Deuteronomy 7:20

7:20 Furthermore, the Lord your God will release hornets ¹  among them until the very last ones who hide from you ²  perish.

Deuteronomy 28:22

28:22 He ³  will afflict you with weakness, ⁴  fever, inflammation, infection, ⁵  sword, ⁶  blight, and mildew; these will attack you until you perish.

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¹ tn The meaning of the term translated “hornets” (צִרְעָה, tsir’ah) is debated. Various suggestions are “discouragement” (HALOT 1056-57 s.v.; cf. NEB, TEV, CEV “panic”; NCV “terror”) and “leprosy” (J. H. Tigay, Deuteronomy [JPSTC], 360, n. 33; cf. NRSV “the pestilence”), as well as “hornet” (BDB 864 s.v.; cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT). The latter seems most suitable to the verb שָׁלַח (shalakh, “send”; cf. Exod 23:28; Josh 24:12).

² tn Heb “the remnant and those who hide themselves.”

³ tn Heb “The Lord.” See note on “he” in 28:8.

⁴ tn Or perhaps “consumption” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). The term is from a verbal root that indicates a weakening of one’s physical strength (cf. NAB “wasting”; NIV, NLT “wasting disease”).

⁵ tn Heb “hot fever”; NIV “scorching heat.”

⁶ tn Or “drought” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).