What Does Leviticus 26:7 Mean in the King James?

And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.

Leviticus 26:7 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

The direction of pursuit reverses: you are the one chasing, while your enemies fall before you.

THE MEANING

The verse places you in pursuit of your enemies, who fall in front of you by the sword. It names victory as visible and violent defeat, without softening what the sword does.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

The belief that your enemy always controls the pursuit is undone: here you chase, while the enemy falls before you.

THE ROOT

רָדַף

radaf

GROWS FROM

רדף

to pursue, chase

The root can name both the act of pursuing and the person pursued, so its branches hold both sides of the chase together. Here the verse places you in the pursuing position and your enemies in the falling one.

ALSO GROWS

rodef: one who pursues; a pursuer

רֹדֵף

This active form makes the reversal concrete: you are the one moving after your enemies.

nirdaf: one pursued; the pursued person

נִרְדָּף

This passive form names the other side of the same root, showing how the position in the chase can turn.

THE PATTERN

Scripture depicts hostile power as reversible: the force that threatens can end up falling or fleeing before the threatened.

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.

Deuteronomy 28:7 · KJVThe enemies who rise against you end up fleeing in front of you, making the reversal visible.

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

Psalm 18:37 · KJVThe speaker takes the pursuer’s position and overtakes the enemies.

He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:10 · KJVThe violence used against others returns upon the one who wields it.

THE THREAD

I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.

Psalm 18:37 · KJV

The same pursuit root ⁨רדף⁩ (radaf, to pursue) appears in both verses. Leviticus says the enemies fall before you; Psalm 18 makes the reversal explicit through pursuit and overtaking.

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