Leviticus 26:41

Lev 26:41 And [that] I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity:

Ver. 41. Accept of the punishment of their iniquity.] Taking all in good part, as less than their deserts; yea, taking God’s part against themselves, humbly submitting to his justice, and imploring his mercy.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lev 26:41. If they accept of — The meaning is, if they sincerely acknowledge the righteousness of God and their own wickedness, and patiently submit to his correcting hand; if, with David, they are ready to say, It is good for us that we are afflicted, that we may learn God’s statutes — And yield obedience to them for the future, which is a good evidence of true repentance.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26:41 Physical circumcision of males was the mark of God’s covenant with Israel (Gen 17:9-14; Exod 4:25-26). Stubborn hearts (literally uncircumcised hearts) do not love God and demonstrate it by persistent disobedience. God promised to “circumcise” Israel’s uncircumcised hearts so that the people could love him (see also Deut 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; Ezek 36:25-27).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Or, pray for their sin.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(41) And that I also have walked contrary unto them.—That is, and they shall also confess that through their walking contrary unto God, He also walked contrary unto them, and brought them into the land of their enemies.

If then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled.—Better, or rather, their uncircumcised hearts shall be humbled. This is a resumption of the statement made at the beginning of Lev_26:40, viz., “And they shall confess their iniquity . . . ;” or rather, their uncircumcised hearts shall be humbled. That is, perverse and stubborn hearts; too proud to make an humble confession. (See Lev_19:23, with Jer_9:26.) The same metaphor is used by the Apostle: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost” (Act_7:51).

Accept of the punishment of their iniquity.—Rather, accept willingly, that is, they will acknowledge the justice of their punishment, and be in that frame of mind when they will freely own that the punishment is not commensurate with their guilt, and willingly accept the Divine retribution. The exact shade of meaning covered by this phrase in the original cannot adequately be given in a translation, since the verb here translated “accept,” or “accept willingly,” is the same which is translated “enjoy” in Lev_26:34. The whole phrase denotes literally, they shall rejoice in their iniquity, or in the punishment of their iniquity; they will take it joyfully, as the best and most appropriate means to bring them to repentance. The nearest approach to it is the passage, “I will bear the indignation of the Lord, for I have sinned against him” (Mic_7:9).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

41. accept of] acknowledge that the punishment was deserved and has had its remedial effect.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then i will also remember my covenant with Jacob,.... Would fulfil and make good all that he had promised in covenant with Jacob, and his posterity: the account begins with him, and rises upwards to Abraham, whereas it usually begins with Abraham, and descends to Jacob; no sufficient reason is given for this alteration, though several are attempted by the Jewish writers (e):

and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; which chiefly respects the multiplication of their seed, the continuance of them, and the Messiah springing from them; which is the mercy promised to these fathers, and the principal part of the covenant made with them, and which was remembered and performed when God visited and redeemed his people by him, Luk 1:68,

and I will remember the land; the land of Judea, and return the Jews to it, and make it fruitful, after he had given it rest from tillage for many years, which was fulfilled at their return from the captivity of Babylon.

(e) Saadiah Gaon apud Aben Ezram in loc. Pesikta & alii.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mind. Hebrew, "heart," wicked, rebellious, and unclean. (Menochius) --- Pray for. Hebrew and Syriac, "please themselves in," &c. They shall see what advantage they have derived from their sins. (Calmet) --- Then they shall enter into themselves, like the prodigal son. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The Hebrew word avou commonly signifies iniquity, but it is oft used for

the punishment of iniquity, as here and 1Sa 28:10; Psa 31:10; Isa 53:6,11. The meaning is, if they sincerely acknowledge the righteousness of God, and their own wickedness, and patiently submit to his correcting hand, and would rather be in their present suffering condition than in their former sinful, though prosperous estate; if with David they are ready to say, it is good for them that they are afflicted, that they may learn God’s statutes, and obedience to them for the future, which is a good evidence of true repentance.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

41. And that… I have brought — Their captivity should be ascribed not merely to natural causes, after the style of the modern deist, but to the direct interposition of the personal God whose law had been broken.

