3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.
3 God's blessing inside the city, God's blessing in the country;
3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
3 Your towns and your fields will be blessed.
16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field.
16 God's curse in the city, God's curse in the country;
16 Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.
16 Your towns and your fields will be cursed.
(Read Deuteronomy 28:15-44)
If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which includes all misery, as the blessing all happiness. Observe the justice of this curse. It is not a curse causeless, or for some light cause. The extent and power of this curse. Wherever the sinner goes, the curse of God follows; wherever he is, it rests upon him. Whatever he has is under a curse. All his enjoyments are made bitter; he cannot take any true comfort in them, for the wrath of God mixes itself with them. Many judgments are here stated, which would be the fruits of the curse, and with which God would punish the people of the Jews, for their apostacy and disobedience. We may observe the fulfilling of these threatenings in their present state. To complete their misery, it is threatened that by these troubles they should be bereaved of all comfort and hope, and left to utter despair. Those who walk by sight, and not by faith, are in danger of losing reason itself, when every thing about them looks frightful.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 28:3
Commentary on Deuteronomy 28:1-14
(Read Deuteronomy 28:1-14)
This chapter is a very large exposition of two words, the blessing and the curse. They are real things and have real effects. The blessings are here put before the curses. God is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy. It is his delight to bless. It is better that we should be drawn to what is good by a child-like hope of God's favour, than that we be frightened to it by a slavish fear of his wrath. The blessing is promised, upon condition that they diligently hearken to the voice of God. Let them keep up religion, the form and power of it, in their families and nation, then the providence of God would prosper all their outward concerns.