Leviticus 26:14-26

New International Reader's Version

Punishment for Not Obeying the Lord

¹⁴ “ ‘On the other hand, suppose you do not listen to me. Suppose you do not carry out all my commands. ¹⁵ Suppose you say no to my rules and turn away from my laws. And suppose you break my covenant by failing to carry out all my commands. ¹⁶ Then here is what I will do to you. All at once I will bring terror on you. I will send sicknesses that will make you weak. I will send fever that will destroy your sight. It will slowly take your strength away. When you plant seeds, it will not do you any good. Instead, your enemies will eat what you have planted. ¹⁷ I will turn against you. Then your enemies will win the battle over you. Those who hate you will rule over you. You will run away even when no one is chasing you.

¹⁸ “ ‘After all that, suppose you still will not listen to me. Then I will punish you for your sins seven times. ¹⁹ I will break down your stubborn pride. I will make the sky above you like iron, and it will not rain. I will make the ground under you like bronze, and you will not be able to farm it. ²⁰ You will work with all your strength, but it will not do you any good. That is because your soil will not produce any crops. The trees of your land will not bear any fruit.

²¹ “ ‘Suppose you continue to be my enemy. And suppose you still refuse to listen to me. Then I will multiply your troubles many times because of your sins. ²² I will send wild animals against you. They will kill your children. They will destroy your cattle. There will be so few of you left that your roads will be deserted.

²³ “ ‘After all those things, suppose you still do not accept my warnings. And suppose you continue to be my enemy. ²⁴ Then I myself will be your enemy. I will make you suffer again and again for your sins. ²⁵ I will send war against you to punish you for breaking my covenant. When you go back into your cities, I will send a plague among you. You will be handed over to your enemies. ²⁶ I will cut off your supply of bread. Ten women will need only one oven to bake your bread. They will weigh out the bread piece by piece. Even when you eat all of it, it will not be enough to satisfy you.