Deuteronomy 28:62
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Deuteronomy 28:62
62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Chapter Context
Deuteronomy 28 is a covenant blessing and curse chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of mercy, grace, 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 21-68: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it illustrates divine judgment and mercy in response to human actions. 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 28:62
62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
Analysis
And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude—this directly reverses God's Abrahamic promise (Genesis 15:5, 22:17). The Hebrew wǝnišʾartem bimtê mǝʿāṭ (וְנִשְׁאַרְתֶּם בִּמְתֵי מְעָט, 'you shall be left as men of fewness') contrasts painfully with as the stars of heaven (כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם, kǝḵôḵǝḇê haššāmayim), the very language of God's covenant promise.
This predicts genocide and population collapse. From Solomon's empire of millions, Israel shrank to a remnant under Babylon, then further under Rome. By AD 135 (after Bar Kokhba's revolt), Judea was nearly depopulated. The phrase because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD gives the reason: disobedience inverts blessing to curse. Paul references this in Romans 9:27—even the remnant is saved only by grace.
Historical Context
Archaeological surveys show dramatic population decline after 586 BC—Judah's population dropped from ~250,000 to ~40,000. After AD 70, the Jewish population in Judea dropped by 80%. After the Bar Kokhba revolt (AD 135), Judea was renamed 'Syria Palaestina' to erase Jewish identity. The Holocaust reduced world Jewry by 40%.
Reflection
- How can God's promises be both certain and conditional?
- What does this passage teach about corporate versus individual election?
- How does the preservation of a remnant demonstrate both judgment and mercy?
Word Studies
- Lord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai) H3068 - The LORD / Lord
Cross-References
- References Lord: Deuteronomy 4:27, Mark 13:20
- References God: Deuteronomy 10:22, Jeremiah 42:2
- Parallel theme: 2 Kings 24:14, Nehemiah 7:4, 9:23, Isaiah 24:6