Leviticus 26:31
Leviticus 26:31 in Multiple Translations
I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices.
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors.
And I will make your towns waste and send destruction on your holy places; I will take no pleasure in the smell of your sweet perfumes;
I will demolish your towns and destroy your pagan sanctuaries, and I will refuse to accept your sacrifices.
And I will make your cities desolate, and bring your Sanctuarie vnto nought, and will not smelll the sauour of your sweete odours.
and I have made your cities a waste, and have made desolate your sanctuaries, and I smell not at your sweet fragrances;
I will lay your cities waste, and will bring your sanctuaries to desolation. I will not take delight in the sweet fragrance of your offerings.
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors.
Insomuch that I will bring your cities to be a wilderness, and I will make your sanctuaries desolate, and will receive no more your sweet odours.
I will cause your cities to become heaps of ruins, and I will cause the buildings that are dedicated to the worship of your gods to be smashed. And I will not be pleased at all with the aroma of your offerings that are burned on the altar.
Berean Amplified Bible — Leviticus 26:31
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Leviticus 26:31 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וְ/נָתַתִּ֤י
אֶת
עָֽרֵי/כֶם֙
חָרְבָּ֔ה
וַ/הֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֖י
אֶת
מִקְדְּשֵׁי/כֶ֑ם
וְ/לֹ֣א
אָרִ֔יחַ
בְּ/רֵ֖יחַ
נִיחֹֽחֲ/כֶֽם
וְ/נָתַתִּ֤י
nâthan
H5414
to give
Conj | V-Qal-1cs
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
עָֽרֵי/כֶם֙
ʻîyr
H5892
excitement
N-fp | Suff
חָרְבָּ֔ה
chorbâh
H2723
desolation
N-fs
וַ/הֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֖י
shâmêm
H8074
be desolate
Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
מִקְדְּשֵׁי/כֶ֑ם
miqdâsh
H4720
sanctuary
N-mp | Suff
וְ/לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
not
Conj | Part
אָרִ֔יחַ
rûwach
H7306
to smell
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
בְּ/רֵ֖יחַ
rêyach
H7381
aroma
Prep | N-ms
נִיחֹֽחֲ/כֶֽם
nîychôwach
H5207
soothing
N-ms | Suff
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Leviticus 26:31
וְ/נָתַתִּ֤י
nâthan
H5414
"to give"
Conj | V-Qal-1cs
This word means to give, put, or set something, with a wide range of applications. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, describing God's actions and human interactions. The word is used to convey giving, selling, or exchanging something.
Definition: : give/deliver/send/produce 1) to give, put, set 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to give, bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote, consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit, entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce, requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, extend 1a2) to put, set, put on, put upon, set, appoint, assign, designate 1a3) to make, constitute 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be given, be bestowed, be provided, be entrusted to, be granted to, be permitted, be issued, be published, be uttered, be assigned 1b2) to be set, be put, be made, be inflicted 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be given, be bestowed, be given up, be delivered up 1c2) to be put upon
Usage: Occurs in 1816 OT verses. KJV: add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield. See also: Genesis 1:17; Genesis 40:21; Exodus 30:12.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
עָֽרֵי/כֶם֙
ʻîyr
H5892
"excitement"
N-fp | Suff
In the Bible, this word refers to a city or town, often a place with a wall or a watchman. It is used to describe a settlement or encampment, like the city of Ai, which is mentioned in the book of Joshua. The word is used to identify specific locations in the Bible.
Definition: 1) excitement, anguish 1a) of terror
Usage: Occurs in 936 OT verses. KJV: Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town. See also: Genesis 4:17; Deuteronomy 3:6; Joshua 14:12.
חָרְבָּ֔ה
chorbâh
H2723
"desolation"
N-fs
This word refers to a place that has been laid waste or destroyed, often due to war or disaster. In the Bible, it is used to describe the consequences of sin and disobedience. The prophet Ezekiel used this word to describe a desolate city.
