The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:26 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:26

KJV: And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

YLT: and thy carcase hath been for food to every fowl of the heavens, and to the beast of the earth, and there is none causing trembling.

Darby: And thy carcase shall be meat unto all the fowl of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and there shall be no man to scare them away.

ASV: And thy dead body shall be food unto all birds of the heavens, and unto the beasts of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thy carcase  shall be meat  unto all fowls  of the air,  and unto the beasts  of the earth,  and no man shall fray [them] away. 

What does Deuteronomy 28:26 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 28:20-46 - The Fearful Results Of Disobedience
If we compare this chapter with Exodus 23:20-23 and Leviticus 26:1-46, we shall see how Moses resumes and amplifies the promises and threatenings already set forth in the earlier editions of the Law. The blessings are declared in fourteen verses, while the curses require four times as much space. This is due to God's eagerness that men should be warned from courses that injure, and shut up to those that lead to blessedness. Note the language, which rises to the sublimest level, especially in the latter part. The forecasts of the dispersion and the degradation of the Hebrew people are especially remarkable.
It is not only that God goes out of His way to reward the obedient and to punish the ungodly, but these rewards and punishments are part of the nature of things, just as fire stings and burns, when we transgress its laws, but blesses when we obey. If we are at one with God, through Jesus Christ, we are at one with the universe. But if not, "the stars in their courses" fight against us. See Judges 5:20; 1 Corinthians 3:21. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 28

1  The blessings for obedience
15  The curses for disobedience

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 28:26 mean?

And shall be Your carcasses food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth and no one shall frighten [them] away
וְהָיְתָ֤ה נִבְלָֽתְךָ֙ לְמַאֲכָ֔ל לְכָל־ ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וּלְבֶהֱמַ֣ת הָאָ֑רֶץ וְאֵ֖ין מַחֲרִֽיד

וְהָיְתָ֤ה  And  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נִבְלָֽתְךָ֙  Your  carcasses 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נְבֵלָה  
Sense: carcass, corpse.
לְמַאֲכָ֔ל  food 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַאֲכָל  
Sense: food, fruit, meat.
לְכָל־  for  all 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
ע֥וֹף  the  birds 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹוף  
Sense: flying creatures, fowl, insects, birds.
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם  of  the  air 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וּלְבֶהֱמַ֣ת  and  the  beasts 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.
הָאָ֑רֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וְאֵ֖ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
מַחֲרִֽיד  shall  frighten  [them]  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: חָרַד  
Sense: to tremble, quake, move about, be afraid, be startled, be terrified.