Deuteronomy 28:40

40 "¹You shall have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop 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 shall bring out much seed to the field but you will gather in little, for the locust will consume it.

39 "You shall plant and cultivate vineyards, but you will neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm will devour them.

40 "You shall have olive trees throughout your territory but you will not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off.

41 "You shall have sons and daughters but they will not be yours, for they will go into captivity.

42 "The cricket shall possess all your trees and the produce of your ground.

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 11:16; Micah 6:15