Commentaire sur Le Lévitique 26:38

ואבדתם בגוים AND YE SHALL BE LOST AMONG THE NATIONS — when you are scattered about among the nations you will lose sight of each other (lit., “you will be lost from one another”) (cf. Rashi on v. 33; see also Sifra, Bechukotai, Chapter 8 1).

ואכלה אתכם ארץ אויביכם, ”the land of your enemies will devour you.” This is characteristic of all people who are exiled to a strange country. The change of climate and water by themselves result in their being decimated in numbers.

When you will be scattered you will be lost. But not really lost, because it is written (v. 44), “All this notwithstanding ... to annihilate them.”

You will be lost among the nations. The exiled Jews will be lost among the gentile nations, for none of the nations’ leaders will watch over them in pity or try to bring them close, as is the usual nature of royalty that befriends the refuges in their country. Instead, you will be despised because they will see you pursuing one another.

ואבדת בגויים, “you will perish among the nations.” This is the sixth curse. Exile is also called אובד, as we know from Psalms 119,176: תעיתי כשה אובד, “I have strayed like a lost sheep.”

ואכלה אתכם [AND THE LAND OF YOUR ENEMIES] SHALL EAT YOU UP — This refers to those who will die in exile (cf. Targum Jonathan on).

ואכלה אתכם ארץ אויביכם, “and the land of your enemies will eat you up." This is the seventh plague. What is meant here is that the frequent need for you to change your place of residence and to move to different climates, will not give you an opportunity to acclimatize to the climate and result in disease and death. (Ibn Ezra).