Deuteronomy 28:63 · Bible study
Deuteronomy 28:63 Commentary: When God Rejoices to Destroy
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse presents the shocking image of God rejoicing to destroy Israel. Explore the covenant context and what this reveals about His justice and mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The verse warns that just as God delighted to bless Israel, so He will delight to judge them for covenant disobedience, resulting in exile from the land.
- Key words: שָׂשׂ (sas), rejoice (same verb for blessing and curse); נָסַח (nasach), tear away, uproot.
- Main debate: Whether God's rejoicing in judgment is metaphorical or literal; how to reconcile with His love.
- Theological theme: The consistency of God's character, He is both just and merciful, and the covenant holds both blessing and curse.
- Best use: As a warning against presuming on grace; as a call to faithfulness; as a pointer to the cross where justice and mercy meet.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Just as it pleased the LORD to make you prosper and multiply, so also it will please Him to annihilate you and destroy you. And you will be uprooted from the land you are entering to possess.
WEB World English Bible 2000
It will happen that as Yahweh rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Yahweh will rejoice over you to cause you to perish and to destroy you. You will be plucked from the land that you are going in to possess.
KJV King James Version 1769
And it shall come to pass, that as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And it shall come to pass, that, as Jehovah rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so Jehovah will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest in to possess it.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And it hath been, as Jehovah hath rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you, so doth Jehovah rejoice over you to destroy you, and to lay you waste; and ye have been pulled away from off the ground whither thou art going in to possess it;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And it shall come to pass, that as Jehovah rejoiced over you to do you good and to multiply you, so Jehovah will rejoice over you to cause you to perish, and to destroy you; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whereunto thou goest to possess it.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And as the Lord rejoiced upon you before doing good to you, and multiplying you: so he shall rejoice destroying and bringing you to nought, so that you shall be taken away from the land which thou shalt go in to possess.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y será que como Jehová se gozó sobre vosotros para haceros bien, y para multiplicaros, así se gozará Jehová sobre vosotros para arruinaros, y para destruiros; y seréis arrancados de sobre la tierra, á la cual entráis para poseerla.
E será que como o SENHOR se alegrou sobre vós para fazer-vos bem, e para multiplicar-vos, assim se alegrará o SENHOR sobre vós para vos arruinar, e para destruir-vos; e sereis tirados de sobre a terra, à qual entrais para possuí-la.
De même que l’ Éternel prenait plaisir à vous faire du bien et à vous multiplier, de même l’ Éternel prendra plaisir à vous faire périr et à vous détruire; et vous serez arrachés du pays dont tu vas entrer en possession.
Und wie sich der HERR über euch zuvor freute, daß er euch Gutes täte und mehrte euch, also wird er sich über euch freuen, daß er euch umbringe und vertilge; und werdet verstört werden von dem Lande, in das du jetzt einziehst, es einzunehmen.
En het zal geschieden, gelijk als de HEERE Zich over ulieden verblijdde, u goed doende en u vermenigvuldigende, alzo zal Zich de HEERE over u verblijden, u verdoende en u verdelgende; en gij zult uitgerukt worden uit het land, waar gij naar toe gaat, om dat te erven.
E avverrà che come l’Eterno prendeva piacere a farvi del bene e moltiplicarvi, così l’Eterno prenderà piacere a farvi perire e a distruggervi; e sarete strappati dal paese del quale vai a prender possesso.
I stanie się, że jako się radował Pan nad wami, dobrze wam czyniąc i rozmnażając was, tak się radować będzie Pan nad wami tracąc was, i wygładzając was; i będziecie wykorzenieni z ziemi, do której idziecie, abyście ją posiedli.
И как радовался Господь, делая вам добро и умножая вас, так будет радоваться Господь, погубляя вас и истребляя вас, и извержены будете из земли, в которую ты идешь, чтобы владеть ею.
先前 耶和華 怎樣 喜悅 善待 你們，使你們 眾多， 也要照樣 喜悅 毀滅 你們，使你們 滅亡；並且你們 從 所 要進去 得的 地上 必被拔除。
And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and increasing you, so the Lord will take pleasure in cutting you off and causing your destruction, and you will be uprooted from the land which you are about to take as your heritage.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Deuteronomy 28:63
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the language of God “rejoicing” to destroy is a metaphor that underscores the seriousness of covenant violation. Calvin explains that the phrase shows the “wonderful and inestimable love” God had for Israel; their sin turned His affection into judgment. This is not a capricious pleasure in suffering, but the necessary consequence of God's holiness. Gill points out that the Targum of Jonathan identifies “the Word of the Lord” as the subject, and says God takes as much delight in glorifying His justice through destruction as He did in showing mercy through blessings. Wesley adds that though God does not delight in the death of a sinner in itself, He does delight in the exercise of His attributes, “the exercise of all his attributes must needs please him.” The consensus is that this verse reveals the flip side of covenant relationship: the same God who rejoiced to bless must, when rejected, rejoice to uphold His just character.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Anthropomorphic metaphor: Calvin and many Reformed commentators argue that God does not have human emotions; the language accommodates our understanding to show that judgment is as certain as blessing was joyful.
