Leviticus 26:17

“And I will set my face against you, etc.] Exert his power, and stir up his wrath and indignation against them, as enemies of his, to cut them off; (see <193416>Psalm 34:16); which is the reverse of having respect to them, (<032609>Leviticus 26:9); and ye shall be slain before your enemies; as they were sometimes by the Philistines and others: and they that hate you shall reign over you; as did the Chaldeans and Babylonians; (see <19A641>Psalm 106:41); and ye shall flee when none pursueth you; of such pusillanimous spirits should they be, and filled with such dread and terror of their enemies, so contrary from what is promised them on their obedience, (<032608>Leviticus 26:8).”

“As “the book of the covenant” Exodus 20:22-33 concludes with promises and warnings Exodus 23:20-33, so does this collection of laws contained in the Book of Leviticus. But the former passage relates to the conquest of the land of promise, this one to the subsequent history of the nation. The longer similar passage in Deuteronomy Deut. 27–30 is marked by broader and deeper promises and denunciations having immediate reference not only to outward consequences, but to the spiritual death incurred by transgressing the divine will. Leviticus 26:4 Rain in due season - The periodical rains, on which the fertility of the holy land so much depends, are here spoken of. There are two wet seasons,…”

“set: Lev 17:10, Lev 20:5, Lev 20:6; Psa 68:1, Psa 68:2 ye shall be: Deu 28:25; Jdg 2:14; Sa1 4:10, Sa1 31:1; Neh 9:27-30; Psa 106:41, Psa 106:42; Jer 19:7; Lam 1:5 shall flee: Lev 26:36; Psa 53:5; Pro 28:1 Leviticus 26:18”

“Yea, the Lord would turn His face against them, so that they would be beaten by their enemies, and be so thoroughly humbled in consequence, that they would flee when no man pursued (cf. Lev 26:36). But if these punishments did not answer their purpose, and bring Israel back to fidelity to its God, the Lord would punish the disobedient nation still more severely, and chasten the rebellious for their sin, not simply only, but sevenfold. This He would do, so long as Israel persevered in obstinate resistance, and to this end He would multiply His judgments by degrees. This graduated advance of the judgments of God is so depicted in the following passage, that four times in succession new and…”