The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:48 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:48

KJV: Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

YLT: thou hast served thine enemies, whom Jehovah sendeth against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in lack of all things; and he hath put a yoke of iron on thy neck, till He hath destroyed thee.

Darby: thou shalt serve thine enemies whom Jehovah will send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of everything; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

ASV: therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies that Jehovah shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore shalt thou serve  thine enemies  which the LORD  shall send  against thee, in hunger,  and in thirst,  and in nakedness,  and in want  of all [things]: and he shall put  a yoke  of iron  upon thy neck,  until he have destroyed  thee. 

What does Deuteronomy 28:48 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 28:48 mean?

Therefore you shall serve - your enemies whom will send Yahweh against you in hunger and in thirst and in nakedness and in need of everything and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you
וְעָבַדְתָּ֣ אֶת־ אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ יְהוָה֙ בָּ֔ךְ בְּרָעָ֧ב וּבְצָמָ֛א וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם וּבְחֹ֣סֶר כֹּ֑ל וְנָתַ֞ן עֹ֤ל בַּרְזֶל֙ עַל־ צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ עַ֥ד הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ

וְעָבַדְתָּ֣  Therefore  you  shall  serve 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֹיְבֶ֗יךָ  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יְשַׁלְּחֶ֤נּוּ  will  send 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּ֔ךְ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
בְּרָעָ֧ב  in  hunger 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָעָב  
Sense: famine, hunger.
וּבְצָמָ֛א  and  in  thirst 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: צָמָא  
Sense: thirst.
וּבְעֵירֹ֖ם  and  in  nakedness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עֵירֹם  
Sense: naked.
וּבְחֹ֣סֶר  and  in  need 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֹסֶר  
Sense: want, lack, want of, lack of.
כֹּ֑ל  of  everything 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
וְנָתַ֞ן  and  He  will  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
עֹ֤ל  a  yoke 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֹל  
Sense: yoke.
בַּרְזֶל֙  of  iron 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
צַוָּארֶ֔ךָ  your  neck 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צַוָּאר 
Sense: neck, back of neck.
עַ֥ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הִשְׁמִיד֖וֹ  He  has  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַד  
Sense: to destroy, exterminate, be destroyed, be exterminated.