Deuteronomy 23:25

23:25 When you go into the ripe grain fields of your neighbor you may pluck off the kernels with your hand, ¹  but you must not use a sickle on your neighbor’s ripe grain.

Deuteronomy 32:13

32:13 He enabled him ²  to travel over the high terrain of the land,

and he ate of the produce of the fields.

He provided honey for him from the cliffs, ³ 

and olive oil ⁴  from the hardest of ⁵  rocks, ⁶ 

---

¹ sn For the continuation of these practices into NT times see Matt 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5.

² tn The form of the suffix on this verbal form indicates that the verb is a preterite, not an imperfect. As such it simply states the action factually. Note as well the preterites with vav (ו) consecutive that follow in the verse.

³ tn Heb “he made him suck honey from the rock.”

⁴ tn Heb “oil,” but this probably refers to olive oil; see note on the word “rock” at the end of this verse.

⁵ tn Heb “flinty.”

⁶ sn Olive oil from rock probably suggests olive trees growing on rocky ledges and yet doing so productively. See E. H. Merrill, Deuteronomy (NAC), 415; cf. TEV “their olive trees flourished in stony ground.”