Leviticus 26:14-15
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The verse begins with a seemingly simple conditional statement, but it carries the weight of a covenant's consequence. The crucial, often overlooked, aspect is that "if you will not listen to me" is directly linked to "and will not do all these commandments." This means disobedience isn't just about actions; it starts with a refusal to hear and internalize God's directives.
“But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After laying out a series of incredible blessings for obedience, Moses now turns to the stark contrast: severe curses for disobedience. This passage marks the beginning of God laying out the consequences if the Israelites refuse to listen to His commands and choose to break the covenant He's establishing with them. These consequences escalate through several stages, starting with immediate terror and disease and culminating in exile and desolation.
God's promises of blessing are powerful, but what happens when they’re met with silence? This verse introduces the flip side of the covenant: the consequences of not listening.
Leviticus 26 lays out a clear cause-and-effect relationship within God's covenant with Israel. The first half of the chapter details abundant blessings for obedience. But here in verse 14, the tone shifts dramatically. This isn't just a suggestion; it's the critical hinge point where obedience meets disobedience, and blessings pivot to curses.
Disobedience isn't just a personal failing; within the covenant, it triggers a specific, divinely ordained response. What does 'the vengeance of the covenant' truly mean?
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The consequences for not listening and not doing God's commandments are not random misfortunes. They are described as the 'vengeance of the covenant' (Leviticus 26:25). This means that the judgments are:
Understand the original words
berit · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, binding agreement or treaty between God and His people, characterized by mutual obligations, divine blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience.
mitsvah · Hebrew Noun
Authoritative instructions or revealed laws from God that define the expected conduct and life of His people, reflecting His holiness.
chuqqah · Hebrew Noun
Formal, prescribed regulations or ordinances established by God to govern the moral and religious life of His people.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
Judicial decisions or formal rulings given by God that clarify right behavior; they carry the weight of divine authority and justice.
ma'as · Hebrew Verb
To reject, despise, or treat with contempt; often used in the context of rejecting God's authority or His revealed will.
This passage lays out a detailed parallel of curses for disobedience, mirroring the consequences described in Leviticus 26, emphasizing that a failure to heed God's commands leads to ruin and scattering.
Jeremiah 7:23-26This prophetic passage highlights God's persistent calls to obedience and the consequences of Israel's stubborn refusal, showing a consistent pattern of disobedience leading to judgment, echoing the sentiment in Leviticus.
Luke 12:47-48Jesus' words here connect the degree of punishment with the knowledge and responsibility of the servant, underscoring the principle that greater light and instruction (like God's commandments) bring greater accountability and potential for severe consequences if ignored.
Hebrews 10:26-29This New Testament passage warns against deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of truth, likening such rejection to trampling the Son of God and despising His sacrifice, which resonates with the severe judgment threatened for rejecting God's commandments in Leviticus.
gillLeviticus 26:14: "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;"
But if ye will not hearken unto me,.... To his commandments, as the rule of their duty, and to his promises, as an encouragement to it, or to his prophets and ministers, explaining and enforcing his law, and exhorting to a cheerful obedience to it; so the Targum of Jonathan,"if ye will not hearken to the doctrine of them that teach my laws;''which was the sin of the Jews in later times, for which capt…
calvinLeviticus 26:14-45: "But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments;"
I 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.
Etiam ego faciam hoc vobis: constituam super vos terrorem, tabem, et febrem, consumentia oculos, et dolore afficientia animam, seretisque frustra semen vestrum: nam co…
The verse begins with a seemingly simple conditional statement, but it carries the weight of a covenant's consequence. The crucial, often overlooked, aspect is that "if you will not listen to me" is directly linked to "and will not do all these commandments." This means disobedience isn't just about actions; it starts with a refusal to hear and internalize God's directives.
After laying out a series of incredible blessings for obedience, Moses now turns to the stark contrast: severe curses for disobedience. This passage marks the beginning of God laying out the consequences if the Israelites refuse to listen to His commands and choose to break the covenant He's establishing with them. These consequences escalate through several stages, starting with immediate terror and disease and culminating in exile and desolation.
After laying out a series of incredible blessings for obedience, Moses now turns to the stark contrast: severe curses for disobedience. This passage marks the beginning of God laying out the consequences if the Israelites refuse to listen to His commands and choose to break the covenant He's establishing with them. These consequences escalate through several stages, starting with immediate terror and disease and culminating in exile and desolation.
"“But if you will not listen to me and will not do all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and if your soul abhors my rules, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant," — The verse begins with a seemingly simple conditional statement, but it carries the weight of a covenant's consequence. The crucial, often overlooked, aspect is that "if you will not listen to me" is…
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Last reviewed October 2026
