Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 28:23
And thy heaven that [is] over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee [shall be] iron.
23. Cp. Lev 26:19: heaven as iron, earth as brass.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. Thy heaven – shall be brass, and the earth – iron.] The atmosphere should not be replenished with aqueous vapours, in consequence of which they should have neither the early nor the latter rain; hence the earth – the ground, must be wholly intractable, and, through its hardness, incapable of cultivation. God shows them by this that he is Lord of nature; and that drought and sterility are not casualties, but proceed from the immediate appointment of the Lord.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Be brass, i.e. like brass, hard and dry, and shut up from giving rain. See Lev 26:19.
Be iron, hard, and chapt, and barren.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
23. heaven . . . brass . . . earth .. . ironstrong Oriental figures used to describe the effectsof long-continued drought. This want of regular and seasonable rainis allowed by the most intelligent observers to be one great cause ofthe present sterility of Palestine.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the heaven that [is] over thy head shall be brass,…. Or like brass, not for its clearness, brightness, and splendour, or for its being spread out like a molten looking glass which was of brass, Job 37:18; but for its dryness and hardness, no moisture being in it, or passing through it; no showers of rain nor dew being let down from it:
and the earth that is under thee [shall be] iron; or like iron, hard and impenetrable, into which the plough and spade will not enter; nor anything spring out of it, for want of rain and dew to moisten and soften it. The same is said in Le 26:19; only there is an inversion of the figures; there the heaven is said to be as iron, and the earth like brass, but signify the same thing.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. And thy heaven that is over thy head. He enumerates other causes of barrenness, and especially drought. Often does God by the Prophets, desirous of giving a token of His favor towards the people, promise them the rain of autumn and of spring: the one immediately following the sowing, the other giving growth to the fruits before they begin to ripen; whilst in many passages He also threatens that it should be withheld. To this refers what He now says, that the heavens shall be of brass, and the earth of iron, because neither shall the moisture descend from heaven to fertilize the earth, whilst the earth, bound up and hardened, shall have no juice or dampness in order to production. Whence we gather, that not even a drop of rain falls to the earth except distilled by God, and that whenever it rains, the earth is irrigated as if by His hand. It must, however, be observed, as we have seen before, that the land of Canaan was not like Egypt, which was watered by the care and industry of man, but fertilized by the bounty of heaven. Thus God, by the Prophet, marks the degrees which are worthy of observation, viz., that when He is reconciled to His people, He will “hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil;” so that, finally, all these things shall hear starving men. (240) (Hos 2:21.)
It is not superfluous that He should expressly speak of the “heaven over our head,” and the earth that is “under our feet,” for He thus indicates that His weapons are prepared both above and below to execute His vengeance, so as to assail the people on all sides. Another Prophet confirms this, although only in a brief allusion:
“
Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit; and I called for a drought,” etc. (Hag 1:10.)
Another mode of expression is then used to make the same thing more sure, viz., that the rain should be turned into “powder and dust;” still this clause may be explained in two ways, either that the rain shall no more fertilize the ground than as if it were ashes; or that, instead of rain, dust should fall, as though God would dry up the rich soil by scattering ashes on it.
(240) See C. in loco. Calvin Society’s edit., vol. 1, p. 118.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(23) Thy heaven . . . shall be brass, and the earth . . . iron.Not only in respect of the drought, but of Gods refusal to remove it. See Jeremiah 14, 15 for a most pathetic intercession for Israel under this misery, answered by the order, Pray not for this people for their good (Jer. 14:11). Only grief is permitted (Deu. 28:17). Relief is not given (Deu. 15:1).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
23. Thy heaven brass There are, at certain seasons, places in the land where the traveller to-day appreciates the full significance of this curse.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ver. 23. The heavenshall be brass, and the earthiron A proverbial mode of speech, importing a grievous and general famine: that the heavens should yield no more rain than if they were brass, and the earth no more fruit than if it were iron. Maimonides observes, that the ancient Zabii taught the people to worship the planets, because the fruitfulness of the earth, health, and other blessings, depended upon their will and pleasure. In opposition to which, Moses teaches the Israelites, that the way to enjoy all these blessings was, to worship the Lord of heaven and earth, the only giver of rain and fruitful seasons.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Deu 28:23 And thy heaven that [is] over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee [shall be] iron.
Ver. 23. See on Lev 26:19 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The language here is remarkable: “Thy heaven;” that part of the atmosphere which was over Judea, instead of being replenished with aqueous vapours, should become, with respect to moisture, like brass, and consequently their land would become as hard as iron, and wholly incapable of cultivation; while the clouds might give showers in abundance, and the earth be moist and fruitful in other regions. Lev 26:19, 1Ki 17:1, 1Ki 18:2, Jer 14:1-6, Amo 4:7
Reciprocal: Gen 4:12 – it Deu 11:17 – shut up Rth 1:1 – a famine 1Ki 8:35 – heaven 2Ch 6:26 – the heaven Psa 68:6 – the rebellious Isa 5:6 – also Jer 3:3 – the showers Jer 5:25 – General Jer 14:4 – the ground Hag 1:10 – General Zec 10:1 – rain in Zec 14:17 – even
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
28:23 And thy heaven that [is] over thy head shall be {k} brass, and the earth that is under thee [shall be] iron.
(k) It will give you no more moisture than if it were of brass.