A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
DEUTERONOMY 8:9KJVWhat does Deuteronomy 8:9 mean?
Deuteronomy 8:9 describes the land God is giving the Israelites as a place of abundance, where they will have plenty to eat, nothing will be lacking, and the land itself is rich in valuable resources like iron and copper. The verse promises not only food security but also access to important materials for daily life and tools.
In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land of Canaan after their years in the wilderness. He is emphasizing that the land God is bringing them into is not just fertile for crops but also has natural resources in its stones and hills. This reassurance highlights the completeness of God’s provision for their physical needs.
The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 8:9
- The word for "land" (אֶרֶץ, ’erets) is repeated, stressing the physical place God is giving them, not just a spiritual promise.
- "Eat" (אָכַל, ’akal) and "bread" (לֶחֶם, lechem) together point to daily, basic needs being met—bread was the staple food, so this means full provision.
- "Scarceness" (מִסְכֵּנֻת, miskenut) means poverty or lack; the verse promises the opposite, a life without deprivation.
- "Iron" (בַּרְזֶל, barzel) and "brass" (נְחֹשֶׁת, nechoshet, often understood as copper or bronze) show the land’s value for making tools and weapons, not just for farming.
Why Deuteronomy 8:9 matters
- This verse clears up any idea that God’s promise was only about food; it includes all kinds of resources needed for a thriving society.
- The emphasis on both agricultural and mineral wealth shows that God’s care covers every aspect of life, not just survival.
- In the wider passage, this description prepares the people to remember God as the source of their blessings, so they do not become proud or forgetful when they prosper in the new land.