New International Version
Deuteronomy 28:13
13The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.
Deuteronomy 28:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them,
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail; you shall be above only, and not be beneath, if you heed the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, and are careful to observe them.
- New Living Translation (NLT)If you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and if you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.
Context of Deuteronomy 28:13
11The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. 12The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 14Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. 15However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:
Read all of Deuteronomy 28Deuteronomy 28:13 word by word
וּנְתָֽנְךָ֨ יְהוָ֤ה לְרֹאשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א לְזָנָ֔ב וְהָיִ֙יתָ֙ רַ֣ק לְמַ֔עְלָה וְלֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה לְמָ֑טָּה כִּֽי־תִשְׁמַ֞ע אֶל־מִצְוֹ֣ת׀ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם לִשְׁמֹ֥ר וְלַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- shall makeנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- thee the headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
- and not the tailזָנָבzânâb · tailH2180
- and thou shalt be above onlyמַ֫עַלma‛al · aboveH4605
- and thou shalt not be beneathמַ֫טָּהmaţţâh · beneathH4295
- if that thou hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- unto the commandmentsמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- which I commandצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- thee this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- to observeשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: carefulH8104
- and to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 28:13
- Numbers 24:18Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong.
- Isaiah 9:14So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day;
- Deuteronomy 28:1If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.
- Deuteronomy 4:6Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”
- Philippians 1:27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 28:13
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-14Verses 1-14 A comparison of this chapter with Exodus 23:20-23 and Deuteronomy 28:5 The “basket” or bag was a customary means in the East for carrying about whatever might be needed for personal uses (compare Deuteronomy 26:2; John 13:29). The “store” is rather the kneading-trough Exodus 8:3; Exodus 12:34. The blessings here promised relate, it will be observed, to private and personal life: in Deuteronomy 28:7 those which are of a more public and national…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13the head and not the tail: If Israel obeyed the terms of the covenant, it would lead the nations and not be subject to them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. the head, and not the tail--an Oriental form of expression, indicating the possession of independent power and great dignity and acknowledged excellence (Is 9:14; 19:15).Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 28:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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