The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:68 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:68

KJV: And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

YLT: 'And Jehovah hath brought thee back to Egypt with ships, by a way of which I said to thee, Thou dost not add any more to see it, and ye have sold yourselves there to thine enemies, for men-servants and for maid-servants, and there is no buyer.'

Darby: And Jehovah will bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it again no more; and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and there shall be no man to buy you.

ASV: And Jehovah will bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I said unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall sell yourselves unto your enemies for bondmen and for bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  shall bring  thee into Egypt  again  with ships,  by the way  whereof I spake  unto thee, Thou shalt see  it no more again:  and there ye shall be sold  unto your enemies  for bondmen  and bondwomen,  and no man shall buy  [you]. 

What does Deuteronomy 28:68 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 28:47-68 - The Bitter Fruits Of Disobeying God
These predictions against the Hebrew people were partially fulfilled in earlier invasions, as for instance, those of Nebuchadnezzar and his generals; but it is to the Roman conquest of Judea that we must look for complete fulfillment. One only needs to compare these words with the narrative of Josephus to see the exact accomplishment which took place during the wars of Vespasian and Titus. The Jews themselves admit this. Deuteronomy 28:68 was literally fulfilled when Titus transported myriads of Jews to Egypt to be employed in the public works or to fight in the amphitheater.
But if the punishments have been so heavily suffered during these weary centuries, what shall not be the joy when the Lord shall bring back His people to their own land, and all Israel shall be saved! What is this new Euphrates Valley railway but the preparing of the road for their return from the Eastern portions of the world! In the near future, our children, if not we, shall see a fulfillment of Isaiah 60:1-22; Isaiah 61:1-11. See Acts 3:19-20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 28

1  The blessings for obedience
15  The curses for disobedience

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 28:68 mean?

And will take you back Yahweh to Egypt in ships by the way of which I said to you never more again You shall see it and you shall be offered for sale there to your enemies as male and female slaves but no one will buy [you] -
וֶֽהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֨ יְהוָ֥ה ׀ מִצְרַיִם֮ בָּאֳנִיּוֹת֒ בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֣רְתִּֽי לְךָ֔ לֹא־ תֹסִ֥יף ע֖וֹד לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם שָׁ֧ם לְאֹיְבֶ֛יךָ לַעֲבָדִ֥ים וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת וְאֵ֥ין קֹנֶֽה ס

וֶֽהֱשִֽׁיבְךָ֨  And  will  take  you  back 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
יְהוָ֥ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
מִצְרַיִם֮  to  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
בָּאֳנִיּוֹת֒  in  ships 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֳנִיָּה  
Sense: ship.
בַּדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙  by  the  way 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  of  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
אָמַ֣רְתִּֽי  I  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְךָ֔  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
לֹא־  never 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תֹסִ֥יף  more 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
ע֖וֹד  again 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
לִרְאֹתָ֑הּ  You  shall  see  it 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person feminine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְהִתְמַכַּרְתֶּ֨ם  and  you  shall  be  offered  for  sale 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָכַר  
Sense: to sell.
לְאֹיְבֶ֛יךָ  to  your  enemies 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
לַעֲבָדִ֥ים  as  male 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
וְלִשְׁפָח֖וֹת  and  female  slaves 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, feminine plural
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
וְאֵ֥ין  but  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
קֹנֶֽה  will  buy  [you] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: קָנָה 
Sense: to get, acquire, create, buy, possess.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation