Jo’s Place

The Final    Curses for Disobedience “If you refuse to obey all the words, of instruction,    that are written in this book, …and if you do not fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord, your God, …then the Lord will overwhelm you  and  your children, with indescribable plagues.  These plagues will be intense and without relief, making you miserable and unbearably sick.  He will afflict you, with all the diseases of Egypt that you feared so much, …and you will have no relief.  The Lord will afflict you with every sickness and plague, that there is, …even those not mentioned, in this Book of Instruction, …until you are destroyed.  Though you become as numerous as the stars in the sky, few of you will be left, because you would not listen to the Lord your God.  “Just as the Lord has found great pleasure, in causing you to prosper and multiply, …the Lord will display His justice by destroying you.  You will be torn from the l...

​ Still More Curses for Disobedience “The foreigners, who are living among you, will become stronger and stronger, while you become weaker and weaker.  They will lend money to you, but you will not lend to them.  They will be the head, and you will be the tail!  “If you refuse to listen to the Lord, your God… and to obey the commands and decrees, that He has given you, …all these curses will pursue you …and overtake you until you are destroyed.  These horrors will serve as a sign …and a warning among you …and your descendants, forever.  If you do not serve the Lord, your God, with joy and enthusiasm, for the abundant benefits, that you have received, …you will serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you.  You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, …and lacking in everything.  The Lord will put an iron yoke, on your neck, …oppressing you harshly, until He has destroyed you.  “The Lord will bring a distant nation against you,    ...

​ More Curses for Disobedience “You will be engaged to a woman,, but another man will sleep with her.  You will build a house, but someone else will live in it.  You will plant a vineyard, but you will never enjoy its fruit.  Your ox will be butchered, before your eyes, but you will not eat a single bite of the meat.  Your donkey will be taken from you, never to be returned.  Your sheep and goats will be given to your enemies, and no one will be there to help you.  You will watch, as your sons and daughters are taken away as slaves.  Your heart will break for them, but you won’t be able to help them.  A foreign nation, that you have never heard about, will eat the crops, that you worked so hard to grow.  You will suffer, under constant oppression and harsh treatment.  You will go mad, because of all the tragedy, that you see around you.  The Lord will cover your knees and legs, with incurable boils.  In fact, you will be covere...

Curses for Disobedience “But, if you refuse to listen, to the Lord your God, and do not obey all the commands and decrees, that I am giving to you today, …all these curses will come and overwhelm you:  Your towns and your fields  will be cursed.  Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be cursed.  Your children and your crops  will be cursed.  The offspring, of your herds and flocks, will be cursed.  Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be cursed.  “The Lord Himself will send you curses, confusion, and frustration, in everything you do, …until at last, you are completely destroyed, for doing evil and abandoning the Lord, your God.  The Lord will afflict you, with diseases, until none of you are left, in the land, that you are about to enter and occupy.  The Lord will strike you, with wasting diseases, fever, and inflammation, …with scorching heat and drought, …and with blight and mildew.  These disasters will pursue you unt...

Curses from Mount Ebal (On the same day that Moses instructed Israel on Mount Ebal, he)  also gave this charge to the people:  “When you cross the Jordan River, the tribes of Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin must stand on Mount Gerizim, to proclaim a blessing over the people.  And the tribes of Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali must stand on Mount Ebal, to proclaim a curse.  “Then, the Levites will shout to all the people of Israel:  ‘Cursed is anyone, who carves or casts, an idol …and secretly sets it up.  These idols, the work of craftsmen, are detestable, to the Lord.’  And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’  ‘Cursed is anyone, who dishonors father or mother.’  And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’  ‘Cursed is anyone, who steals property, from a neighbor, by moving a boundary marker.’  And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’  ‘Cursed is anyone, who leads a blind person astray, on the road.’...