The Meaning of Leviticus 26:33 Explained

Leviticus 26:33

KJV: And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

YLT: And you I scatter among nations, and have drawn out after you a sword, and your land hath been a desolation, and your cities are a waste.

Darby: And I will scatter you among the nations, and will draw out the sword after you; and your land shall be desolation, and your cities waste.

ASV: And you will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you: and your land shall be a desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will scatter  you among the heathen,  and will draw out  a sword  after  you: and your land  shall be desolate,  and your cities  waste. 

What does Leviticus 26:33 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 26:21-46 - Desolation And Captivity For The Stubborn
Notwithstanding the solemn and appalling pictures placed before Israel in these verses, they forsook the Lord and served other gods. Thus, they brought upon themselves the sore judgments threatened against them, consisting of defeat, scarcity, wild beasts, pestilence and famine, the horrors of siege and desolation, followed by dispersion to the four winds of heaven. The book of Judges illustrates the first, and the destruction of Jerusalem, as told by Josephus, the last of these plagues.
Under the curse of this chapter the chosen people are suffering to this very hour. Scattered and peeled, wasted and outcast, they are monuments of God's truthfulness to His word. They teach an impressive lesson which the nations of the world would do well to lay to heart. Note that remarkable expression about accepting their punishment, as the necessary condition of forgiveness and restoration. The same condition always holds.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [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 26:33 mean?

And you I will scatter among the nations and draw out after you a sword And shall be your land desolate and your cities become waste
וְאֶתְכֶם֙ אֱזָרֶ֣ה בַגּוֹיִ֔ם וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י אַחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם חָ֑רֶב וְהָיְתָ֤ה אַרְצְכֶם֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְעָרֵיכֶ֖ם יִהְי֥וּ חָרְבָּֽה

וְאֶתְכֶם֙  And  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker, second person masculine plural
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֱזָרֶ֣ה  I  will  scatter 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: זָרָה 
Sense: to scatter, fan, cast away, winnow, disperse, compass, spread, be scattered, be dispersed.
בַגּוֹיִ֔ם  among  the  nations 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י  and  draw  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: רִיק  
Sense: to make empty, empty out.
אַחֲרֵיכֶ֖ם  after  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
חָ֑רֶב  a  sword 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
וְהָיְתָ֤ה  And  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אַרְצְכֶם֙  your  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
שְׁמָמָ֔ה  desolate 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: שְׁמָמָה 
Sense: devastation, waste, desolation.
וְעָרֵיכֶ֖ם  and  your  cities 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
יִהְי֥וּ  become 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
חָרְבָּֽה  waste 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָרְבָּה  
Sense: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation.