Exodus 23:25-26
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It's easy to read this as just a general promise of good health, but notice the careful wording: "he will bless your bread and your water." This isn't just about absence of sickness; it's about God's active hand making even the most basic provisions truly nourishing and sustaining. And the promise to "take sickness away from among you" is even more profound—it implies a removal of the very conditions that lead to disease, a far deeper restoration than mere symptom relief.
You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This promise of blessing comes right after God warns Israel against worshipping other gods and assures them He will drive out their enemies. It's a direct conditional statement: if they serve Him alone, He will ensure their sustenance is nourishing, their health is robust, and their lives are extended, establishing a stark contrast to the curses that follow disobedience.
Ever felt like your daily bread just tastes better when things are going well with God? It's not your imagination.
This verse promises that God will bless Israel's 'bread and water.' This wasn't about fancy feasts, but the very essentials of life – their food and drink. When God blesses them, these basic provisions become more than just sustenance; they are infused with His favor, making them truly nourishing and satisfying. It highlights how God’s blessing transforms the mundane into something special, showing His intimate care for every aspect of our lives.
What if a major key to physical well-being isn't just diet and exercise, but also spiritual devotion?
The second part of the promise is striking: 'I will take sickness away from among you.' This wasn't just a general wish for good health, but a direct covenantal promise linked to their obedience. While for us today it’s not a blank check to never get sick, the principle remains. Serving the Lord—living according to His ways, pursuing righteousness and godly living—has a profound impact on our well-being. God's blessing often manifests as freedom from the sicknesses that can plague humanity, many of which are indeed linked to sin and disobedience.
Understand the original words
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YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel, revealed to Moses, signifying His self-existence, covenant faithfulness, and holiness.
barakh · Hebrew Verb
Divine favor and the impartation of good, often associated with prosperity, protection, and life-sustaining provisions provided by God to His people.
aqarah · Hebrew Adjective
The state of being unable to conceive or produce offspring, often viewed in the Old Testament as a sign of divine disfavor or a lack of blessing.
mispar yamim · Hebrew Noun phrase
The duration of a person's life, which in the biblical worldview is ultimately determined and sustained by God.
This passage directly echoes the promise in Exodus, explicitly linking God's protection from sickness to obedience to His commands.
Leviticus 26:9This verse speaks to a similar theme of God's blessing and faithfulness to His people, promising fruitfulness and multiplication when they follow His statutes.
Psalm 103:3This psalm celebrates God's goodness, highlighting that He 'forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,' linking forgiveness and healing as divine blessings.
Proverbs 3:7-8This proverb connects wisdom and obedience with health and vitality, suggesting that honoring God in our lives contributes to physical well-being.
1 Corinthians 10:31While not a promise of physical health, this verse redirects the purpose of our lives, stating that whatever we do, including eating and drinking, should be done for God's glory, implying that a life lived for Him has a higher, more holistic blessing.
pooleExodus 23:25: "And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee."
Thy bread and thy water, i.e. thy meat and thy drink, that they shall be able to nourish thee, and give thee comfort, which without my blessing they will never be able to do.
pulpitExodus 23:25: "And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee."
Verse 25. - He shall bless thy bread and thy water. If the Israelites were exact in their obedience, and destroyed the idols, and served God only, then he promised to bless "their bread and their water" - the food, i.e., whether meat or drink, on which they subsisted, and to give them vigorous health, free from sickness of any kind, which he pl…
It's easy to read this as just a general promise of good health, but notice the careful wording: "he will bless your bread and your water." This isn't just about absence of sickness; it's about God's active hand making even the most basic provisions truly nourishing and sustaining. And the promise to "take sickness away from among you" is even more profound—it implies a removal of the very conditions that lead to disease, a far deeper restoration than mere symptom relief.
This promise of blessing comes right after God warns Israel against worshipping other gods and assures them He will drive out their enemies. It's a direct conditional statement: if they serve Him alone, He will ensure their sustenance is nourishing, their health is robust, and their lives are extended, establishing a stark contrast to the curses that follow disobedience.
This promise of blessing comes right after God warns Israel against worshipping other gods and assures them He will drive out their enemies. It's a direct conditional statement: if they serve Him alone, He will ensure their sustenance is nourishing, their health is robust, and their lives are extended, establishing a stark contrast to the curses that follow disobedience.
"You shall serve the LORD your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days." — It's easy to read this as just a general promise of good health, but notice the careful wording: "he will bless your bread and your water." This isn't just about absence of sickness; it's about God's…
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Last reviewed October 2026
