Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 8:9
9. a land whose stones are iron—The abundance of this metal in Palestine, especially among the mountains of Lebanon, those of Kesraoun, and elsewhere, is attested not only by JOSEPHUS, but by Volney, Buckingham, and other travellers. brass—not the alloy brass, but the ore of copper. Although the mines may now be exhausted or neglected, they yielded plenty of those metals anciently (1 Chronicles 22:3; 1 Chronicles 29:2-7; Isaiah 60:17). read more
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Deuteronomy 8:8
8. A land of wheat, and barley—These cereal fruits were specially promised to the Israelites in the event of their faithful allegiance to the covenant of God (Psalms 81:16; Psalms 147:14). The wheat and barley were so abundant as to yield sixty and often an hundredfold (Genesis 26:12; Matthew 13:8). vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates—The limestone rocks and abrupt valleys were entirely covered, as traces of them still show, with plantations of figs, vines, and olive trees. Though in a... read more