The big picture
Leviticus 26 opens in verse 1 with “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 23 with “And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;”, and closes in verse 46 with “These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the…” Repeated or prominent terms include land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Leviticus · King James Version · 46Leviticus 26:1-8
1–8: Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a…
Leviticus 26:1–8 opens with “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall…” and reaches “And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Leviticus 26 develops its own movement around land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, with particular weight carried by land, image, sword.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;” The line’s distinctive content terms include commandments, keep, statutes. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 26:1-8
King James Version1Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
2Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD .
3If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
4Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
5And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
6And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
7And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
8And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Leviticus 26:9-16
9–16: For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply…
Leviticus 26:9–16 opens with “For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my…” and reaches “I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Leviticus 26 develops its own movement around land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, with particular weight carried by abhor, commandments, covenant.
Context that brings the passage to life
“For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I…” Naming Egypt keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Leviticus 26:9-16
King James Version9For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
10And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.
11And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
12And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
13I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
14But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;
15And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant:
16I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
Leviticus 26:17-24
17–24: I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your…
Leviticus 26:17–24 opens with “And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate…” and reaches “Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Leviticus 26 develops its own movement around land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, with particular weight carried by contrary, seven, sins.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:” The line’s distinctive content terms include brass, break, earth. Its relationship to verses 18 and 20 shows what work it does in this passage.
Leviticus 26:17-24
King James Version17And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
18And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
19And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass:
20And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
21And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
22I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
23And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me;
24Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
Leviticus 26:25-32
25–32: I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my…
Leviticus 26:25–32 opens with “And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are…” and reaches “And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Leviticus 26 develops its own movement around land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, with particular weight carried by bread, carcases, cities.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;” The line’s distinctive content terms include contrary, hearken, walk. Its relationship to verses 26 and 28 shows what work it does in this passage.
“And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 26:25-32
King James Version25And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
26And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
27And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me;
28Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
29And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.
30And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
31And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
32And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
Leviticus 26:33-40
33–40: I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after…
Leviticus 26:33–40 opens with “And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land…” and reaches “If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Leviticus 26 develops its own movement around land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, with particular weight carried by enemies, land, desolate.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 26:33-40
King James Version33And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
34Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies’ land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
35As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
36And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.
37And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
38And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
39And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies’ lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
40If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me;
Leviticus 26:41-46
41–46: That I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into…
Leviticus 26:41–46 opens with “And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their…” and reaches “These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Leviticus 26 develops its own movement around land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, with particular weight carried by covenant, land, remember.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their…” The line’s distinctive content terms include accept, contrary, enemies. Its relationship to verses 42 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
Leviticus 26:41-46
King James Version41And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:
42Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
43The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
44And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
45But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD .
46These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Leviticus 26:1 begins with “Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down…”
Where the chapter turns
Leviticus 26:24 forms a natural hinge: “Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.”
The final note
Leviticus 26:46 leaves the reader with “These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words land, enemies, covenant, contrary, sword, walk help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Isaac respond to repeated disputes?
He relocates and digs again until a well is not contested, while later accepting a negotiated peace.
What persists from Abraham's story?
The promise, altars, wells, outsider status and the dangerous sister deception.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.