Deuteronomy 11:17

17 for then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain and the land will yield no fruit; then you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.

Deuteronomy 11:17 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 11:17

And then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you
For their idolatry, nothing being more provoking to him than that, it being contrary to his nature and being, as well as to his will, and to his honour and glory:

and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain;
the treasures and storehouses of it there, or the windows of it, the clouds, which when opened let it down, but when shut withhold it; the key of rain is one of the keys which the Jews say ^F11 the Lord keeps in his own hand, and with it he opens and no man shuts, and shuts and no man opens; see ( Deuteronomy 28:12 ) ( Malachi 3:10 )

and that the land yield not her fruit;
which is unavoidably the case when rain is withheld:

and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth
you;
for if the land does not yield its fruits sufficient to support the inhabitants of it, they must in course perish.

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FOOTNOTES:

F11 Targum Jon. in Deut. xxviii. 12.

Deuteronomy 11:17 In-Context

15 and he will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you will eat your fill.

16 Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshiping them,

17 for then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain and the land will yield no fruit; then you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.

18 You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblem on your forehead.

19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise.