Deuteronomy 32:12-14

32:12 The Lord alone was guiding him, ¹ 

no foreign god was with him.

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 

32:14 butter from the herd

and milk from the flock,

along with the fat of lambs,

rams and goats of Bashan,

along with the best of the kernels of wheat;

and from the juice of grapes you drank wine.

[32:12]  ¹ tn The distinctive form of the suffix on this verb form indicates that the verb is an imperfect, not a preterite. As such it draws attention to God’s continuing guidance during the period in view.

[32:13]  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.

[32:13]  ³ tn Heb “he made him suck honey from the rock.”

[32:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “oil,” but this probably refers to olive oil; see note on the word “rock” at the end of this verse.

[32:13]  ⁵ tn Heb “flinty.”

[32:13]  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.”