Deuteronomy 28:40

40 There shall be olive trees for you in all of your territory, but you shall not anoint [yourself], for your olives shall 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 carry out much seed to the field, but you shall gather little [produce], for the locust shall devour it.

39 You shall plant vineyards and you shall dress [them], but you shall not drink wine and you shall not gather grapes, for the worm shall eat it.

40 There shall be olive trees for you in all of your territory, but you shall not anoint [yourself], for your olives shall drop off.

41 You shall bear sons and daughters, but they shall not be {yours}, for they shall go into captivity.

42 The cricket shall take possession of all your trees and the fruit of your ground.

Footnotes

• [a] Hebrew "olive"