THEOSISEphraem the Syrian
"He will not leave you grain or grape juice." This alludes to the famine experienced during the siege, a time when many individuals perished due to hunger.
Deuteronomy 28:51Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And will devour the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruits of thy land: until thou be destroyed, and will leave thee no wheat, nor wine, nor oil, nor herds of oxen, nor flocks of sheep: until he destroy thee.
וְ֠אָכַל פְּרִ֨י בְהֶמְתְּךָ֥ וּפְרִֽי־אַדְמָתְךָ֮ עַ֣ד הִשָּֽׁמְדָךְ֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹֽא־יַשְׁאִ֜יר לְךָ֗ דָּגָן֙ תִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְיִצְהָ֔ר שְׁגַ֥ר אֲלָפֶ֖יךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹ֣ת צֹאנֶ֑ךָ עַ֥ד הַאֲבִיד֖וֹ אֹתָֽךְ׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Ignatij (Briantchaninow)
The prophecy was perfectly realized as the Romans besieged and dismantled the fortified cities of the Jews, systematically ravaging the land before finally advancing on Jerusalem. This city was encircled by expansive, ancient olive groves. The Romans felled these trees to construct siege engines and cater to the requirements of their encampment, transforming the once-lush landscape into a desolate wasteland.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Deut 28:33May a people which thou knowest not, eat the fruits of thy land, and all thy labours: and mayst thou always suffer oppression, and be crushed at all times.
- Isa 62:8The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thy enemies: and the sons of the strangers shall not drink thy wine, for which thou hast laboured.
- Ezek 12:19And say to the people of the land: Thus saith the Lord God to them that dwell in Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread in care, and drink their water in desolation: that the land may become desolate from the multitude that is therein, for the iniquity of all that dwell therein.
- Jer 15:13Thy riches and thy treasures I will give unto spoil for nothing, because of all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
- Jer 17:3Sacrificing in the field: I will give thy strength, and all thy treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin in all thy borders.
- Lev 26:26After I shall have broken the staff of your bread: so that ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and give it out by weight: and you shall eat, and shall not be filled,
- Isa 1:7Your land is desolate, your cities are burnt with fire: your country strangers devour before your face, and it shall be desolate as when wasted by enemies.
- Hab 3:16I have heard and my bowels were troubled: my lips trembled at the voice. Let rottenness enter into my bones, and swarm under me. That I may rest in the day of tribulation: that I may go up to our people that are girded.