Deuteronomy 28:64
New International Version
Then the LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known.

New Living Translation
For the LORD will scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship foreign gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods made of wood and stone!

English Standard Version
“And the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

King James Bible
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

New King James Version
“Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone.

New American Standard Bible
Furthermore, the LORD will scatter you among all the peoples, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you will serve other gods, made of wood and stone, which you and your fathers have not known.

NASB 1995
“Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.

NASB 1977
“Moreover, the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.

Legacy Standard Bible
Moreover, Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, wood and stone, which you or your fathers have not known.

Amplified Bible
And the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you will [be forced to] serve other gods, [lifeless gods of] wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah will scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone.

Contemporary English Version
Those of you that survive will be scattered to every nation on earth, and you will have to worship stone and wood idols that never helped you or your ancestors.

English Revised Version
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the people of the world, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will serve gods made of wood and stone that neither you nor your ancestors ever knew.

Good News Translation
"The LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve gods made of wood and stone, gods that neither you nor your ancestors have ever worshiped before.

International Standard Version
"He'll scatter you among the peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you'll serve other gods made of wood and stones, which neither you nor your ancestors have known.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

NET Bible
The LORD will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods of wood and stone.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth; and there you shall serve other gods, which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people from the one end of the earth even to the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.

World English Bible
Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth. There you will serve other gods which you have not known, you nor your fathers, even wood and stone.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and YHWH has scattered you among all the peoples, from the end of the earth even to the [other] end of the earth; and you have served other gods there which you have not known, you and your fathers—wood and stone.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah hath scattered thee among all the peoples, from the end of the earth even unto the end of the earth; and thou hast served there other gods which thou hast not known, thou and thy fathers -- wood and stone.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah scattered thee among all peoples from the end of the earth even to the end of the earth; and thou servedst there other gods which thou knewest not, thou and thy fathers, wood and stone.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the farthest parts of the earth to the ends thereof: and there thou shalt serve strange gods, which both thou art ignorant of and thy fathers, wood and stone.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The Lord will disperse you among all the peoples, from the heights of the earth to its furthest limits. And there you will serve foreign gods of wood and of stone, which you and your fathers did not know.

New American Bible
The LORD will scatter you among all the peoples from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve other gods, of wood and stone, which you and your ancestors have not known.

New Revised Standard Version
The LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD shall scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And LORD JEHOVAH shall scatter you into all the nations from the ends of the land and unto the ends of the Earth, and you shall work there for other gods of wood and of stone that you have not known, you or your parents.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD shall scatter thee among all peoples, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou nor thy fathers, even wood and stone.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord thy God shall scatter thee among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other; and thou shalt there serve other gods, wood and stone, which thou hast not known, nor thy fathers.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Curses of Disobedience
63Just 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. 64Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known. 65Among those nations you will find no repose, not even a resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a despairing soul.…

Cross References
Leviticus 26:33
But I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out a sword after you as your land becomes desolate and your cities are laid waste.

Jeremiah 16:13
So I will cast you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your fathers have known. There you will serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.’

Ezekiel 20:23
However, with an uplifted hand I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the lands.

Nehemiah 1:8-9
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses when You said, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, / but if you return to Me and keep and practice My commandments, then even if your exiles have been banished to the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for My Name.’

2 Kings 17:6
In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and carried away the Israelites to Assyria, where he settled them in Halah, in Gozan by the Habor River, and in the cities of the Medes.

2 Kings 25:21
There at Riblah in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death. So Judah was taken into exile, away from its own land.

Amos 9:9
“For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve; but not a pebble will reach the ground.

Isaiah 11:12
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will collect the scattered of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

Jeremiah 9:16
I will scatter them among the nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off.”

Ezekiel 22:15
I will disperse you among the nations and scatter you throughout the lands; I will purge your uncleanness.

Luke 21:24
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Matthew 24:31
And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

John 7:35
At this, the Jews said to one another, “Where does He intend to go that we will not find Him? Will He go where the Jews are dispersed among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?

Acts 2:5
Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.

James 1:1
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes of the Dispersion: Greetings.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD shall scatter you among all people, from the one end of the earth even to the other; and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known, even wood and stone.

scatter

Deuteronomy 4:27,28
And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you…

Leviticus 26:33
And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.

Nehemiah 1:8
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

there thou shalt

Deuteronomy 28:36
The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

Jeremiah 16:13
Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour.

