The Meaning of Deuteronomy 28:32 Explained

Deuteronomy 28:32

KJV: Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long: and there shall be no might in thine hand.

YLT: Thy sons and thy daughters are given to another people, and thine eyes are looking and consuming for them all the day, and thy hand is not to God!

Darby: Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and languish for them all the day long; and there shall be no power in thy hand to help it.

ASV: Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people; and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day: and there shall be nought in the power of thy hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thy sons  and thy daughters  [shall be] given  unto another  people,  and thine eyes  shall look,  and fail  [with longing] for them all the day  long: and [there shall be] no might  in thine hand. 

What does Deuteronomy 28:32 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 28:32 mean?

Your sons and your daughters [shall be] given to people another and your eyes shall look and fail [with longing] for them all day long and [there shall be] no power in your hand
בָּנֶ֨יךָ וּבְנֹתֶ֜יךָ נְתֻנִ֨ים לְעַ֤ם אַחֵר֙ וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ רֹא֔וֹת וְכָל֥וֹת אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם כָּל־ הַיּ֑וֹם וְאֵ֥ין לְאֵ֖ל יָדֶֽךָ

בָּנֶ֨יךָ  Your  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּבְנֹתֶ֜יךָ  and  your  daughters 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
נְתֻנִ֨ים  [shall  be]  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine plural
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְעַ֤ם  to  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אַחֵר֙  another 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: אַחֵר  
Sense: another, other, following.
וְעֵינֶ֣יךָ  and  your  eyes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, cdc, second person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
רֹא֔וֹת  shall  look 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
וְכָל֥וֹת  and  fail  [with  longing] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, feminine plural
Root: כָּלֶה  
Sense: failing with desire, longing, longing for.
אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם  for  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַיּ֑וֹם  day  long 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  [there  shall  be]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לְאֵ֖ל  power  in 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
יָדֶֽךָ  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.