The Meaning of Leviticus 26:17 Explained

Leviticus 26:17

KJV: And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

YLT: and I have set My face against you, and ye have been smitten before your enemies; and those hating you have ruled over you, and ye have fled, and there is none pursuing you.

Darby: And I will set my face against you, that ye may be routed before your enemies; they that hate you shall have dominion over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

ASV: And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be smitten before your enemies: they that hate you shall rule over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will set  my face  against you, and ye shall be slain  before  your enemies:  they that hate  you shall reign  over you; and ye shall flee  when none pursueth  you. 

What does Leviticus 26:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 26:1-20 - Results Of Obedience And Disobedience
There is a vast contrast between the ideal life of the first thirteen verses of this chapter and the remainder; just the distinction which God ever makes between a life of obedience and faith, and one of disobedience and disbelief. In our inner life we also may have that blessed rain of spiritual grace; the fruit-fullness and the peace, the safety and the victory, the old store reaching to the new, the breaking of our bars and the snapping of our yoke.
If these privileges are not yours, think back on your past to ascertain whether you are walking in all God's commandments, or are in anything walking contrary to them. Confess your sins and return, and dare to believe that He will bring you again, if penitent and believing, into the old glad position. But if "ye will not," Leviticus 26:14; Leviticus 26:18; Leviticus 26:21; Leviticus 26:23; Leviticus 26:27, heavy penalties must befall. God loves us too well to allow us to drift, unwarned and unrestrained, to perdition. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 26

1  Of idolatry
2  Reverence
3  A blessing to those who keep the commandments
14  A curse to those who break them
40  God promises to remember those who repent

What do the individual words in Leviticus 26:17 mean?

And I will set My face against you and you shall be defeated by your enemies And shall reign over you Those who hate you and you shall flee and when no one pursues you -
וְנָתַתִּ֤י פָנַי֙ בָּכֶ֔ם וְנִגַּפְתֶּ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְרָד֤וּ בָכֶם֙ שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֔ם וְנַסְתֶּ֖ם וְאֵין־ רֹדֵ֥ף אֶתְכֶֽם ס

וְנָתַתִּ֤י  And  I  will  set 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
פָנַי֙  My  face 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בָּכֶ֔ם  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
וְנִגַּפְתֶּ֖ם  and  you  shall  be  defeated 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נָגַף  
Sense: to strike, smite.
אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם  your  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.
וְרָד֤וּ  And  shall  reign 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: רָדָה 
Sense: to rule, have dominion, dominate, tread down.
בָכֶם֙  over  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
שֹֽׂנְאֵיכֶ֔ם  Those  who  hate  you 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
וְנַסְתֶּ֖ם  and  you  shall  flee 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
וְאֵין־  and  when  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
רֹדֵ֥ף  pursues 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָדַף  
Sense: to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation