Deuteronomy 32:13
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God’s immense provision for Israel wasn’t just about abundant crops; it was about extracting sustenance from seemingly impossible places, like honey from rocks and oil from stone. This imagery highlights how God intended to bring forth wealth and life even from the most unyielding and difficult circumstances of the land, showcasing His power to transform the barren into bountiful.
He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage is part of Moses' final song to the Israelites, a powerful poetic testament before his death. The song begins by calling heaven and earth to witness God's faithfulness and Israel's rebellion, recounting God's great acts of love and Israel's unfaithfulness. Following vivid descriptions of God's judgment, this verse shifts to portray the abundance and prosperity God provided for Israel in the promised land.
The promise of riding on 'high places' sounds like a leisurely vacation, but in Scripture, it means so much more. What does this image truly represent for God's people?
In Deuteronomy 32:13, 'He made him ride on the high places of the land' signifies more than just a scenic view. It speaks of conquest and dominion.
Subduing the Heights
Honey from a rock? Oil from flinty stone? These sound like impossible feats. What do these vivid images reveal about God's provision for His people?
The descriptions of 'honey out of the rock' and 'oil out of the flinty rock' are powerful metaphors for God's extraordinary provision.
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Miraculous Abundance
Understand the original words
tsur · Hebrew Noun
A symbolic title for God, emphasizing His unchanging nature, dependability, strength, and role as a refuge and foundation for His people. It contrasts with the shifting, unreliable idols of the nations.
This verse paints a picture of God's abundant provision for Israel in the Promised Land, emphasizing its fertility and the ease with which they could access its bounty after conquering it.
~1446 BC
Exodus from Egypt
God miraculously delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, guiding them through the Red Sea and into the wilderness.
~1406 BC
Conquest of Canaan Begins
Under Joshua's leadership, the Israelites cross the Jordan River and begin the military campaign to conquer the Promised Land.
~1400 BC— this verse
Land Allotted to Tribes
After years of conflict, the land of Canaan is divided and allotted to the twelve tribes of Israel.
c. 1370 BC
Period of the Judges Begins
Following Joshua's death, a cycle of apostasy, oppression, and deliverance characterizes this era.
This psalm echoes the theme of God bringing His people to a fruitful land, similar to how Deuteronomy describes Israel's inheritance. It emphasizes God's provision and care as He led them to their designated home.
Isaiah 58:14This verse speaks of being 'lifted up on the high places of the earth' as a reward for obedience and justice, paralleling the imagery of God granting Israel elevated and prosperous positions in their land.
Job 29:6In his lament, Job recalls a time of prosperity when 'the rock poured out for me streams of oil,' reflecting the imagery in Deuteronomy of God providing abundant resources from seemingly unyielding sources.
Matthew 11:28-29Jesus invites those who are weary to come to Him and find rest, offering a spiritual parallel to God's provision of sustenance and strength, symbolized by the 'honey out of the rock' and 'oil out of the flinty rock'.
calvinDeuteronomy 32:1-52: "Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth."
They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
Ipsi ad zelum provocaverunt me, in eo quod non est Deus, ad iracundiam me provocaverunt in vanitatibus suis: et ego ad zelum provocabo eos in eo qui non…
barnesDeuteronomy 32:13: "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;"
i. e., God gave Israel possession of those commanding positions which carry with them dominion over the whole land (compare Deuteronomy 33:29 ), and enabled him to draw the richest provision out of spots naturally unproductive.
God’s immense provision for Israel wasn’t just about abundant crops; it was about extracting sustenance from seemingly impossible places, like honey from rocks and oil from stone. This imagery highlights how God intended to bring forth wealth and life even from the most unyielding and difficult circumstances of the land, showcasing His power to transform the barren into bountiful.
This passage is part of Moses' final song to the Israelites, a powerful poetic testament before his death. The song begins by calling heaven and earth to witness God's faithfulness and Israel's rebellion, recounting God's great acts of love and Israel's unfaithfulness. Following vivid descriptions of God's judgment, this verse shifts to portray the abundance and prosperity God provided for Israel in the promised land.
This passage is part of Moses' final song to the Israelites, a powerful poetic testament before his death. The song begins by calling heaven and earth to witness God's faithfulness and Israel's rebellion, recounting God's great acts of love and Israel's unfaithfulness. Following vivid descriptions of God's judgment, this verse shifts to portray the abundance and prosperity God provided for Israel in the promised land.
"He made him ride on the high places of the land, and he ate the produce of the field, and he suckled him with honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock." — God’s immense provision for Israel wasn’t just about abundant crops; it was about extracting sustenance from seemingly impossible places, like honey from rocks and oil from stone. This imagery highli…
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Last reviewed October 2026
