The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
What does Deuteronomy 28:43 mean?
If we do not keep God's commandments, we not only come short of the blessing promised, but we lay ourselves under the curse, which includes all misery, as the blessing all happiness. Notice the justice of this curse.
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside Deuteronomy 28:42-44 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Deuteronomy 28:43
Contrast Deuteronomy 28:12 and Deuteronomy 28:13 .
Key words
- stranger
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The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high,.
- within
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The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high,.
- above
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The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high,.
Context in Deuteronomy 28
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Deuteronomy 28 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as the song of Moses, blessing of the tribes, and Moses’ death. Deuteronomy restates and interprets the law through a series of charged covenant sermons that call Israel to remember, love, obey, and choose life. Read this chapter with the wider themes of memory, covenant, and love of God in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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