281 " Now it shall be, if you diligently obey e the Lord your God , being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today , the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth . 2 "All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey e the Lord your God : 3 "Blessed shall you be in the city , and blessed shall you be in the country . 4 "Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts , the increase of your herd and the young of your flock . 5 "Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl . 6 "Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 7 "The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways . 8 "The Lord will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God gives you. 9 " The Lord will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in His ways . 10 "So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord , and they will be afraid of you. 11 " The Lord will make you abound in prosperity , in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground , in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. 12 "The Lord will open for you His good storehouse , the heavens , to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand ; and you shall lend to many nations , but you shall not borrow . 13 " The Lord will make you the head and not the tail , and you only will be above , and you will not be underneath , if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God , which I charge you today , to observe them carefully , 14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today , to the right or to the left , to go after other gods to serve them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Deuteronomy 28:1-14
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.