Leviticus 26:7 — Word Study
WLCוּרְדַפְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְנָפְל֥וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם לֶחָֽרֶב
BSAYou will pursuerâdaph [chase, follow with hostile intent] your enemiesʼôyêb [adversaries, those who oppose you] and they will fallnâphal [be defeated, fail] by the swordchereb [cutting instrument, weapon of war] before youpânîym [in your presence, face to face]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּרְדַפְתֶּ֖ם | and you will pursue | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect second person masculine plural |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם | enemies your | Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common, suffix |
| וְנָפְל֥וּ | and they will fall | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect third person common plural |
| לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם | before you | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| לֶחָֽרֶב | to the sword | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. |
| KJV | And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. |
| ASV | And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. |
| YLT | 'And ye have pursued your enemies, and they have fallen before you by the sword; |
| WEB | You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. |
| BBE | And you will put to flight those who are against you, and they will be put to death by your swords. |
Where they part company is נָפַל — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause with a consequence, showing the relationship between pursuing and the resulting defeat of the enemies.




5 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbרָדַף
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Leviticus 26:7
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Blessings for Obediencegenerated
Leviticus 26:7 is part of a passage where God outlines the blessings that will come to Israel for their obedience. Here, God assures them that they will pursue their enemies and achieve victory, emphasizing His support in their battles. This promise is part of a larger covenantal relationship where obedience leads to divine favor and protection.
Cross References
The Key Word — רָדַף, u.re.daf.Temgenerated
The verb רָדַף (radaph) means to pursue or chase, often with hostile intent. It is a Qal verb in the sequential perfect form, indicating a completed action by the subject — in this case, the Israelites pursuing their enemies.
The nuance of pursuit here implies a vigorous and aggressive action, aligning with the context of warfare. This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, reflecting the concept of following or chasing down adversaries, often in the context of conflict.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וּרְדַפְתֶּם (u.re.daf.Tem) governs the sentence, indicating the action of pursuing. Two clauses follow: one detailing the object of the pursuit, and the other describing the outcome of that pursuit.
The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first, the Israelites will pursue their enemies, and second, the enemies will fall before them, highlighting a cause-and-effect relationship.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וּרְדַפְתֶּם as διώχεσθε (diókhesye), which carries a similar meaning of pursuing or chasing. This choice reflects the translators' understanding of the aggressive action implied in the original Hebrew.
For נָפַל, the Septuagint uses πεσοῦνται (pesountai), meaning 'they will fall.' This term indicates a definitive defeat, aligning well with the intent of the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Leviticus 26:7 promises that the Israelites will pursue their enemies and that these enemies will fall before them. This assurance is part of God's covenant with His people, emphasizing that their obedience will lead to victory in battle.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To pursue your enemies means to actively chase or follow them, often in a hostile manner, indicating a commitment to overcoming opposition.
Falling by the sword signifies defeat in battle, representing a clear victory for those who are pursuing.
This verse reflects God's promise of protection and victory for Israel, assuring them that their obedience will lead to success against their adversaries.
This verse teaches that in conflict, divine support is crucial, and that pursuing justice or righteousness can lead to victory.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to pursue victory over challenges or adversaries?
- How can I rely on God's promises when facing opposition?
- What does it mean to me that God assures victory for His people?
- How can I apply the principle of pursuing righteousness in my daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers have referenced this verse to discuss the spiritual battle against evil, illustrating the victory believers have through Christ.
“You will rout your enemies.” Of what enemies do we speak, except the devil himself and his angels? We rout them not only by driving them from our own hearts, but we repel them far away from others whom they disturb or attack or overcome.Early Church Fathers on Leviticus 26 →
Commentators on this verse — 5 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Leviticus 26:7 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd ye shall chase your enemies,.... Who being overcome in battle, and put to the flight, should be pursued: and they shall fall before you by the sword; not by the sword of one another, as the
Read John Gill on Leviticus 26 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Leviticus 26 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLeviticus 26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.Ver. 7. And ye shall chase your enemies.] If foreigners invade you, you shall be able to quell and quiet them quickly.
