Deuteronomy 33:28

Authorized King James Version

Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
וַיִּשְׁכֹּן֩
then shall dwell
to reside or permanently stay (literally or figuratively)
#2
יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל
Israel
he will rule as god; jisral, a symbolical name of jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
#3
בֶּ֤טַח
in safety
properly, a place of refuge; abstract, safety, both the fact (security) and the feeling (trust); often (adverb with or without preposition) safely
#4
בָּדָד֙
alone
separate; adverb, separately
#5
עֵ֣ין
the fountain
an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
#6
יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב
of Jacob
jaakob, the israelitish patriarch
#7
אֶל
near, with or among; often in general, to
#8
אֶ֖רֶץ
shall be upon a land
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
#9
דָּגָ֣ן
of corn
properly, increase, i.e., grain
#10
וְתִיר֑וֹשׁ
and wine
must or fresh grape-juice (as just squeezed out); by implication (rarely) fermented wine
#11
אַף
meaning accession (used as an adverb or conjunction); also or yea; adversatively though
#12
שָׁמָ֖יו
also his heavens
the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies r
#13
יַ֥עַרְפוּ
shall drop down
to droop; hence, to drip
#14
טָֽל׃
dew
dew (as covering vegetation)

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The literary and historical milieu of the literary conventions and historical circumstances of biblical literature shapes this text's meaning. The historical development of salvation within the theological tradition of Deuteronomy Understanding the ancient worldview that shaped the author's theological expression helps modern readers appreciate why the author emphasizes divine revelation in this particular way.

Questions for Reflection

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