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Deuteronomy 28
1. The blessings for obedience
15. The curses for disobedience














Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations
This phrase reflects the covenantal consequences outlined in Deuteronomy for disobedience to God's commandments. The scattering of Israel among the nations is a recurring theme in the Old Testament, often associated with exile and dispersion due to idolatry and unfaithfulness (Leviticus 26:33, Jeremiah 9:16). Historically, this prophecy was fulfilled during the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles, where the Israelites were forcibly removed from their land. Theologically, it underscores the seriousness of breaking the covenant with God and serves as a warning of divine judgment.

from one end of the earth to the other
This hyperbolic expression emphasizes the totality and extent of the dispersion. It suggests that the Israelites would be scattered far beyond their borders, losing their national identity and unity. This phrase can be connected to the later Jewish Diaspora, where Jewish communities were established across the Roman Empire and beyond. It also foreshadows the global spread of the Jewish people, which continues to this day.

and there you will worship other gods
The worship of other gods represents a significant departure from the worship of Yahweh, the one true God. This phrase highlights the spiritual consequences of Israel's disobedience, where they would be influenced by the idolatrous practices of the nations among whom they were scattered. This is a direct violation of the first commandment (Exodus 20:3) and reflects the spiritual adultery that the prophets frequently condemned (Hosea 4:12-13).

gods of wood and stone
This description of idols underscores their lifelessness and impotence compared to the living God of Israel. The use of "wood and stone" is a common biblical motif to describe the futility of idol worship (Isaiah 44:9-20, Habakkuk 2:19). Archaeologically, many such idols have been discovered in ancient Near Eastern sites, confirming the prevalence of idolatry in the surrounding cultures. This phrase serves as a stark reminder of the foolishness of turning away from the Creator to worship created objects.

which neither you nor your fathers have known
This phrase emphasizes the foreignness and unfamiliarity of these gods to the Israelites and their ancestors. It highlights the departure from the faith of the patriarchs, who worshiped Yahweh alone. The reference to "fathers" connects this warning to the covenantal promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the expectation that their descendants would remain faithful to God. This serves as a call to remember their heritage and the unique relationship they have with God, contrasting it with the empty traditions of other nations.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who is both the giver of blessings and the enforcer of curses based on Israel's obedience or disobedience.

2. Israel
The chosen people of God, recipients of the covenant, who are warned of the consequences of disobedience.

3. Nations
Refers to the various peoples and lands outside of Israel where the Israelites would be scattered due to their disobedience.

4. Gods of Wood and Stone
Idols worshiped by other nations, representing false gods that Israel would turn to in their dispersion.

5. The Earth
Symbolizes the vastness of the dispersion, indicating that the scattering would be comprehensive and far-reaching.
Teaching Points
The Seriousness of Disobedience
The scattering of Israel serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. It underscores the importance of obedience to God's commands.

The Danger of Idolatry
Worshiping "gods of wood and stone" highlights the futility and danger of idolatry. Believers today must guard against modern forms of idolatry, such as materialism and secularism.

God's Sovereignty in Judgment
The scattering demonstrates God's control over nations and history. It reassures believers that God is sovereign, even in times of judgment.

Hope for Restoration
While the verse speaks of judgment, the broader biblical account includes promises of restoration. Believers can find hope in God's faithfulness to restore and redeem.

The Call to Faithfulness
This passage calls believers to remain faithful to God, avoiding the pitfalls of disobedience and idolatry, and trusting in His promises.(64) And the Lord shall scatter thee among all people.--Fulfilled, literally, in this last dispersion.

Thou shalt serve other gods.--We do not know of Israel's falling into actual idolatry in dispersion, except in Egypt (Jeremiah 44:17), and possibly in Babylon (Ezekiel 14:22-23. Comp. Deuteronomy 33:25). But they were slaves to the worshippers of other gods.

Verse 64. - Those of them that survived the plagues that should come upon them, and the horrors of the siege, should be scattered amongst all nations to the ends of the earth, and there subjugated to the utmost indignities and sufferings.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the LORD
יְהוָה֙ (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

will scatter
וֶהֱפִֽיצְךָ֤ (we·hĕ·p̄î·ṣə·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular
Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered

you among all
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the nations,
הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים (hā·‘am·mîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

from one end
מִקְצֵ֥ה (miq·ṣêh)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7097: End, extremity

of the earth
הָאָ֖רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

to
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

the other,
קְצֵ֣ה (qə·ṣêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7097: End, extremity

and there
שָּׁ֜ם (šām)
Adverb
Strong's 8033: There, then, thither

you will worship
וְעָבַ֨דְתָּ (wə·‘ā·ḇaḏ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

other
אֲחֵרִ֗ים (’ă·ḥê·rîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 312: Hinder, next, other

gods,
אֱלֹהִ֣ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

[gods] of wood
עֵ֥ץ (‘êṣ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6086: Tree, trees, wood

and stone,
וָאָֽבֶן׃ (wā·’ā·ḇen)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 68: A stone

which
אֲשֶׁ֧ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

neither you
אַתָּ֥ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

nor
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

your fathers
וַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ (wa·’ă·ḇō·ṯe·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

have known.
יָדַ֛עְתָּ (yā·ḏa‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know


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OT Law: Deuteronomy 28:64 Yahweh will scatter you among all peoples (Deut. De Du)
Deuteronomy 28:63
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