Read John Trapp on Leviticus 26 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(7) And ye shall chase your enemies.—If, covetous of their prosperity, the enemies should dare to attack them, God will inspire His people with marvellous courage, so that they will not only pursue them, but put them to the sword.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Leviticus 26 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3–13. The blessing that shall follow upon obedience. (Cp. Deuteronomy 28:1-11.)
Read Cambridge on Leviticus 26 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.
You shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.
You will pursue your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword.
Tyndale line
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
Also ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you vpon the sworde.
Strictly literal
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword;
'And ye have pursued your enemies, and they have fallen before you by the sword;
And you have pursued your enemies, and they have fallen before you by the sword;
And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
You will chase your enemies, and they will fall before you by the sword.
From the Latin
You shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you.
Simplified
You will chase your enemies, and kill them with the sword.
And you will put to flight those who are against you, and they will be put to death by your swords.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads: וּרְדַפְתֶּם אֶת־ אֹיְבֵיכֶם וְנָפְל֥וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם לֶחָֽרֶב. The Samaritan Pentateuch agrees word for word, and the Dead Sea Scrolls also match closely, confirming the consistency of this verse across different textual traditions.
וּרְדַפְתֶּ֖ם אֶת־ אֹיְבֵיכֶ֑ם וְנָפְל֥וּ לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם לֶחָֽרֶב
5 of the 6 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ורדפתם את איביכם ונפלו לפניכם לחרב
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
ורדפתם את איבי׳כם ונפלו לפני׳כם לחרב
6 words on the leather.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Leviticus 26:7
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
רָדַף (radaph) is a Hebrew verb meaning to pursue, chase, or persecute. It conveys the idea of running after something, often with hostile intent, and can also figuratively refer to following time or securing something. The word has various forms, including Qal, Niphal, Piel, Pual, and Hiphil, each indicating different nuances of pursuit or being pursued.
רָדַף 141 vb. pursue, chase, persecute
Qal 128
pursue
lit. put to flight, chase
lit., the pursuers
chase, hunt
pursue
fig. persecute, harass
pursue, dog
fig. follow after, aim to secure
Niph. upon the neck (i.e. closely) we are pursued
Pi. pursue ardently
Pu. it shall be chased away like chaff of the mountains
Hiph. usu. they chased him
base
H7291 רָדַף pursue, chase, persecute
7291 radaph raw-daf'
a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent;
figuratively (of time) gone by):--chase, put to flight,
follow (after, on), hunt, (be under) persecute(-ion, -or),
pursue(-r).
רָדַף (ra.daph) — to pursue.
1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon
1a2) to persecute, harass (fig)
1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig)
1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be pursued
1b2) one pursued (participle)
1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue
1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away
1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase
Conj | V-Qal-2mp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine pluralHc/Vqq2mp
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
אֹיֵב (oyeb) means 'enemy' or 'foe,' indicating hostility. It can refer to personal or national adversaries. The word is derived from the active participle of another root, אָיַב (ayab), which also conveys the sense of being hostile.
[אָיַב] 283 vb. be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
base
H341 אָיַב be hostile to (enemy = אֹיֵב)
341 'oyeb o-yabe'
or (fully) owyeb {o-yabe'}; active participle of 340;
hating; an adversary:--enemy, foe.
see HEBREW for 0340
אֹיֵב (o.yev) — enemy.
1) (Qal) enemy
1a) personal
1b) national
V-Qal | Suff — Verb qal participle (active) masculine plural common · suffixHVqrmpc/Sp2mp
נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.
נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie
Qal 366
fall, by accident
Esp. of violent death
fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
fig. = experience calamity
fall, of a city
Fall prostrate
fall = prostrate oneself before
fall upon one's neck, in embrace
Fall upon = attack
desert or fall away to, go over to
Fig., of deep sleep
Other idiomatic uses
= lie; = lie prostrate
Hiph.
cause to fall
Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
Esp. of casting lot
Fig., let drop, cause to fail
cause deep sleep to fall
Other idioms
Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself
base
H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident
. . Esp. of violent death
. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.
