Deuteronomy 28:27 Meaning: Why the Boils of Egypt?

Three Hebrew words carry the weight of this verse. First, shechin, 'boils' or inflamed swellings. It is the same word used for the plague in Exodus 9, the painful skin disease that struck the Egyptians. Moses reminds Israel: the judgment that once fell on your enemies can become your own experience. Second, techor, 'tumors' or hemorrhoids. The word reappears in 1 Samuel 5 when the Philistines are struck for taking the ark. These are humiliating, hidden afflictions. Third, the phrase 'you cannot be healed' uses the verb rafa in a form that means you will not be able to be cured by human skill. The incurability is not absolute for God, but it is absolute from any human doctor. The covenant people are being shown that their only hope of health is staying close to the Healer.

Calvin saw these diseases as 'special marks of God's wrath,' distinct from ordinary illnesses. He noted that the same kind of afflictions that struck Egypt would now strike Israel if they broke the covenant. Matthew Henry read it as a vivid warning: the curses correspond to the blessings, showing that God matches the reward to the response. Jewish commentators have also noted that these diseases were particularly associated with Egypt, where the Israelites had seen God's power at work. Across traditions, Christians agree that this verse teaches the seriousness of covenant commitment. Some have seen in the incurable skin diseases a picture of sin itself, a corruption that only God can heal. Others focus on the historical application, noting how later prophets and the exile fulfilled these warnings.

A common misreading is to think this verse describes God's general attitude toward sickness or that anyone with skin disease is being punished for sin. In fact, the verse is a specific covenant warning to ancient Israel, tied directly to their obedience to the Law given through Moses. The diseases are called 'the boils of Egypt' because they recall a particular historical judgment. The New Testament shows that sickness is not always a direct punishment for individual sin (John 9:1-3). This verse should be read within its covenant context, not as a universal statement about why people get sick.

This verse asks us to take God's covenant seriously. For the Christian, we are not under the old covenant with its national curses and blessings, but we still live in a relationship with God that requires faithfulness. This week, you might ask: where am I treating God's commands casually? Is there an area of my life where I am ignoring what He has said, assuming there will be no consequences? The New Testament reminds us that God disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:6). This verse shows the opposite, when we persist in disobedience, we can expect to experience the consequences of our choices. But it also points forward to the Healer who took our incurable condition upon Himself.