And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
And I have given you a land that you didn't have to work for, and cities that you didn't build, and you live in them. You eat from vineyards and olive groves that you didn't plant.
God is reminding the Israelites that He gave them everything they have as a gift - they didn't earn or work for any of it.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Joshua, chapter 24, the Israelite leader Joshua is delivering a farewell speech to the people at Shechem, summarizing God's faithfulness from their ancestors' time through the Exodus and into the conquest of Canaan. He emphasizes that God miraculously provided the land, including ready-made cities and fruitful vineyards that the Israelites did not build or plant, as a fulfillment of the covenant promise made to Abraham. This highlights God's unearned provision during a period of transition from wilderness wandering to settled life in the Promised Land.
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