Leviticus 26:25
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The verse highlights God's layered response to covenant betrayal. First comes the "sword," representing warfare, and only when people retreat into cities for safety does God send "pestilence," indicating a more insidious, unavoidable doom within their supposed sanctuary. This shows that even in their efforts to escape, God's judgment is inescapable and pervasive.
And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And if you gather within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage comes as God is detailing the severe consequences for Israel if they break their covenant with Him. Following descriptions of plagues like disease and famine, God introduces the sword (warfare) as a direct response to their betrayal of the covenant. This escalating series of judgments emphasizes that even seeking refuge within their cities will not protect them, as pestilence will then claim those who escaped the battlefield, ultimately delivering them into the hands of their enemies.
God’s justice isn’t arbitrary. When He brings hardship, it's often a direct response to broken commitments. But what does it mean for God’s ‘quarrel’ to ignite?
Leviticus 26 lays out the foundational covenant between God and Israel. They promised obedience, and in return, God promised blessing. But this verse, Leviticus 26:25, reveals the other side of the coin: consequences for disobedience.
The 'Quarrel' of the Covenant
When God brings a 'sword' (war and violence), it's not random. It's a specific action to 'avenge the quarrel of my covenant.' This means God is responding to the broken trust and violation of the agreement they made with Him. The covenant wasn't just a nice idea; it was a binding commitment.
God's Active Justice
This isn't a passive God watching His promises be ignored. He is an active participant, bringing judgment to uphold the terms of His agreement. The sword, pestilence, and enemy are instruments God uses to execute His justice and remind His people of the seriousness of their covenant vows.
Imagine fleeing to your safest place, only to find it’s where the danger intensifies. That’s the chilling reality described here.
The verse presents a grim scenario: Israel is forced to gather within their cities for protection from the encroaching enemy (the 'sword'). But instead of finding refuge, they encounter another form of judgment – pestilence.
Ask a follow-up
Urban Danger Zones
Cities, meant to be centers of safety and community, become death traps. When people are crowded together, diseases spread rapidly. The very act of seeking safety in fortified places ironically makes them more vulnerable to a different kind of devastation.
The Enemy Within and Without
This illustrates a complete breakdown of security. The external threat (the enemy with swords) drives them inward, but the internal threat (pestilence) finishes what the external threat started. Ultimately, they are 'delivered into the hand of the enemy,' meaning their attempts to escape judgment only lead them further into its grasp.
Understand the original words
beriyth · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, binding agreement between God and His people, often involving conditional promises of blessing for obedience and curses for disobedience. It is the framework through which God enters into relationship with humanity.
naqam · Hebrew Noun
The righteous retributive justice of God. It is the exercise of God's authority to set things right, judge evil, and vindicate His holiness and His covenant commitments.
deber · Hebrew Noun
A fatal epidemic or widespread disease. In biblical contexts, it is often seen as a manifestation of divine judgment upon a sinful nation.
This passage describes God bringing a foreign nation against His people, much like the 'sword' in Leviticus, emphasizing that this is a judgment from God due to their rebellion against Him.
Ezekiel 5:12Here, Ezekiel predicts similar devastating consequences of war, famine, and pestilence upon Jerusalem for its disobedience, directly echoing the curses laid out in Leviticus 26.
Deuteronomy 28:25This chapter details the curses for disobedience, explicitly stating that the Lord will cause Israel's enemies to defeat them, which aligns with the 'delivered into the hand of the enemy' consequence in Leviticus.
Romans 2:5Paul speaks of the hardness of heart that leads to treasuring up wrath, a concept that resonates with the idea in Leviticus that continued disobedience, even when facing judgment, provokes God's deeper vengeance.
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…
pooleLeviticus 26:25: "And 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."
The quarrel of my covenant, i.e. my quarrel with you for your breach of your faith and covenant made with me. Into the hand of the enemy; because those few that shall be left of the pestilence will be unable to defend you in your cities or strong holds.
The verse highlights God's layered response to covenant betrayal. First comes the "sword," representing warfare, and only when people retreat into cities for safety does God send "pestilence," indicating a more insidious, unavoidable doom within their supposed sanctuary. This shows that even in their efforts to escape, God's judgment is inescapable and pervasive.
This passage comes as God is detailing the severe consequences for Israel if they break their covenant with Him. Following descriptions of plagues like disease and famine, God introduces the sword (warfare) as a direct response to their betrayal of the covenant. This escalating series of judgments emphasizes that even seeking refuge within their cities will not protect them, as pestilence will then claim those who escaped the battlefield, ultimately delivering them into the hands of their enemies.
This passage comes as God is detailing the severe consequences for Israel if they break their covenant with Him. Following descriptions of plagues like disease and famine, God introduces the sword (warfare) as a direct response to their betrayal of the covenant. This escalating series of judgments emphasizes that even seeking refuge within their cities will not protect them, as pestilence will then claim those who escaped the battlefield, ultimately delivering them into the hands of their enemies.
"And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute vengeance for the covenant. And if you gather within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy." — The verse highlights God's layered response to covenant betrayal. First comes the "sword," representing warfare, and only when people retreat into cities for safety does God send "pestilence," indica…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