Definition: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation
Usage: Occurs in 42 OT verses. KJV: decayed place, desolate (place, -tion), destruction, (laid) waste (place). See also: Leviticus 26:31; Jeremiah 27:17; Psalms 9:7.
וַ/הֲשִׁמּוֹתִ֖י
shâmêm
H8074
"be desolate"
Conj | V-Hiphil-1cs
The word 'shamem' means to be desolate or devastated, like a place left empty and destroyed, often used to describe the aftermath of war or disaster.
Definition: : destroyed/deserted 1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled 1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate 1b2) to be appalled 1c) (Polel) 1c1) to be stunned 1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle) 1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst) 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated 1d2) to appal, show horror 1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated 1f) (Hithpolel) 1f1) to cause to be desolate 1f2) to be appalled, be astounded 1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin
Usage: Occurs in 80 OT verses. KJV: make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder. See also: Leviticus 26:22; Jeremiah 50:13; Psalms 40:16.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
מִקְדְּשֵׁי/כֶ֑ם
miqdâsh
H4720
"sanctuary"
N-mp | Suff
A sanctuary or holy place, like a temple or palace, set apart for God or idols, a sacred space.
Definition: 1) sacred place, sanctuary, holy place 1a) sanctuary 1a1) of the temple 1a2) of the tabernacle 1a3) of Ezekiel's temple 1a4) of Jehovah
Usage: Occurs in 71 OT verses. KJV: chapel, hallowed part, holy place, sanctuary. See also: Exodus 15:17; Lamentations 1:10; Psalms 68:36.
וְ/לֹ֣א
lôʼ
H3808
"not"
Conj | Part
The Hebrew word for not or no is used to indicate absence or negation, as when God says no to the Israelites' requests, or when they disobey His commands.
Definition: 1) not, no 1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition) 1b) not (with modifier-negation) 1c) nothing (subst) 1d) without (with particle) 1e) before (of time) Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Usage: Occurs in 3967 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as truly as, [phrase] of a truth, [phrase] verily, for want, [phrase] whether, without. See also: Genesis 2:5; Genesis 31:15; Exodus 4:9.
אָרִ֔יחַ
rûwach
H7306
"to smell"
V-Hiphil-Imperf-1cs
This word means to smell or perceive, and is used in the Bible to describe how we sense and enjoy things, like a horse smelling its surroundings.
Definition: 1) (Hiphil) to smell, scent, perceive odour, accept 1a) of horse 1b) of delight (metaph)
Usage: Occurs in 11 OT verses. KJV: accept, smell, [idiom] touch, make of quick understanding. See also: Genesis 8:21; Judges 16:9; Psalms 115:6.
בְּ/רֵ֖יחַ
rêyach
H7381
"aroma"
Prep | N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to a pleasant aroma or fragrance, often associated with sacrifices to God. It is used in books like Leviticus and Numbers to describe the soothing smell of offerings, and appears in various forms throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: 1) scent, fragrance, aroma, odour 1a) scent, odour 1b) odour of soothing (technical term for sacrifice to God) Aramaic equivalent: re.ach (רֵיחַ "smell" H7382)
Usage: Occurs in 55 OT verses. KJV: savour, scent, smell. See also: Genesis 8:21; Numbers 15:14; Jeremiah 48:11.
נִיחֹֽחֲ/כֶֽם
nîychôwach
H5207
"soothing"
N-ms | Suff
A soothing or pleasant feeling, like the peace that comes from trusting in God. In the Bible, it is used to describe the sweet smell of incense or the delight of being in God's presence.
Definition: soothing, quieting, tranquillising Aramaic equivalent: ni.cho.ach (נִיחוֹחַ "soothing" H5208)
Usage: Occurs in 43 OT verses. KJV: sweet (odour). See also: Genesis 8:21; Numbers 15:3; Ezekiel 20:41.
