Tree of Life Version
Deuteronomy 29:23
23“All the nations will say, ‘Why has Adonai done this to this land? Why this great burning anger?’
Deuteronomy 29:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:
- New International Version (NIV)The whole land will be a burning waste of salt and sulfur—nothing planted, nothing sprouting, no vegetation growing on it. It will be like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboyim, which the Lord overthrew in fierce anger.
- English Standard Version (ESV)the whole land burned out with brimstone and salt, nothing sown and nothing growing, where no plant can sprout, an overthrow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger and wrath—
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’
Context of Deuteronomy 29:23
21“The following generation, your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a distant land will say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sicknesses Adonai afflicted on it: 22‘Sulfur and salt, the whole land burnt! It cannot be planted, it cannot sprout, no grass can grow up on it—like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Adonai overturned in His anger and in His wrath!’ “All the nations will say, ‘Why has Adonai done this to this land? Why this great burning anger?’ 24“Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of Adonai, the God of their fathers, which He cut with them when He brought them out from the land of Egypt. 25They went and served other gods and bowed down to them—gods they never knew, that He had not allotted to them.
Read all of Deuteronomy 29Deuteronomy 29:23 word by word
גָּפְרִ֣ית וָמֶלַח֮ שְׂרֵפָ֣ה כָל־אַרְצָהּ֒ לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ וְלֹֽא־יַעֲלֶ֥ה בָ֖הּ כָּל־עֵ֑שֶׂב כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֤ם וַעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה וּצְבוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ הָפַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאַפּ֖וֹ וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- the whole landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- brimstoneגׇּפְרִיתgophrîyth · brimstoneH1614
- and saltמֶ֫לַחmelach · saltH4417
- burningשְׂרֵפָהώerêphâh · fireH8316
- it is not sownזָרַעzâra‛ · to sowH2232
- nor bearethצָמַחtsâmach · to springH6779
- nor any grassעֵ֫שֶׂב‛eώeb · vegetationH6212
- growethעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- therein, like the overthrowמַהְפֵּכָהmahpêkâh · overthrowH4114
- of Sodomסְדֹםsedôm · SodomH5467
- and Gomorrahעֲמֹרָה‛ămôrâh · GomorrahH6017
- Admahאַדְמָה'admâh · AdmahH126
- and Zeboimצְבֹיִיםtsebô'îym tsebîyîym tsebîyim · ZeboiimH6636
- which the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- overthrewהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- in his angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- and in his wrathחֵמָהchêmâh chêmâ' · rageH2534
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 29:23
- Job 18:15Nothing of his dwells in his tent; brimstone is scattered over his dwelling.
- Isaiah 34:9Its streams will be turned into pitch, its dust into brimstone, and its land will become burning tar.
- Luke 17:29But on the day Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed them all.
- Revelation 19:20Then the beast was captured, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs before him by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast, as well as those who had worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
- Judges 9:45So Abimelech fought against the city all that day, captured the city and killed the people that were in it. Then he razed the city and sowed it with salt.
- Psalms 107:34and a fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the evil of its inhabitants.
- Jeremiah 17:6For he will be like a bush in the desert. He cannot see goodness when it comes, but will dwell in parched places in the wilderness— a salt land where no one lives.
- Ezekiel 47:11Its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be set aside for salt.
- Zephaniah 2:9Therefore, as I live, declares Adonai-Tzva’ot God of Israel, Moab will be like Sodom and Ammon like Gomorrah— a possession of weeds and a salt pit, a perpetual wasteland. The remainder of My people will plunder them. The remnant of My nation will dispossess them.
- Luke 14:34“Therefore, salt is good; but if the salt should lose its flavor, how shall it be made salty again?
- Genesis 14:2that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (this is Zoar).
- Genesis 19:24and Adonai rained sulfur and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah from Adonai out of the sky.
- Jeremiah 20:16Now let that one be like the cities which Adonai overturned, with no relenting— let him hear a cry in the morning and a shout of alarm at noon,
- Hosea 11:8“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I set you as Zeboim? My heart is turning over within Me. My compassions are kindled.
- Amos 4:11I overthrew some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You became like a firebrand snatched from a blaze— yet you have not returned to Me,” declares Adonai.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 29:23
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The description is borrowed from the local features of the Dead Sea and its vicinity. The towns of the vale of Siddim were fertile and well watered (compare Genesis 13:10) until devastated by the wrath of God Genesis 19:24-25. The ruin of Israel and its land should be of the like sort (compare Leviticus 26:31-32; Psalm 107:34; Zephaniah 2:9). The desolate state of Palestine at present, and the traces of former fertility and prosperity, are attested by…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-28Verses 22-28 Idolatry would be the ruin of their nation. It is no new thing for God to bring desolating judgments on a people near to him in profession. He never does this without good reason. It concerns us to seek for the reason, that we may give glory to God, and take warning to ourselves. Thus the law of Moses leaves sinners under the curse, and rooted out of the Lord's land; but the grace of Christ toward penitent, believing sinners, plants them…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23like … Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim: During the time of Abraham and Lot, God destroyed these cities because of their extreme immorality. Their destruction involved fiery sulfur and salt (Genesis 19:23–28).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 10-2910-29. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God--The whole congregation of Israel, of all ages and conditions, all--young as well as old; menials as well as masters; native Israelites as well as naturalized strangers--all were assembled before the tabernacle to renew the Sinaitic covenant. None of them were allowed to consider themselves as exempt from the terms of that national compact, lest any lapsing into idolatry might prove a root of…Read the comment
Topics related to Deuteronomy 29:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 29
- 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
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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