. fig. = experience calamity
. fall, of a city
. . Fall prostrate
. fall = prostrate oneself before
. fall upon one's neck, in embrace
. . Fall upon = attack
. desert or fall away to, go over to
. Fig., of deep sleep
. Other idiomatic uses
. = lie; = lie prostrate
. . cause to fall
. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction
. Esp. of casting lot
. Fig., let drop, cause to fail
. cause deep sleep to fall
. Other idioms
. throw, or prostrate oneself
5307 naphal naw-fal'
a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications
(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be
accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide
(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall
(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have
(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay
(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,
lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make
to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.
see HEBREW for 06419
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.
: fall/drop/fail
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before
1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of
1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result
1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to
1a7) to lie, lie prostrate
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate
1b2) to overthrow
1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot
1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)
1b5) to cause to fall
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon
1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself
1d) (Pilel) to fall
נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.
: deserting
1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fall
1a2) to fall (of violent death)
Conj | V-Qal-3cp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect third person common pluralHc/Vqq3cp
fol (vb.): The idea of falling is most frequently expressed in Hebrew by naphal, but also by many other words; in Greek by pipto, and its compounds. The uses of the word in Scripture are very varied. There is the literal falling by descent; the falling of the countenance in sorrow, shame, anger, etc. (Ge 4:5,6); the falling in battle (Ge 14:10; Nu 14:3, etc.); the falling into trouble, etc. (Pr 24:16,17); prostration in supplication and reverence (Ge 17:3; Nu 14:5, etc.); falling of the Spirit of Yahweh (Eze 11:5…
The Hebrew word פָּנֶה (*pāneh*) is a noun meaning 'face' or 'presence,' and it appears in various contexts, including the faces of seraphim and animals, as well as the surface of the ground. It can also function as an adverb meaning 'before' or 'in front of.' The word is built from a root that suggests turning or facing, and it encompasses a wide range of applications, both literal and figurative.
[פָּנֶה], pl. פָּנִים 2123 n.m. face, also faces
face, faces
presence, person
technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
face of seraphim
face of animals
face (= surface) of ground
as adv.loc. before
for other phrases
with prepositions
base
H6440 פָּנֶה, pl. פָּנִים face, also faces . . face, faces
. . presence, person
. technically, see one's face, i.e. appear before one, in one's presence
. face of seraphim
. face of animals
. face (= surface) of ground
. as adv. loc. before
. for other phrases
. with prepositions
6440 paniym paw-neem'
plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh
{paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns);
used in a great variety of applications (literally and
figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a
preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time),
against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of),
+ beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire,
face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er
time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), +
honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, +
meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on,
open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please,
presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right
forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street,
X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s)
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face: before.
: before/to/front
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of
פָּנֶה (pa.neh) — face.
: face
1) face
1a) face, faces
1b) presence, person
1c) face (of seraphim or cherubim)
1d) face (of animals)
1e) face, surface (of ground)
1f) as adv of loc/temp
1f1) before and behind, toward, in front of, forward, formerly, from beforetime, before
1g) with prep
1g1) in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from…
Prep | N-cp | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHR/Ncmpc/Sp2mp
חֶ֫רֶב (chereb) means 'sword' and can also refer to other cutting instruments like knives and tools. It is derived from a root meaning 'drought,' highlighting its destructive nature. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament, primarily to denote weapons.
חֶ֫רֶב 411 n.f. sword (as weapon)
base
H2719 חֶ֫רֶב sword (as weapon)
2719 chereb kheh'-reb
from 2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its
destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp
implement:--axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֶ֫רֶב (che.rev) — sword.
1) sword, knife
1a) sword
1b) knife
1c) tools for cutting stone
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHRd/Ncfsa
sord.
See ARMOR, III, 5.
Sword
Of the Hebrew was pointed, sometimes two-edged, was worn in a sheath, and suspended from the girdle (Ex. 32:27; 1 Sam. 31:4; 1 Chr. 21:27; Ps. 149:6: Prov. 5:4; Ezek. 16:40; 21:3-5).
It is a symbol of divine chastisement (Deut. 32:25; Ps. 7:12; 78:62), and of a slanderous tongue (Ps. 57:4; 64:3; Prov. 12:18). The word of God is likened also to a…
[ARMS, ARMOR]