Study Notes — Leviticus 26:31
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Leviticus 26:31 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 26:31
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 26:31
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
- Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
- Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
- Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 26:31
- Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
- Sermons on Leviticus 26:31
Context — Punishments for Disobedience
29You will eat the flesh of your own sons and daughters.
30I will destroy your high places, cut down your incense altars, and heap your lifeless bodies on the lifeless remains of your idols; and My soul will despise you.
31I will reduce your cities to rubble and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices.
32And I will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who dwell in it will be appalled. 33But 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.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 2:3 | and replied to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should I not be sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” |
| 2 | Lamentations 1:10 | The adversary has seized all her treasures. For she has seen the nations enter her sanctuary— those You had forbidden to enter Your assembly. |
| 3 | Hebrews 10:26 | If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, |
| 4 | Isaiah 1:11–14 | “What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you— this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me— your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly. I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. |
| 5 | 2 Kings 25:4–10 | Then the city was breached; and though the Chaldeans had surrounded the city, all the men of war fled by night by way of the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They headed toward the Arabah, but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was separated from him. The Chaldeans seized the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment on him. And they slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes. Then they put out his eyes, bound him with bronze shackles, and took him to Babylon. On the seventh day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign over Babylon, Nebuzaradan captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. He burned down the house of the LORD, the royal palace, and all the houses of Jerusalem—every significant building. And the whole army of the Chaldeans under the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. |
| 6 | Jeremiah 4:7 | A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited. |
| 7 | Lamentations 2:7 | The Lord has rejected His altar; He has abandoned His sanctuary; He has delivered the walls of her palaces into the hand of the enemy. They have raised a shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast. |
| 8 | Amos 5:21–23 | “I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; for your peace offerings of fattened cattle I will have no regard. Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. |
| 9 | Ezekiel 9:6 | Slaughter the old men, the young men and maidens, the women and children; but do not go near anyone who has the mark. Now begin at My sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the temple. |
| 10 | Ezekiel 6:6 | Wherever you live, the cities will be laid waste and the high places will be demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and desecrated, your idols smashed and obliterated, your incense altars cut down, and your works blotted out. |
Leviticus 26:31 Summary
[Leviticus 26:31 is a warning from God to the Israelites that if they continue to disobey Him, He will destroy their cities and sanctuaries, and will no longer accept their sacrifices. This is because God is a holy and just God, who demands obedience and worship from His people, as seen in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 6:4-5. If we want to please God, we must turn from our sin and rebellion, and worship Him with a humble and obedient heart, as seen in Psalm 51:17 and Isaiah 66:2. By doing so, we can avoid God's judgment and experience His love and mercy instead.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to 'refuse to smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices' in Leviticus 26:31?
This phrase means that God will no longer accept or be pleased with the Israelites' sacrifices, which were normally a sweet aroma to Him, as seen in Leviticus 1:9, because of their disobedience and rebellion against Him.
How does God's destruction of the sanctuaries in Leviticus 26:31 relate to the rest of the Bible?
This act of destruction is a fulfillment of God's warnings to the Israelites to obey Him, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, and it also foreshadows the ultimate destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, as prophesied in Matthew 24:2.
What is the significance of God reducing the cities to rubble in Leviticus 26:31?
This act signifies God's judgment on the Israelites for their disobedience and idolatry, as seen in Leviticus 26:30, and it also serves as a warning to other nations of the consequences of rejecting God, as seen in Isaiah 13:19.
How does Leviticus 26:31 relate to the New Testament concept of God's wrath?
Leviticus 26:31 demonstrates God's holy and just character, which is also seen in the New Testament, where God's wrath is poured out on those who reject Him, as seen in Romans 1:18 and Revelation 6:16-17.
Reflection Questions
- What are some ways that I can ensure that my worship and sacrifices to God are pleasing to Him, and not just empty rituals?
- How can I apply the warning in Leviticus 26:31 to my own life, and what are some areas where I need to repent and turn back to God?