- Literal expression of divine pleasure in justice: Wesley and others hold that God genuinely delights in the exercise of His attributes, including justice, while not delighting in the death of the sinner per se.
What is clear: God's character is consistent — He is both loving and just, and covenant obedience matters. The verse does not present a contradiction, but a sobering truth about the consequences of sin.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| God's rejoicing in judgment | All traditions see it as an expression of God's justice and holiness within the covenant. | Some emphasize it is anthropomorphic metaphor (Calvin), while others argue God genuinely delights in the exercise of His attributes, including judgment (Wesley). |
| Historical fulfillment of the curse | The curses were fulfilled in the exiles of Israel and Judah, as recorded in history. | Some see specific fulfillment in the Hadrianic ban (Gill, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown), while others view it as an ongoing pattern of covenant discipline. |
| Application to the church | The verse shows that God takes sin seriously and that covenant relationship carries consequences. | Some interpret it as directly applicable to the church as the new covenant community; others limit it to national Israel and treat it as a background for understanding the gospel. |
| Emotional language about God | All agree the language accommodates human understanding, it is not describing God as subject to changing emotions. | Disagreement exists on how literally to take the emotional language: as mere accommodation or as revealing something true about divine experience. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Deuteronomy 28 stands at the climax of the covenant ceremony on the plains of Moab. Moses lays out blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience, following the pattern of ancient Near Eastern vassal treaties. Verse 63 comes near the end of the curse section, after threats of disease, siege, and exile (vv 59-62). The surrounding verses speak of being left few in number (v 62), scattered among nations (v 64), and living in constant fear (vv 65-67). The land itself is central: Israel was about to enter and possess it, but the covenant warned that they could be violently removed.
The Hebrew verb for “rejoiced” in the blessing and curse is the same, שָׂשׂ (sas). This creates an intentional parallel. The word for “plucked” from the land is נָסַח (nasach), meaning to tear or pull away, suggesting a forceful uprooting. Commentators such as Gill and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown connect this to historical events, particularly the Roman Emperor Hadrian's decree in the second century AD that barred Jews from Jerusalem and Judea. Lange's commentary notes that the phrase “plucked from off the land” points to an exile where the people no longer inherit the land but live as aliens in their own country.
The verse also has a counterpart in Deuteronomy 30:9, where after repentance, Yahweh will again rejoice over Israel for good. This gives the curse a redemptive horizon. The covenant context explains the severe language: breaking the covenant brings the full weight of its sanctions. But the same God who warns of destruction also promises restoration.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Deuteronomy 28:63. The Masoretic text is consistent across manuscripts, and the Targum of Jonathan offers a paraphrase (“the Word of the Lord”) that is interpretive rather than a textual variant.
Reception History
This verse has been read across traditions as a sobering warning. The Targum of Jonathan, an early Aramaic paraphrase, reads “the Word of the Lord” as the agent of both rejoicing and destruction, connecting the verse to the divine Word. Medieval Jewish commentators saw the verse fulfilled in the Roman devastations and the Hadrianic edict that barred Jews from Jerusalem. Reformation interpreters like Calvin and the Geneva Bible pressed the covenant context: God's rejoicing in judgment is the necessary counterpart to His rejoicing in blessing. Puritan and Methodist commentators such as Matthew Henry and Wesley emphasized that God's delight is in the vindication of His justice, not in suffering itself. In modern times, this verse is often cited in discussions of divine wrath and love, reminding readers that the same God who rejoices to save also upholds His holiness.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's Joy in Blessing: The verse opens by recalling how Yahweh rejoiced over Israel to do them good and multiply them (cf. Deut 30:9). This was not reluctant; it was delight.
- God's Joy in Judgment: The same verb, שָׂשׂ (to rejoice), is used for judgment. As Calvin writes, God's love was turned by Israel's sin; His justice must be satisfied. The joy is in the consistency of His character, not in suffering itself.
- The Path Back: The curse is not the end. Deuteronomy 30:9 promises that after exile, God will again rejoice to bless. Judgment serves to restore covenant relationship.
Five-point outline
- The Blessing Pattern: God's initial posture toward Israel was joy, He delighted in their prosperity and multiplication.
- The Breaking Point: Disobedience flips the covenant. The same God cannot ignore rebellion; His wrath is the flip side of His covenant love.
