Lev 26:3-13 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Lev 26:3-39: 26:3-39 These blessings and curses resemble a key element of ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal treaties. In such treaties, the suzerain king promised to defend the vassal king and his state, while the vassal took an oath of loyalty to his lord. Blessings and curses followed, with the curses generally being more lengthy (contrast 26:3-13 with 26:14-39 ; cp. Deut 27:15–28:68 ). Such treaties would call upon the gods as witnesses and enforcers. In God’s covenant with Israel, however, the Lord was one of the parties to the treaty (Israel being the other); since the Lord could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself (see Gen 22:16 ; Heb 6:13 ). 26:3 Treaties and covenants had conditions attached to them. Israel’s blessings were conditioned on the people’s obedience to the terms revealed by God, to whom they had sworn obedience (Exod 24:7 ; Josh 24:21-22 ). The covenant itself, however, was irrevocable (Lev 26:44-45 ; see Rom 11:29 ); Israel could not cancel it. The people had only two choices: obedience, which brought blessing, or rebellion, which brought curse.

Summary for Lev 26:3-39: 26:3-39 ^a These blessings and curses resemble a key element of ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal treaties. In such treaties, the suzerain king promised to defend the vassal king and his state, while the vassal took an oath of loyalty to his lord. Blessings and curses followed, with the curses generally being more lengthy (contrast 26:3-13 ^b with 26:14-39 ^c; cp. Deut 27:15–28:68 ^d). Such treaties would call upon the gods as witnesses and enforcers. In God’s covenant with Israel, however, the Lord was one of the parties to the treaty (Israel being the other); since the Lord could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself (see Gen 22:16 ^e; Heb 6:13 ^f). 26:3 ^g Treaties and covenants had conditions attached to them. Israel’s blessings were conditioned on the people’s obedience to the terms revealed by God, to whom they had sworn obedience (Exod 24:7 ^h; Josh 24:21-22 ⁱ). The covenant itself, however, was irrevocable (Lev 26:44-45 ^j; see Rom 11:29 ^k); Israel could not cancel it. The people had only two choices: obedience, which brought blessing, or rebellion, which brought curse.
26:5 ^l Israel’s restoration following captivity also promised a harvest so plentiful that it would run over into the time of planting (see Amos 9:13 ^m; Joel 3:18 ⁿ).
26:7 ^o Success in warfare would result from obedience to God (cp. 26:17 ^p, 36-37 ^q; Deut 28:6 ^r, 19 ^s).
26:9 ^t fulfill my covenant: The fulfillment is seen in the “rest” spoken of in Hebrews (Heb 3:11–4:11 ^u). The Promised Land should have brought a state of security and prosperity, a state of “rest” to the Israelites (Exod 33:14 ^v; Deut 12:10 ^w; 25:19 ^x; Josh 1:13 ^y, 15 ^z). Israel succeeded in entering the Promised Land, but their rebellion kept them from seeing the covenant fulfilled.
26:12 ^aa your God ... my people: The covenant bound the parties to one another, making each belong to the other.
26:13 ^ab yoke of slavery: A yoke would fit over a slave’s shoulders and behind the base of the neck for carrying pairs of heavy items, such as pails of water. Cp. Rom 6:16-22 ^ac.