי֥וּ
to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
#12
חָרְבָּֽה׃
waste
properly, drought, i.e., (by implication) a desolation

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

This passage must be understood within the political and social structures of the biblical period. The author writes to address believers seeking to understand God's will and purposes, making the emphasis on salvation particularly relevant. Historical documents from this period show cultural practices and social structures that would have been familiar to the original readers, illuminating the verse's original impact.

Questions for Reflection

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