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 from Deuteronomy 28, where Moses outlines the blessings and curses that would result from the Israelites' obedience or disobedience to God's covenant as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. In the historical context, these warnings were part of ancient Near Eastern treaty language, emphasizing the severe consequences of breaking a covenant, such as invasion and loss of personal achievements. It reflects the agrarian society of the time, where building a home, planting a vineyard, and marrying were symbols of stability and prosperity that could be stripped away as divine judgment.
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