Deuteronomy 28:68, commentary and pictures

It stands last among the curses for breaking the law and not revering God's fearful name, threatening plagues and wasting sicknesses, scattering among all peoples to serve false gods without rest, and finally a return to Egypt by ships to be sold as slaves with no one to buy. Disobedience brings curse, adversity and suffering, while obedience brings blessing and prosperity. Moses read these curses aloud from the book he had written to all the people assembled, with God's promises and the record of their past, to show what would come for disobedience. The prophecy pictured Israel's final overthrow and the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome, with dispersion, captivity, restoration, and subjection to Rome. It was fulfilled when after rejecting Christ Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple ruined, and millions sold into slavery in foreign lands.

Covenant Setting and Terms

Moses read the curses from the book he had written aloud to all the people assembled before him, declaring what would come upon them if disobedient, alongside God's promises to them if obedient and the record of their past history. The chapter sets obedience and disobedience in contrast, with obedience bringing blessing and prosperity while disobedience and transgression of God's law and commandments bring a curse, adversity, fearful results and suffering.

God's promises to Israel were conditional upon wholly following Him, and the chapter is to be read to understand why the adult army that left Egypt was refused entry to the promised land and came under the threatened loss of the land. The verse belongs to the covenant curse explaining removal from the promised land, because the people transgressed and turned to strange gods they would be scattered from the land God had given them.

The verse stands last in a sequence of curses for not doing all the words of the law and not fearing God's glorious and fearful name, following plagues and sicknesses including the diseases of Egypt, destruction until few in number are left, being plucked from the land, scattering among all peoples, serving wood and stone, finding no ease or rest, with trembling heart and sorrow of mind and life hanging in doubt in constant fear day and night, then being brought into Egypt again with ships by the way they were told they would see no more again, and there being sold to enemies for bondmen and bondwomen with no man buying them. Together with the preceding verses on scattering among the nations, it describes punishment for apostasy as dispersion and captivity, specifically foretelling a return to Egypt by ships and sale into slavery. That later history connected with it includes dispersion among other nations, the ruin of Jerusalem, captivity in foreign lands, restoration to the ancestral land, and eventual subjection to Rome.

Prophecy Fulfillment and Warning

The verse belongs to the curses pronounced for disobedience as warnings of the calamities that would follow transgression, picturing the final overthrow of Israel and the destruction of Jerusalem by Rome. For apostasy the punishment was scattering among other nations and being taken captive, with this verse specifically foretelling a return to Egypt by ships and sale into slavery. The later history seen in connection with it includes dispersion among the nations, the ruin of Jerusalem, captivity in foreign lands, restoration to the ancestral land, and eventual subjection to Rome. It was reflected in the fate of the Jewish nation after the rejection of Christ, when Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple was ruined, and millions of Judah's children were sold into slavery in foreign lands.

The chapter plainly states the blessings of obedience and expresses in specific form the principles of the law of God's kingdom, so that minds are not left in ignorance and uncertainty. It lays a never-ceasing obligation on all blessed with life and health and temporal and spiritual advantages to keep His statutes and judgments with all the heart and soul and to bring tithes and offerings to sustain His work, and its message has not grown weak with age but its claims remain as binding and as fresh in importance as His gifts are fresh and continual. Disease comes upon human beings because they transgress God's law and break down the barriers He in providence erected to preserve them, that they might live in health and holiness and learn obedience. If they diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord and do what is right in His sight and give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, He will put none of the diseases brought upon the Egyptians upon them, for He is the Lord who heals them under the special direction and sheltering preservation of Christ.