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Deuteronomy 28:23

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Deuteronomy 28:23 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
Deuteronomy 28:23 — American Standard Version

Context — Deuteronomy 28

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
20Jehovah will send upon thee cursing, discomfiture, and rebuke, in all that thou puttest thy hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the evil of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
21Jehovah will make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest in to possess it.
22Jehovah will smite thee with consumption, and with fever, and with inflammation, and with fiery heat, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
23And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
24Jehovah will make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
25Jehovah will cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies; thou shalt go out one way against them, and shalt flee seven ways before them: and thou shalt be tossed to and from among all the kingdoms of the earth.
26And thy dead body shall be food unto all birds of the heavens, and unto the beasts of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away.
← Deuteronomy 28:22Deuteronomy 28:24 →
← Full Chapter 28 Deuteronomy Overview

What do historical commentaries say?

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“heaven . . . brass . . . earth . . . iron--strong Oriental figures used to describe the effects of long-continued drought. This want of regular and seasonable rain is allowed by the most intelligent observers to be one great cause of the present sterility of Palestine.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Brass - Like brass, hard and dry, and shut up from giving rain. Iron - Hard and chapt and barren. Deuteronomy 28:24”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“28:23 In this graphic picture of drought and famine, the sky dams up the rain, making the earth hard and unfruitful.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“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; Kg1 17:1, Kg1 18:2; Jer 14:1-6; Amo 4:7 Deuteronomy 28:24”
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Related study paths

Read Deuteronomy 28 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification