Leviticus 26:31-33
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The verse emphasizes God’s complete rejection of Israel's worship by stating He "will not smell the savour of your sweet odours." This isn't just about scent; it signifies God's refusal to accept their sacrifices and prayers because their hearts and cities have become defiled by sin, rendering their religious rituals utterly meaningless to Him.
And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you, and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse comes at the end of a long list of severe curses God pronounces on Israel if they continue to disobey Him and break His covenant. After detailing devastating plagues, famine, war, and exile, God declares that even their cities and sacred places will be destroyed, and their religious rituals will become utterly meaningless to Him. This culminates the escalating consequences for their persistent rebellion against the divine will.
What happens when the very things meant to please God are met with His silence?
In Leviticus 26:31, God declares He will 'not smell the savour of your sweet odours.' This isn't just a poetic phrase; it's a profound statement about the rejection of worship. The 'sweet odours' refer to the sacrifices and incense offered by the Israelites. These were prescribed by God Himself as a way for His people to approach Him. However, when obedience falters and hearts turn away, these acts of worship become meaningless, even offensive.
Beyond broken rituals, what tangible devastation awaits those who disregard God's commands?
Leviticus 26:31 paints a grim picture of consequence: 'I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation.' This isn't just about religious spaces; it extends to the very heart of their national life—their cities and their places of worship.
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Understand the original words
miqdash · Hebrew Noun
A place consecrated to God, where He manifests His presence and where worship, including sacrifices and offerings, is conducted. It represents the focal point of fellowship between God and His covenant people.
reah nihoah · Hebrew Noun Phrase
A technical term for the sacrificial system, signifying an offering that is acceptable and pleasing to God, demonstrating the worshiper's devotion and the efficacy of the atonement.
zarah · Hebrew Verb
The act of being physically or spiritually removed from one's home or territory; in the biblical context, often a divine judgment for covenant disobedience, involving dispersion among foreign, idolatrous nations.
This passage directly parallels Leviticus 26:31 by questioning the worth of sacrifices and offerings when the people's hearts are far from God, highlighting that divine acceptance isn't about ritual alone.
Jeremiah 51:51This verse describes the desolation of Babylon, mirroring the destruction of cities and sanctuaries prophesied in Leviticus 26:31, as a consequence of its sin and pride.
Ezekiel 28:18This verse speaks of judgment upon the proud king of Tyre, stating his 'high places' will be consumed by fire, echoing the desolation of sacred places mentioned in Leviticus 26:31 as a result of transgression.
Psalm 74:7This Psalm laments the desecration of God's sanctuary, stating 'They have set thy sanctuaries aflame; they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name, bringing it to the ground,' which directly reflects the 'sanctuaries unto desolation' in Leviticus 26:31.
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 26:31: "And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours."
Your sanctuaries; either, 1. God’s sanctuary, called sanctuaries here, as also Psalm 73:17 74:7 Jeremiah 51:51 Ezekiel 28:18 , because there were divers apartments in it, each of which was a sanctuary, or, which is all one, a holy place, as they are severally called. And your emphatically, not mine, for I disown and abhor it, and all the service…
The verse emphasizes God’s complete rejection of Israel's worship by stating He "will not smell the savour of your sweet odours." This isn't just about scent; it signifies God's refusal to accept their sacrifices and prayers because their hearts and cities have become defiled by sin, rendering their religious rituals utterly meaningless to Him.
This verse comes at the end of a long list of severe curses God pronounces on Israel if they continue to disobey Him and break His covenant. After detailing devastating plagues, famine, war, and exile, God declares that even their cities and sacred places will be destroyed, and their religious rituals will become utterly meaningless to Him. This culminates the escalating consequences for their persistent rebellion against the divine will.
This verse comes at the end of a long list of severe curses God pronounces on Israel if they continue to disobey Him and break His covenant. After detailing devastating plagues, famine, war, and exile, God declares that even their cities and sacred places will be destroyed, and their religious rituals will become utterly meaningless to Him. This culminates the escalating consequences for their persistent rebellion against the divine will.
"And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas. And I myself will devastate the land, so that your enemies who settle in it shall be appalled at it. And I will scatter yo…" — The verse emphasizes God’s complete rejection of Israel's worship by stating He "will not smell the savour of your sweet odours." This isn't just about scent; it signifies God's refusal to accept the…
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Last reviewed October 2026
