What does it mean that you are the head and not the tail in Deuteronomy 28:13?

Answer

Deuteronomy contains Moses’ final address to the people of Israel before his passing. Over the nearly 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, all the adults who left Egypt have passed away. Now he speaks to a new generation of Israelites, most of whom did not witness the miraculous deliverance from Egypt. Moses recounts all of God’s marvelous works on their behalf and concludes by informing them of the blessings they can anticipate if they obey the Lord and the curses they can expect if they disobey. One of the blessings Moses mentions is in Deuteronomy 28:13: “The LORD will make you the head, not the tail.”

As it is a blessing pledged to the obedient Israelites, we understand that being the head instead of the tail is favorable. The context provides a more detailed series of comparisons: “You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom” (Deuteronomy 28:12-13).

Conversely, Deuteronomy 28:15–68 emphasizes the consequences that will ensue from disobedience to God’s law. Verses 43–44 draw a direct parallel to two of the points in verses 12–13: “The foreigners living among you will become stronger and stronger, while you become weaker and weaker. They will lend money to you, but you will not lend to them. They will be the head, and you will be the tail!” (NLT).

In modern times, there is a saying about “the tail wagging the dog.” In our society, this signifies that something is fundamentally imbalanced when an insignificant issue is given excessive importance in decision-making. The tail should not be determining the direction of the dog—the head should.

Do that.

From the context of Deuteronomy 28:13, we understand it is preferable to be the leader rather than the follower. In the preceding verse, the lender possesses wealth and authority while the borrower is subordinate. Being the leader carries a similar connotation. The leader is the one in charge, the one who makes decisions and sets the direction, while the follower simply trails behind. The leader determines the path and actions, whereas the follower has no input. As the leader, Israel will be the one leading, making choices, and setting her own obedient path under God’s favor and protection. As the follower, Israel will be subject to other nations who will dictate her actions and direction.

God pledges that if the Israelites remain obedient to the law, they will lead among nations, not follow—they will be the leaders. However, if they opt to disregard God’s law, they will follow, not lead—they will be the followers. We witness the realization of this blessing when Israel emerged as a global leader during the reigns of David and Solomon. The curse came to fruition when the nation of Israel was exiled.

A similar analogy is employed in Isaiah 9, where God vows to “cut off from Israel both the leader and the follower” (verse 14). The subsequent verse clarifies the analogy: “The elders and dignitaries are the leaders, the prophets who teach falsehoods are the followers” (verse 15). Normally, the prophets would have been the leaders. It was their responsibility to proclaim the Word of the Lord, and then the leaders of the people would formulate policies in line with what the Lord had revealed through the prophets—they were to follow the Lord as He disclosed His will through the prophets. In Isaiah’s era, this was reversed. The leaders devised their own policies, and the so-called prophets—deceitful prophets—would merely “rubber stamp” the plans and claim that the Lord was on their side. The prophets had become the followers who obeyed. They were merely “yes-men” and flatterers (cf. 1 Kings 22).

Under the Mosaic law, the Israelites were given clear instructions on how to live in obedience to God.

Under the Abrahamic Covenant, Israel received the conditional blessing of being the leader rather than the follower. By following the Lord’s commands, Israel was promised triumph over their adversaries, advantageous trade deals, and a respected status among other nations, which would bestow honor and admiration upon Israel.