Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Deuteronomy 28:37
And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
37. a proverb ] Rather, a taunt.
byword ] Only here, Jer 24:9, 1Ki 9:7, 2Ch 7:20; lit. the object of biting remarks.
shall lead thee away ] So in Deu 4:27.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
All other nations shall wonder to see such calamities befall such a people; and when they would express any dreadful affliction in a proverbial way, they shall make use of thy example: they shall also sport themselves in thy miseries, and say, These are the people of the Lord, the only saints upon earth, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
37. And thou shalt become anastonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither theLord shall lead thee, &c.The annals of almost everynation, for eighteen hundred years, afford abundant proofs that thishas been, as it still is, the casethe very name of Jew being auniversally recognized term for extreme degradation and wretchedness.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And thou shall become an astonishment,…. To neighbouring nations, that shall hear of their overthrow and captivity, and that shall see the miserable condition they are brought into:
a proverb and a byword among all nations whither the Lord shall lead thee; both for the wickedness committed by them, and for the ill usage of them by the nations among whom they should be, as they were in the Babylonish captivity; see Jer 24:9; and now are, it being common to say,
“do you think I am a Jew?”
or,
“none but a Jew would have done such a thing.”
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
37. And thou shalt become an astonishment. The climax of their miseries is here added, that they should be so far from receiving consolation from men, that on every side their misery should meet with taunts and insults; for nothing more bitterly wounds the wretched than this indignity of being harassed by reproaches and sarcasms; and thus to be a laughing-stock and byword to all nations, is a dreadful infliction. Again, there is an implied antithesis between the ignominy to which God condemns His ungrateful people, and the extraordinary dignity with which He had honored them, so that they should be illustrious before the whole world. Hence the Prophets have often imitated this mode of expression; I will not quote the instances of it which everywhere occur.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(37) And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword.This verse is the contrary to Deu. 28:10. It was verified in the first captivity, and did not wait for the last dispersion. (See 1Ki. 9:7-9, where the threat is repeated; Jer. 42:18; Eze. 36:20-22.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Deu 28:37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
Ver. 37. And thou shalt become. ] See on Psa 44:14 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
nations = peoples. Compare 1Ki 9:8. Psa 44:13, Psa 44:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
become: Deu 28:28, Deu 29:22-28, 1Ki 9:7, 1Ki 9:8, 2Ch 7:20, Psa 44:13, Psa 44:14, Jer 24:9, Jer 25:9, Joe 2:17, *marg. Zec 8:13
a proverb: The name of Jew has long been a proverbial mark of detestation and contempt among all the nations whither they have been dispersed, and is so to this day, whether among Christians, Mohmammedans, or Pagans.
Reciprocal: Lev 26:32 – and your Num 5:27 – the woman Deu 28:46 – a sign Deu 32:26 – General 2Ch 7:19 – if ye turn away 2Ch 21:15 – the sickness Psa 69:11 – I became Psa 79:4 – become Psa 89:41 – he is Psa 106:27 – to scatter Jer 23:40 – General Jer 51:41 – an astonishment Lam 3:45 – as Eze 5:14 – I will Eze 14:8 – a sign Eze 22:4 – have I Eze 23:32 – thou shalt be Eze 36:3 – and ye Hos 12:14 – and his
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deu 28:37. Thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a by-word And do we not hear and see this prophecy fulfilled almost every day? Is not the avarice, usury, and hard-heartedness of a Jew grown proverbial? And are not their persons generally odious among all sorts of people? Mohammedans, heathens, and Christians, however they may disagree in other points, yet generally agree in vilifying, abusing, and persecuting the Jews. In most places where they are tolerated, they are obliged to live in a separate quarter by themselves, (as they did in London in the Old Jewry,) and to wear some badge of distinction. Their very countenances commonly distinguish them from the rest of mankind. They are in all respects treated as if they were of another species. Bishop Newton.