The Meaning of Deuteronomy 11:17 Explained

Deuteronomy 11:17

KJV: And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

YLT: and the anger of Jehovah hath burned against you, and He hath restrained the heavens, and there is no rain, and the ground doth not give her increase, and ye have perished hastily from off the good land which Jehovah is giving to you.

Darby: and Jehovah's wrath kindle against you, and he shut up the heavens, that there be no rain, and that the ground yield not its produce, and ye perish quickly from off the good land which Jehovah is giving you.

ASV: and the anger of Jehovah be kindled against you, and he shut up the heavens, so that there shall be no rain, and the land shall not yield its fruit; and ye perish quickly from off the good land which Jehovah giveth you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And [then] the LORD'S  wrath  be kindled  against you, and he shut up  the heaven,  that there be no rain,  and that the land  yield  not her fruit;  and [lest] ye perish  quickly  from off the good  land  which the LORD  giveth  you. 

What does Deuteronomy 11:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 11:1-17 - The Rewards Of Obedience
In this chapter the introductory portion of this book closes, and two final arguments are brought to bear on the chosen people, to induce them to love God and keep His charge. The one has already been referred to, consisting of those awful judgments with which God had punished the stiff-neckedness of Pharaoh and the rebellions of the Wilderness. We may as well learn sooner than later, that God will have us holy, and if we will not yield to His loving solicitations we must suffer His stern chastisements.
The other argument is derived from the blessings which they would inherit by obedience. In Egypt the irrigation of the land was laboriously effected by the tread-wheels, that raised the water from the Nile-level, but in Canaan there were two annual rainy seasons-the former, September-October; the latter, March-April. The regularity of these seasons depended on Israel's loyal obedience. We are reminded of John 4:14. May we not ask ourselves, which of these typifies our religious life? See Hebrews 4:1. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 11

1  Another exhortation to obedience
2  by their own experience of God's great works
8  by promise of God's great blessings
16  and by threatenings
18  A careful study is required in God's words
26  The blessing and curse set before them

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 11:17 mean?

And lest be aroused anger of Yahweh against you and He shut up - the heavens so that no there be rain and the land no yield produce and you perish quickly from the land good which Yahweh is giving you
וְחָרָ֨ה אַף־ יְהוָ֜ה בָּכֶ֗ם וְעָצַ֤ר אֶת־ הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְלֹֽא־ יִהְיֶ֣ה מָטָ֔ר וְהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתֵּ֖ן יְבוּלָ֑הּ וַאֲבַדְתֶּ֣ם מְהֵרָ֗ה מֵעַל֙ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה נֹתֵ֥ן לָכֶֽם

וְחָרָ֨ה  And  lest  be  aroused 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַף־  anger 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
יְהוָ֜ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בָּכֶ֗ם  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
וְעָצַ֤ר  and  He  shut  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָצַר  
Sense: to restrain, retain, close up, shut, withhold, refrain, stay, detain.
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.
הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙  the  heavens 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְלֹֽא־  so  that  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִהְיֶ֣ה  there  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מָטָ֔ר  rain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָטָר  
Sense: rain.
וְהָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה  and  the  land 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
לֹ֥א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תִתֵּ֖ן  yield 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְבוּלָ֑הּ  produce 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: יְבוּל  
Sense: produce, fruit, produce (of the soil).
וַאֲבַדְתֶּ֣ם  and  you  perish 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
מְהֵרָ֗ה  quickly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְהֵרָה  
Sense: haste, speed.
הָאָ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הַטֹּבָ֔ה  good 
Parse: Article, Adjective, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
נֹתֵ֥ן  is  giving 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.