The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:36 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:36

KJV: The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

YLT: 'Jehovah doth cause thee to go, and thy king whom thou raisest up over thee, unto a nation which thou hast not known, thou and thy fathers, and thou hast served there other gods, wood and stone;

Darby: Jehovah will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that neither thou nor thy fathers have known, and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

ASV: Jehovah will bring thee, and thy king whom thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation that thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The LORD  shall bring  thee, and thy king  which thou shalt set  over thee, unto a nation  which neither thou nor thy fathers  have known;  and there shalt thou serve  other  gods,  wood  and stone. 

What does Deuteronomy 28:36 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 28:36 mean?

Shall bring Yahweh you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither have known you nor your fathers and you will serve there gods other wood and stone
יוֹלֵ֨ךְ יְהוָ֜ה אֹֽתְךָ֗ וְאֶֽת־ מַלְכְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּקִ֣ים עָלֶ֔יךָ אֶל־ גּ֕וֹי אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ יָדַ֖עְתָּ אַתָּ֣ה וַאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְעָבַ֥דְתָּ שָּׁ֛ם אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים עֵ֥ץ וָאָֽבֶן

יוֹלֵ֨ךְ  Shall  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מַלְכְּךָ֙  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
תָּקִ֣ים  you  set 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
עָלֶ֔יךָ  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גּ֕וֹי  a  nation 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
לֹא־  neither 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יָדַ֖עְתָּ  have  known 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
וַאֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ  nor  your  fathers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
וְעָבַ֥דְתָּ  and  you  will  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֱלֹהִ֥ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲחֵרִ֖ים  other 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
עֵ֥ץ  wood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
וָאָֽבֶן  and  stone 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).