· Translation: KJV

Deuteronomy 28:42All your trees and the fruit of your ground shall the locust possess.

The setting

Plains of Moab (modern Jordan). Moses warns of agricultural devastation. Ancient Israel was 90% agricultural - this meant starvation.

The emotion here: burdened with delivering economic warnings to an agricultural people facing an uncertain future

The original word

yārēš (יָרֵשׁ) — to possess, inherit, drive out the rightful owner

Why it matters

A single locust swarm can contain 80 billion insects and eat 423 million pounds of vegetation per day

Read with care

What most readers miss in Deuteronomy 28:42

The locusts don't just eat the fruit - they 'possess' it, meaning they take ownership of what was yours

Common misconceptionThis isn't about literal locusts for modern readers - it's about any force that devours the work of your hands: inflation, market crashes, natural disasters.

Bible Genome reading

Deuteronomy 28:42 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerMoses
Eraexodus
Primary emotionanxious
Literary typeprophecy
MarkProphecy

Emotional genome

Comfort power10%
Quotability40%
Memorability50%
Crisis relevance60%
Standalone40%
Themes:agricultural ruinfutility

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Deuteronomy 28

Deuteronomy 28:42 comes from the book of Deuteronomy, written during the exodus period. These words are attributed to Moses. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include agricultural ruin, futility. Notable phrases: locust possess; trees and fruit. This verse contains prophecy.

Your reflection

What does Deuteronomy 28:42 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "anxious"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.