Deuteronomy 11:17
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 11:17
17 And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 11 is a sermonic and legal chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of truth, love, righteousness. Written during the end of the wilderness wandering (c. 1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Moses delivered these speeches as Israel prepared to enter a land filled with different Canaanite city-states.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-32: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it addresses timeless questions about faith, suffering, and divine purpose. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Deuteronomy and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Deuteronomy 11:17
17 And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
Analysis
The consequence of apostasy: 'the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you' uses the Hebrew charah aph (חָרָה אַף, literally 'burn nose/anger'), vivid imagery for divine fury. The judgment is environmental: 'he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain.' The Hebrew atsar (עָצַר, 'restrain, close') indicates deliberate divine action withholding blessing. The result: agricultural catastrophe—'the land yield not her fruit'—leading to death: 'ye perish quickly from off the good land.' Covenant curses (Deuteronomy 28:23-24) would be enforced. This establishes the prophetic pattern: apostasy → drought → famine → death/exile.
Historical Context
This judgment materialized repeatedly in Israel's history. Elijah's drought (1 Kings 17-18) punished Ahab's Baalism. Jeremiah warned Judah of coming judgment through drought and exile (Jeremiah 14). The seventy-year exile fulfilled covenant curses. Post-exilic Haggai explained poor harvests as divine discipline (Haggai 1:9-11). Weather became theological barometer of covenant status.
Reflection
- How does this passage challenge modern assumptions that natural disasters are religiously neutral events?
- What does God's jealousy (willingness to judge apostasy severely) reveal about His love and holiness?
- How should Christians understand divine discipline and consequences in the New Covenant age?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References Lord: Deuteronomy 6:15, 1 Kings 17:1
- Parallel theme: Deuteronomy 4:26, 1 Kings 8:35, 2 Chronicles 6:26, 7:13, Amos 4:7