Keraia
Deuteronomy 8

Deuteronomy 8:9

Remember the LORD Your God · Deuteronomy 8:1–20
Read Deuteronomy 8

Translations

Modern
…a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills are ready to be mined for copper.
Traditional
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.
Literal
…a land in which without scarcity you will eat bread; you will not lack any in it; a land whose stones are iron, and from the hills you can dig copper.
Latin
…ubi absque ulla penuria comedes panem tuum, et rerum omnium abundantia perfrueris: cujus lapides ferrum sunt, et de montibus ejus æris metalla fodiuntur:

Original

Hebrew
English
…a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills are ready to be mined for copper.

Notes

Deuteronomy 8:9

Iron was not widely used during this part of the Bronze Age. Only a few cultures knew how to smelt iron (heat the ore to remove metal) and shape it into tools and weapons (see 1 Samuel 13:19–21).

Later, Israel learned to use this much stronger metal. They were able to mine it and make tools and weapons from it (see Joshua 17:16–18; 1 Kings 6:7; 2 Kings 6:5; 1 Chronicles 22:3).

Deuteronomy 8:1–20

After Israel settled in the land, they might begin to think that their success came from their own strength and skill. This is a common human tendency.

Moses warned them not to become proud or congratulate themselves. They must remember that God alone gives prosperity and success. All that they achieve comes from him.

Glossary

Arabah Archaeology and the Bible Biblical Concept of Law Copper Deuteronomy, Book of Feasts and Festivals of Israel Harvest Minerals and Metals

Topics

Agriculture or Farming: Soil of Canaan Suited To Blessing: Temporal, from God Brass: A Mineral of Canaan Bread: (Eating Without Scarceness) of Plenty Canaan: Land of Fertility of Canaan: Land of Mineral Copper Brass: Canaan Abounded In Copper Brass: Dug out of the Mountains Copper: Incorrectly Translated Brass Holy Land: Abounded in Minerals Holy Land: Extremely Fruitful Iron: First Recorded Use of Ore of Iron: First Recorded Use of Stones of Iron: The Land of Canaan Abounded With Metals: The Holy Land Abounded In Mountains: Abounded With: Minerals The Earth: Full of Minerals