Leviticus 26:8
New International Version
Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

New Living Translation
Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.

English Standard Version
Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand, and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Berean Standard Bible
Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

King James Bible
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

New King James Version
Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.

New American Standard Bible
five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand; and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

NASB 1995
five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

NASB 1977
five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

Legacy Standard Bible
and five of you will pursue one hundred, and one hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

Amplified Bible
Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will put ten thousand to flight; your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

Christian Standard Bible
Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand; your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Five of you will pursue 100, and 100 of you will pursue 10,000; your enemies will fall before you by the sword.”

American Standard Version
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Contemporary English Version
even if there are only 5 of you and 100 of them, or only 100 of you and 10,000 of them.

English Revised Version
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall chase ten thousand: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Five of you will chase a hundred of them, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand of them. You will defeat your enemies,

Good News Translation
five of you will be able to defeat a hundred, and a hundred will be able to defeat ten thousand.

International Standard Version
Five of you will chase a hundred, a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

Majority Standard Bible
Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

NET Bible
Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.

New Heart English Bible
Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Webster's Bible Translation
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

World English Bible
Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and five of you have pursued one hundred, and one hundred of you pursue a myriad; and your enemies have fallen before you by the sword.

Young's Literal Translation
and five of you have pursued a hundred, and a hundred of you do pursue a myriad; and your enemies have fallen before you by the sword.

Smith's Literal Translation
And five from you chased a hundred, and a hundred from you chased ten thousand: and your enemies fell before you to the sword.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Five of yours shall pursue a hundred others, and a hundred of you ten thousand: your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Five of yours will pursue a hundred foreigners, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand. Your enemies will fall by the sword in your sight.

New American Bible
Five of you will put a hundred of your foes to flight, and a hundred of you will put to flight ten thousand, till your enemies fall before your sword.

New Revised Standard Version
Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall pursue ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And five of you shall chase a hundred and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase ten thousand; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall chase tens of thousands; and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Blessings of Obedience
7You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. 8Five of you will pursue a hundred, and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. 9I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 32:30
How could one man pursue a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

Joshua 23:10
One of you can put a thousand to flight, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as He promised.

Isaiah 30:17
A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee, until you are left alone like a pole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill.

Judges 7:19-22
Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the changing of the guard. They blew their horns and broke the jars that were in their hands. / The three companies blew their horns and shattered their jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the horns in their right hands, they shouted, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” / Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran. ...

2 Kings 19:35
And that very night the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies!

2 Chronicles 14:11-12
Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God: “O LORD, there is no one besides You to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, You are our God. Do not let a mere mortal prevail against You.” / So the LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah, and the Cushites fled.

2 Chronicles 20:22-24
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. / The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. / When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

Psalm 91:7
Though a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, no harm will come near you.

Isaiah 41:10-13
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. / Behold, all who rage against you will be ashamed and disgraced; those who contend with you will be reduced to nothing and will perish. / You will seek them but will not find them. Those who wage war against you will come to nothing. ...

Zechariah 12:8
On that day the LORD will defend the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.

Romans 8:31
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

2 Corinthians 12:9
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.

Ephesians 6:10-13
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. / Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ...

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.


Treasury of Scripture

And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Numbers 14:9
Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

Deuteronomy 28:7
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 32:30
How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

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Chase Death Enemies Fall Fallen Flight Hundred Myriad Pursue Pursued Sword Swords Ten Thousand
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Chase Death Enemies Fall Fallen Flight Hundred Myriad Pursue Pursued Sword Swords Ten Thousand
Leviticus 26
1. Of idolatry
2. Reverence
3. A blessing to those who keep the commandments
14. A curse to those who break them
40. God promises to remember those who repent














Five of you
This phrase emphasizes the power of unity and divine blessing. In the Hebrew context, the number five often symbolizes grace. The small number signifies that even a few, when aligned with God's will, can achieve great victories. Historically, Israel was often outnumbered by its enemies, yet when they were obedient to God, they experienced miraculous victories. This reflects the principle that God's strength is made perfect in human weakness.

will chase a hundred
The Hebrew word for "chase" (רדף, radaph) implies a vigorous pursuit. This suggests not just a defensive stance but an active, confident advance against adversaries. The disproportionate ratio of five to a hundred highlights the supernatural empowerment that God provides to His people. It serves as a reminder that with God, the odds are irrelevant.

and a hundred of you
This phrase builds on the previous one, scaling up the promise. The number one hundred in Hebrew culture can symbolize completeness or fullness. It suggests that as the community grows in faith and obedience, their collective strength and impact increase exponentially. This reflects the biblical principle that God’s people are stronger together, unified in purpose and mission.

will chase ten thousand
Here, the escalation from a hundred to ten thousand further illustrates the exponential power of divine assistance. The Hebrew culture often used large numbers to convey the idea of overwhelming victory. This phrase reassures believers that no matter how formidable the opposition, God’s power working through His people can achieve the impossible.

and your enemies will fall
The imagery of enemies falling signifies total defeat. In the ancient Near Eastern context, victory in battle was often seen as a sign of divine favor. This promise is contingent upon Israel's faithfulness to God, as outlined in the preceding verses. It serves as a powerful reminder that obedience to God leads to triumph over adversaries.

by the sword
The sword is a symbol of judgment and warfare. In biblical times, it was the primary weapon of battle, representing both physical and spiritual conflict. This phrase indicates that the victory will be decisive and complete. It also foreshadows the ultimate victory of God’s kingdom over evil, as seen throughout the biblical narrative.

before you
This concluding phrase emphasizes the personal and communal nature of the victory. The enemies falling "before you" suggests that the people of God will witness the fulfillment of His promises firsthand. It is a testament to God’s faithfulness and a call to trust in His provision and protection. Historically, this would have been a source of encouragement and motivation for the Israelites as they faced their foes.

(8) And five of you shall chase an hundred.--This is a proverbial saying, corresponding to our phrase "A very small number, or a mere handful, shall be more than a match for a whole regiment." The same phrase, with different proportions to the numbers, occurs in other parts of the Bible (Deuteronomy 32:30; Joshua 23:10; Isaiah 30:17).

Verse 8. - And five of you shall chase an hundred. Cf. Joshua 23:10, "One man of you shall chase a thousand." For examples, see Judges 3:31; Judges 15:15; 1 Samuel 14:6-16; 2 Samuel 23:8.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Five
חֲמִשָּׁה֙ (ḥă·miš·šāh)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 2568: Five

of
מִכֶּ֤ם (mik·kem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

you will pursue
וְרָדְפ֨וּ (wə·rā·ḏə·p̄ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

a hundred,
מֵאָ֔ה (mê·’āh)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 3967: A hundred

and a hundred
וּמֵאָ֥ה (ū·mê·’āh)
Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular
Strong's 3967: A hundred

of you
מִכֶּ֖ם (mik·kem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

will chase
יִרְדֹּ֑פוּ (yir·dō·p̄ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7291: To pursue, chase, persecute

ten thousand,
רְבָבָ֣ה (rə·ḇā·ḇāh)
Number - feminine singular
Strong's 7233: Multitude, myriad, ten thousand

and your enemies
אֹיְבֵיכֶ֛ם (’ō·yə·ḇê·ḵem)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 341: Hating, an adversary

will fall
וְנָפְל֧וּ (wə·nā·p̄ə·lū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5307: To fall, lie

by the sword
לֶחָֽרֶב׃ (le·ḥā·reḇ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword

before you.
לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם (lip̄·nê·ḵem)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural
Strong's 6440: The face


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OT Law: Leviticus 26:8 Five of you shall chase a hundred (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 26:7
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