Uncircumcised hearts — Circumcision — “the putting away the filthiness of the flesh” — symbolizes the cleansing of the spiritual being through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Rom_2:29, note. Till this is accomplished, the people of God are uncircumcised in heart, and are very often in humiliating captivity to the world. For the entire Hebrew nation was in a true and vastly important sense a typical people, whose history is full of spiritual lessons to the Christian Church.

Accept of the punishment — Recognise its justice and their own ill desert. The Hebrew verb ratsah is here used figuratively, and signifies to pay off, as a debt, and not, as Drs. Keil and Murphy render it, to enjoy.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

If they accept of - The meaning is, if they sincerely acknowledge the righteousness of God and their own wickedness, and patiently submit to his correcting hand; if with David they are ready to say, it is good for them that they are afflicted, that they may learn God's statutes, and yield obedience to them for the future, which is a good evidence of true repentance.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

והבאתי אתם AND I SHALL BRING THEM [INTO THE LAND OF THEIR ENEMIES] — I Myself shall bring them; this is a kindly measure for Israel in order that they should not say, “Since we are banished among the nations let us do like their doings”. “For”, says God “I will not suffer them to do this, but I will raise up My prophets and so bring them back under My wings, as it is said, (Ezekiel 20:30) “And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, — [that ye say, We will be as the heathens, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone]. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm and with fury poured out, will “I” be king over you etc.” (Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 5).

או אז יכנע — The word או here has the same meaning as in (Exodus 21:36) או נודע כי שור נגח הוא (cf. Rashi on that verse and our Note thereon). The translation therefore is: “If then [their uncircumcised hearts] will be humbled”. Another explanation is that או means perhaps, — “perhaps then their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled”.

ואז ירצו את עונם means, and they will atone for their iniquities by the punishments they will have suffered.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

O’ (OR) THEN PERCHANCE THEIR UNCIRCUMCISED HEART BE HUMBLED. “[The word o here has the same meaning] as in ‘o’ (or) it is known that the ox was wont to gore. Another interpretation is [that the word o means] ‘perhaps’ — perhaps then their uncircumcised heart will be humbled; and they then be paid the punishment of their iniquity, meaning that they will achieve atonement for their iniquities through their sufferings.” This is Rashi’s language. The correct interpretation appears to me to be that He is stating: “And I will bring them into the land of their enemies, o (either) until such time when their uncircumcised heart will be humbled, o (or) until the time when they will have been paid the punishment of their iniquity by the length of the exile.”Now it is after [the verse], and they shall confess their iniquity that He should have said, Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob etc., for what reason is there [to state here, between these two verses] and I will bring them into the lands of their enemies, since this is not a time when He would exile them and bring them into the lands of their enemies [since they have just confessed their sins]! Therefore Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra interpreted [the verse to mean]: “This also I did with them, that I punished them by bringing them into the land of their enemies in order to humble their uncircumcised heart.” And He mentioned this here [in order to indicate] that they confessed their sin “because it was I Who brought this about, for even at the time that they became corrupted, My intent was that they should repent and confess.”In my opinion He hints here [by placing the verses in this order] that [even] after the confession [of their sins], He will walk contrary to them and will still bring them into the land of their enemies until their uncircumcised heart is humbled, this being an allusion that He will bring them back into the Land but it will not be subdued before them; rather, they will have adversaries and enemies there, as it is said, And our adversaries said; And it came to pass when our enemies heard., Verse 9. The Land [at that time, when they returned from Babylon], was in the hands of foreign peoples, just as Ezra said in his prayer: Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the Land that Thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold we are servants in it. And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom Thou hast set over us because of our sins; also they have power over us, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress., 9:36-37.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.