Deuteronomy 28:40

40 Thou shalt have olive trees in all thy borders, and thou shalt not anoint thee with oil, because thine olive shall utterly cast .

Deuteronomy 28:40 Meaning and Commentary

Deuteronomy 28:40

Thou shalt have olive trees throughout thy coasts
In the several parts of the land of Canaan, which is therefore called a land of olive oil, ( Deuteronomy 8:8 ) ;

but thou shalt not anoint [thyself] with the oil;
nor any other relations, friends, guests, as was usual at entertainments; see ( Psalms 23:5 ) ( Luke 7:38 Luke 7:46 ) ; for the phrase "thyself" is not in the text. The reason why they should not anoint is, because they would have no oil to anoint with:

for thine olive shall cast [his fruit];
before it is ripe, by one means or another, as by winds, or blasting and mildew; see ( Amos 4:9 ) ( Habakkuk 3:17 ) .

Deuteronomy 28:40 In-Context

38 Thou shalt carry forth much seed into the field, and thou shalt bring in little, because the locust shall devour it.
39 Thou shalt plant a vineyard, and dress it, and shalt not drink the wine, neither shalt thou delight thyself with it, because the worm shall devour it.
40 Thou shalt have olive trees in all thy borders, and thou shalt not anoint thee with oil, because thine olive shall utterly cast .
41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, and they shall not be , for they shall depart into captivity.
42 All thy trees and the fruits of thy land shall the blight consume.

Footnotes 1

The Brenton translation of the Septuagint is in the public domain.