- The Nature of Divine Joy in Judgment: Commentators like Wesley emphasize that God does not delight in death per se, but in the exercise of His justice and holiness.
- The Uprooting: The land is a gift; being plucked from it signifies the end of the covenant relationship, exile.
- The Unfinished Story: The parallel in Deuteronomy 30 shows that God's joy in restoration is even more powerful.
Illustration hooks
- A parent who enforces consequences for a child's dangerous actions does so out of love, not spite. The discipline is painful but aims at restoration.
- A judge who sentences a criminal may feel sorrow but finds satisfaction in justice being upheld, the law must be honored.
- A farmer who uproots a diseased plant does it to protect the whole field; the act is violent but purposeful.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God take pleasure in human suffering? How is that compatible with His love?
- If God once delighted in blessing Israel, does His joy change? Can He change His mind?
- Is this curse permanent, or is there a way back to blessing?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shocks us. It forces us to ask what it means for God to rejoice in judgment. Read the verse aloud and sit with the discomfort. Then consider the covenant context: blessings and curses are woven together throughout Deuteronomy. This is not a picture of a capricious God, but of a holy God who takes His covenant seriously.
Discussion questions
- Read verse 63 in context of the surrounding verses (vv 59-67). What stands out to you about the language of “rejoicing” in judgment?
- Why do you think Moses uses the same Hebrew word (שָׂשׂ) for God's joy in blessing and in destruction? What does that imply about God's character?
- How do the commentaries (Calvin, Gill, Wesley) explain the idea of God rejoicing to destroy? Do their explanations satisfy you? Why or why not?
- Look at Deuteronomy 30:9, where God will again rejoice over Israel for good. How does this verse reshape your understanding of the curse in 28:63?
- What does this passage teach about the connection between God's love and His justice? Are they in conflict, or do they work together in the covenant?
- How might Christians today hear this verse? Does it have warning for the church, or is it only for ancient Israel?
- Jeremiah 12:15 speaks of God showing compassion after plucking up. How does this give hope even in the midst of judgment?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 7:22 | Yahweh your God will cast out those nations before you little by little. You may not consume them at once, lest the animals of the field increase on you. |
| Deuteronomy 30:9 | Yahweh your God will make you prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good; for Yahweh will again rejoice over you for good, as he rejoiced over your fathers, |
| Proverbs 1:26 | I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes you, |
| Isaiah 1:24 | Therefore the Lord, Yahweh of Armies, the Mighty One of Israel, says: “Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries, and avenge myself on my enemies. |
| Isaiah 62:5 | For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you. As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so your God will rejoice over you. |
| Jeremiah 12:14 | Yahweh says, “Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. |
| Jeremiah 12:15 | It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land. |
| Jeremiah 18:7 | At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
8 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that God first rejoiced in blessing His people, making their sin worse because it forced Him to set aside that affection. Yet God also rejoices in just judgment, though He would rather pardon if human wickedness allowed it. Both are consistent with His character.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible School notes that while the substance of these curses fits a pre-exilic date, some phrasing may come from after the exile. The description of utter despair in banishment matches Psalm 137's anguish more than Jeremiah's advice to settle quietly in Babylon. Overall the section likely originated before the Babylonian exile.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note draws a stark parallel: the same divine delight that once rejoiced over Israel to bless and multiply them will equally rejoice to destroy and root them out. This is not a change in God's character but the consistent outworking of His covenant response to disobedience.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill's distinctive emphasis falls on God taking equal delight in judgment as in blessing. The same divine joy that once provided every good thing for Israel now takes pleasure in their ruin, because justice is honored. He then supports this with later historical accounts showing the land almost entirely emptied of Jews.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB connects the prophecy directly to a specific historical event: Hadrian's edict barring all Jews from Judea. For this commentator, the prophecy was fulfilled when the Roman emperor officially banished the Jewish people from their homeland and forbade them even to approach its borders.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the exhaustive listing of every blessing and curse as deliberate—it proves that nothing in life is accident or human achievement, but God directly rules every particular. For him religion here is not knowledge or worship but daily experience, one day teaching another. This moral framing strips earthly prosperity of its attraction and gives suffering its purpose toward repentance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry points out that Israel's punishment was a precise reversal of their sin. Because they refused to serve God with joyful hearts while enjoying every good thing, they would be forced to serve merciless enemies in desperate lack. The curses were not random but reflected the exact failure of their gratitude.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley resolves an apparent tension: God does not take pleasure in a sinner's death itself, but He does delight in displaying His justice against those who refuse to repent. This delight comes from the exercise of His attributes, which must please Him, or else He would not be perfectly happy.