Deuteronomy 32:13
in Deuteronomy 32He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from the flinty crag,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He made him ride on the high places of the earth, And he did eat the increase of the field; And he made him to suck honey out of the rock, And oil out of the flinty rock;
KJV
He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock;
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This verse in Deuteronomy 32
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe made him ride - ירכבהו yarkibehu, he will cause him to ride. All the verbs here are in the future tense, because this is a prophecy of the prosperity they should possess in the promised land. The Israelites were to ride - exult, on the high places, the mountains and hills of their land, in which they are promised the highest degrees of prosperity; as even the rocky part of the country should be rendered fertile by the peculiar benediction of God.
This site's exposition
He made him ride on the heights of the land
on Deuteronomy 32:13-14
The phrase “honey from the rock” gives the chapter's name for God a second use. The rock that is his title is also where food is drawn from, and Psalm 81:16 repeats the honey from the rock.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony · Written before 523.
proposed
Even as also the prophet Moses hath taught us that through this cause the people forgot their God, and that through the lust of the belly they went forth unto idolatry, and from eating meat they were led into blasphemies, and from dainty foods they …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
PateriusEXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, DEUTERONOMY 21 · Written before 606.
proposed
Nothing like this is ever found in Scripture in the literal sense, even if one reviews the whole body of the Old Testament. People never sucked honey or oil from a rock. But since, according to Paul, the rock was Christ, they did suck honey …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The high places - To conquer their strongest holds, which often are in the mountains, and their cities fenced with walls of greatest height and strength. To ride upon, in scripture phrase, is to subdue or conquer.
): He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that is, he brought him on with conquest, and brought him home with triumph. he rode over the high places or strong holds that were kept against him, sat in ease and honour upon the fruitful hills of Canaan.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
He made him to ride on the high places of the earth,....
1 more voice on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
A prediction of the wasting destroying judgments which God would bring upon them for their sins, in which God is here justified by the many aggravations of their impieties,
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
THE ETERNAL ALONE DID LEAD HIM — G-d dwells in Israel securely alone; 45 See further,:28. AND THERE WAS NOT WITH HIM — the pronoun referring either to G-d or Israel — ANY STRANGE GOD.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יַרְכִּבֵ֙הוּ֙ | yarkivehu | he caused to ride it | H7392 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בָּ֣מֳתֵי | bamotei | [the] high places of | H1116 → | |
| אָ֔רֶץ | ʾaretz | [the] land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַיֹּאכַ֖ל | vaiyokhal | and it ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| תְּנוּבֹ֣ת | tenuvot | fruits of | H8570 → | |
| שָׂדָ֑י | sadai | [the] field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| וַיֵּנִקֵ֤הֽוּ | vaiyenikehu | and he suckled him | H3243 → | 33 times |
| דְבַשׁ֙ | devash | honey | H1706 → | 54 times |
| מִסֶּ֔לַע | misela' | from a rock | H5553 → | |
| וְשֶׁ֖מֶן | veshemen | and oil | H8081 → | 193 times |
| מֵחַלְמִ֥ישׁ | mechalmish | from flint of | H2496 → | |
| צֽוּר׃ | tzur | rock | H6697 → | 78 times |
יַרְכִּבֵ֙הוּ֙he caused to ride it
yarkivehuH7392 →
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בָּ֣מֳתֵי[the] high places of
bamoteiH1116 →
אָ֔רֶץ[the] land
ʾaretzH776 →2504 times
וַיֹּאכַ֖לand it ate
vaiyokhalH398 →810 times
תְּנוּבֹ֣תfruits of
tenuvotH8570 →
שָׂדָ֑י[the] field
sadaiH7704 →334 times
וַיֵּנִקֵ֤הֽוּand he suckled him
vaiyenikehuH3243 →33 times
דְבַשׁ֙honey
devashH1706 →54 times
מִסֶּ֔לַעfrom a rock
misela'H5553 →
וְשֶׁ֖מֶןand oil
veshemenH8081 →193 times
מֵחַלְמִ֥ישׁfrom flint of
mechalmishH2496 →
צֽוּר׃rock
tzurH6697 →78 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 81:16But I would feed you the finest wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:13–14
He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him the produce of the field. He nourished him with honey from the rock and oil from the flinty crag,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 147:14
He makes peace at your borders; He fills you with the finest wheat.
- Deuteronomy 32:13–14
Through
Isaiah 58:14then you will delight yourself in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the land and feed you with the heritage of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of…
it leads to
- Job 22:26
Surely then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
- Isaiah 1:19–20
If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.
- Isaiah 33:16
he will dwell on the heights; the mountain fortress will be his refuge; his food will be provided and his water assured.
- Habakkuk 3:18–19
yet I will exult in the LORD; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!
- Job 22:26
Through
Deuteronomy 33:26“There is none like the God of Jeshurun, who rides the heavens to your aid, and the clouds in His majesty.
it leads to
- Exodus 15:11
Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders?
- Exodus 15:11
Through
Deuteronomy 33:29Blessed are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD? He is the shield that protects you, the sword in which you boast. Your enemies will cower before you,…
it leads to
- Isaiah 45:17
But Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will not be put to shame or humiliated, to ages everlasting.
- Isaiah 45:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies17
On this verse
On this chapter
About Deuteronomy
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Paterius, EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, DEUTERONOMY 21 and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 10 -- On Gluttony.