Leviticus 26:16 (DRB)

Passage

I also will do these things to you. I will quickly visit you with poverty, and burning heat, which shall waste your eyes, and consume your lives. You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies.

Nearby Context

Leviticus 26:14 But if you will not hear me, nor do all my commandments:

Leviticus 26:15 If you despise my laws, and contemn my judgments so as not to do those things which are appointed by me, and to make void my covenant:

Leviticus 26:16 I also will do these things to you. I will quickly visit you with poverty, and burning heat, which shall waste your eyes, and consume your lives. You shall sow your seed in vain, which shall be devoured by your enemies.

Leviticus 26:17 I will set my face against you, and you shall fall down before your enemies: and shall be made subject to them that hate you. You shall flee when no man pursueth you.

Leviticus 26:18 But if you will not yet for all this obey me: I will chastise you seven times more for your sins.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "things", "quickly", "visit", "poverty", "burning", "heat", "shall", and "waste". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "things" and "quickly", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 15's "If you despise my laws and contemn..." into verse 17's "I will set my face against you...", so "things" and "quickly" belong inside that flow. In Leviticus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "things" and "quickly" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.