Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.
You will become engaged to a woman, but another man will sleep with her. You will build a house, but you won't get to live in it. You will plant a vineyard, but you won't get to harvest its grapes.
This verse describes the heartbreaking reality that people's most personal hopes and hard work will be stolen or destroyed by their enemies.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of Moses' warning to the Israelites about the curses that would come if they abandoned God's covenant. These specific punishments - losing one's bride, home, and harvest - represented the most devastating personal losses in ancient agricultural society. Moses was preparing the people before they entered the Promised Land, explaining the consequences of unfaithfulness to God.
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