Leviticus 26:36

36 et qui de vobis remanserint dabo pavorem in cordibus eorum in regionibus hostium terrebit eos sonitus folii volantis et ita fugient quasi gladium cadent nullo sequente

Leviticus 26:36 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 26:36

And upon them that are left [alive] of you
In the land of Judea, or rather scattered about among the nations, suggesting that these would be comparatively few: I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their
enemies;
or "a softness" F25; so that they should be effeminate, pusillanimous, and cowardly, have nothing of a manly spirit and courage in them; but be mean spirited and faint hearted, as the Jews are noted to be at this day, as Bishop Patrick observes; who also adds,

``it being scarce ever heard, that a Jew listed himself for a soldier, or engaged in the defence of his country where he lives:''
and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them;
either the sound of a leaf that falls from the tree, as the Targum of Jonathan, or which the wind beats one against another, as Jarchi, which makes some little noise; even this should terrify them, taking it to be the noise of some enemy near at hand, just ready to fall on them; such poor faint hearted creatures should they be; and they shall flee as fleeing from the sword;
as if there were an army of soldiers with their swords drawn pursuing them: and they shall fall when none pursueth;
fall upon the ground, and into a fit, and drop down as if dead, as if they had been really wounded with a sword and slain, see ( Proverbs 28:1 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F25 (Krm) "mollitiem", Montanus, Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.

Leviticus 26:36 In-Context

34 tunc placebunt terrae sabbata sua cunctis diebus solitudinis suae quando fueritis
35 in terra hostili sabbatizabit et requiescet in sabbatis solitudinis suae eo quod non requieverit in sabbatis vestris quando habitabatis in ea
36 et qui de vobis remanserint dabo pavorem in cordibus eorum in regionibus hostium terrebit eos sonitus folii volantis et ita fugient quasi gladium cadent nullo sequente
37 et corruent singuli super fratres suos quasi bella fugientes nemo vestrum inimicis audebit resistere
38 peribitis inter gentes et hostilis vos terra consumet
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.