- What does it mean for God to 'despise' someone, as seen in Leviticus 26:30, and how can I avoid being in a state of spiritual rebellion against Him?
- In what ways can I trust in God's sovereignty and justice, even when I don't understand the circumstances of my life or the world around me?
Gill's Exposition on Leviticus 26:31
I will make your cities waste,.... By suffering the enemy to besiege them, enter into them, and plunder them, and destroy the houses in them, and reduce them to the most desolate condition, as
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Leviticus 26:31
And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours. I will make your cities waste.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
Your sanctuaries; either, 1. God’ s sanctuary, called sanctuaries here, as also 74:7 , because there were divers apartments in it, each of which was a sanctuary, or, which is all one, a holy place, as they are severally called. And your emphatically, not mine, for I disown and abhor it, and all the services you do in it, because you have defiled it. Or, 2. The temples built by you to idols, therefore called their sanctuaries, in opposition to God’ s. Or, 3. Your synagogues. But the first is most probable, because he speaks of the place where they used to offer their sweet odours here following. I will not smell, i.e. not own or accept them. See , &c.
Of your sweet odours; either of the incense, or of your sacrifices, which when offered with faith and obedience, are very sweet and acceptable to me.
Trapp's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
Leviticus 26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.Ver. 31. I will not smell.] I will show myself implacable, inexorable.
Ellicott's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
(31) I will make your cities waste.—Not only will the elevated spots outside the cities with their idols be destroyed, and the carcases of the deluded worshippers be scattered among their remains, but the cities themselves will be converted into ruins and desolations (Jeremiah 4:7; Jeremiah 9:11; Ezekiel 6:6; Ezekiel 12:20; Nehemiah 2:17, &c.). And bring your sanctuaries unto desolation.—Even the sanctuary with all its holy places (Jeremiah 51:51; Ezekiel 21:7; Amos 7:9; Pss. 68:36, Psalms 74:7. &c.), sacred edifices, synagogues, &c. (Leviticus 21:23), will not be spared, God thus reversing the promise which He made to the Israelites, that He will set up His dwelling place in the midst of them (see Leviticus 26:11) if they will walk according to His commandments. I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.—When this awful destruction of the sanctuary is to take place God will not regard the fact that the odour of sweet sacrifices is there being offered up. (See Leviticus 1:9.) The service which may then be performed to Him will not hinder Him from executing this judgment.
Cambridge Bible on Leviticus 26:31
31. I will not smell, etc.] Cp. Isaiah 1:11 ff.; Amos 5:21 f.
Whedon's Commentary on Leviticus 26:31
31. I will make your cities waste — Palestine is filled with ruined cities.
Sermons on Leviticus 26:31
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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Blotted Out by Mel Trotter | In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a boy in Chicago who confessed to killing his parents. The boy's confession was recorded on a dictaphone, and when played back, it |
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Luke 19:42 by Chuck Smith | Chuck Smith emphasizes the significance of 'this day' as Jesus enters Jerusalem, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah. He explains how Jesus had previously avoided public acknowled |
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We Need Revival or We Will Have a Funeral! by Derek Melton | Derek Melton delivers a powerful sermon on the decline of the Church's radiance and beauty, emphasizing the infiltration of unholy elements like religious entertainment that have r |
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(Hebrews - Part 30): Sin Willfully - No More Sacrifice by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher shares a personal experience of feeling down and encountering the Salvation Army on the street corner. The Salvation Army's song, "I need no other sacr |
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A Deadly Choice by Chuck Smith | This sermon emphasizes the importance of making the right choice regarding Jesus Christ, highlighting the biblical theme of choosing between life and death. It explores the consequ |
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(Poland) Jesus Loves Sinners by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher shares powerful testimonies of individuals who were living on the streets and trapped in addiction. Through the love of Jesus Christ, they experienced |
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Jehovah Raphi-the Lord That Heals by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that there is something of God that will not let go of us. He speaks of God's love, mercy, and compassion, and how He sends His servants to |