The Meaning of Deuteronomy 29:23 Explained

Deuteronomy 29:23

KJV: And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

YLT: (with brimstone and salt is the whole land burnt, it is not sown, nor doth it shoot up, nor doth there go up on it any herb, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, which Jehovah overturned in His anger, and in His fury,) --

Darby: that the whole ground thereof is brimstone and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, and no grass groweth in it, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboim, which Jehovah overthrew in his anger and in his fury:

ASV: and that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and a burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which Jehovah overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

[And that] the whole land  thereof [is] brimstone,  and salt,  [and] burning,  [that] it is not sown,  nor beareth,  nor any grass  groweth  therein, like the overthrow  of Sodom,  and Gomorrah,  Admah,  and Zeboim,  which the LORD  overthrew  in his anger,  and in his wrath: 

What does Deuteronomy 29:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Deuteronomy 29:14-29 - The Penalty Of Serving False Gods
Deuteronomy 29:15 clearly refers to the future generations, who were included in this solemn act. The word "gall," Deuteronomy 29:18, indicates the poisonous character of idolatry. The application of this passage to any man who falls short of the grace of God shows that the tendency to idolatry has its root in the apostasy of the heart, Hebrews 12:15.
We cannot say that religion is a matter of indifference; or, if we say it, we are destined to a terrible awakening. A man may say, "I shall have peace," etc., Deuteronomy 29:19, but there is no peace short of the peace of God, Isaiah 48:22; Romans 5:1-2.
With respect to Deuteronomy 29:24, the infidel Volney wrote of the present condition of Palestine: "Why is not the ancient population reproduced and perpetuated? God has doubtless pronounced a secret malediction against this land." This is one of His "secret things!" Compare Deuteronomy 29:29 with Romans 11:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 29

1  Moses exhorts them to obedience, reminding of the works they had seen
10  All are presented before the Lord to enter into his covenant
18  The great wrath on him who flatters himself in his wickedness
29  Secret things belong unto God

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 29:23 mean?

Brimstone and salt burning all the land [is] not it is sown nor does it bear nor does grow there any grass like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboiim Zeboiim which overthrew Yahweh in His anger and His wrath
גָּפְרִ֣ית וָמֶלַח֮ שְׂרֵפָ֣ה כָל־ אַרְצָהּ֒ לֹ֤א תִזָּרַע֙ וְלֹ֣א תַצְמִ֔חַ וְלֹֽא־ יַעֲלֶ֥ה בָ֖הּ כָּל־ עֵ֑שֶׂב כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת סְדֹ֤ם וַעֲמֹרָה֙ אַדְמָ֣ה [וצביים] (וּצְבוֹיִ֔ם) אֲשֶׁר֙ הָפַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה בְּאַפּ֖וֹ וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ

גָּפְרִ֣ית  Brimstone 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: גָּפְרִית  
Sense: brimstone.
וָמֶלַח֮  and  salt 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלַח  
Sense: salt.
שְׂרֵפָ֣ה  burning 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׂרֵפָה  
Sense: burning.
אַרְצָהּ֒  the  land  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
תִזָּרַע֙  it  is  sown 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: זָרַע  
Sense: to sow, scatter seed.
וְלֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תַצְמִ֔חַ  does  it  bear 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: צָמַח  
Sense: to sprout, spring up, grow up.
וְלֹֽא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יַעֲלֶ֥ה  does  grow 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
כָּל־  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֵ֑שֶׂב  grass 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵשֶׂב  
Sense: herb, herbage, grass, green plants.
כְּֽמַהְפֵּכַ֞ת  like  the  overthrow 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מַהְפֵּכָה  
Sense: overthrow, destruction.
סְדֹ֤ם  of  Sodom 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְדֹם  
Sense: a Canaanite city, usually paired with Gomorrah, located in the area of the Dead Sea and the Jordan river; both cities destroyed by God in judgment.
וַעֲמֹרָה֙  and  Gomorrah 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֲמֹרָה  
Sense: the twin-city in evil with Sodom, both destroyed in judgment by God with fire from heaven.
אַדְמָ֣ה  Admah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַדְמָה  
Sense: city in the Siddim valley.
[וצביים]  and  Zeboiim 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
(וּצְבוֹיִ֔ם)  Zeboiim 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְבֹאִים 
Sense: one of the 5 cities in the plain which included Sodom and Gomorrah.
הָפַ֣ךְ  overthrew 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָפַךְ  
Sense: to turn, overthrow, overturn.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּאַפּ֖וֹ  in  His  anger 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
וּבַחֲמָתֽוֹ  and  His  wrath 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵמָא 
Sense: heat, rage, hot displeasure, indignation, anger, wrath, poison, bottles.