The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:18 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:18

KJV: Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

YLT: Cursed is the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, increase of thine oxen, and wealth of thy flock.

Darby: Cursed shall be the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy ground, the offspring of thy kine, and the increase of thy sheep.

ASV: Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, the increase of thy cattle, and the young of thy flock.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Cursed  [shall be] the fruit  of thy body,  and the fruit  of thy land,  the increase  of thy kine,  and the flocks  of thy sheep. 

What does Deuteronomy 28:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 28:1-19 - Blessings Upon The Obedient
A remarkable chapter! The epitome of what Israel might have been, contrasted with what she became! It is on account of the transgressions that the centuries have augmented her sum of misery. Oh, that we may never have to lament what we might have been!
These opening verses contain the Beatitudes of the Old Testament. They have their counterparts in the New. Remember that God bends over your life, rejoicing to do you good, and finding pleasure in whatever may enrich your life or flow through it to enrich others. Ask especially that in His great power and grace He shall smite your enemies before you, and establish you unto himself, and open to you His good treasure. If you are in Christ, all things are yours. Possess your possessions, 1 Corinthians 3:21-22; Obadiah 1:17; Obadiah 1:19-20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 28

1  The blessings for obedience
15  The curses for disobedience

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 28:18 mean?

Cursed [shall be] the fruit of your body and the produce of your land the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks
אָר֥וּר פְּרִֽי־ בִטְנְךָ֖ וּפְרִ֣י אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּר֥וֹת צֹאנֶֽךָ

אָר֥וּר  Cursed  [shall  be] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: אָרַר  
Sense: to curse.
פְּרִֽי־  the  fruit 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
בִטְנְךָ֖  of  your  body 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֶּטֶן  
Sense: belly, womb, body.
וּפְרִ֣י  and  the  produce 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פְּרִי  
Sense: fruit.
אַדְמָתֶ֑ךָ  of  your  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.
שְׁגַ֥ר  the  increase 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֶׁגֶר  
Sense: offspring, young or offspring of beasts.
אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ  of  your  cattle 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶלֶף  
Sense: cattle, oxen.
וְעַשְׁתְּר֥וֹת  and  the  offspring 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: עַשְׁתֶּרֶת  
Sense: ewe, flock, increase, young.
צֹאנֶֽךָ  of  your  flocks 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: צֹאן  
Sense: small cattle, sheep, sheep and goats, flock, flocks.