Deuteronomy 28:40

40 You'll have groves of olive trees everywhere, but you'll have no oil to rub on your face or hands - the olives will have fallen off.

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 You'll plant sacks and sacks of seed in the field but get almost nothing - the grasshoppers will devour it.
39 You'll plant and hoe and prune vineyards but won't drink or put up any wine - the worms will devour them.
40 You'll have groves of olive trees everywhere, but you'll have no oil to rub on your face or hands - the olives will have fallen off.
41 You'll have sons and daughters but they won't be yours for long - they'll go off to captivity.
42 Locusts will take over all your trees and crops.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.