Deuteronomy 8:6

"And thou shalt keep the commandments of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. For Jehovah thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey; a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig copper. And thou shalt eat and be full, and thou shalt bless Jehovah thy God for the good land which he hath given thee."

The picture here is that of an agricultural Paradise loaded with every good and delightful thing. There is hardly any use to comment on the various products mentioned here, since most of them have been the staples of human consumption for ages. One surprising entry is "pomegranates," but Clarke explained this on the basis that the fruit "is very valuable in the Middle East, especially for its aid in making cooling drinks, much as we use lemons."[15]

"Copper ..." (Deuteronomy 8:9). In the old versions, this is rendered brass. "Brass was the old name for copper; the alloy known as brass "was unknown in that time."[16] The Bible has no account of Jews working mines in Canaan, but, "The writer of the Book of Job was acquainted with mining operations, and gives a graphic description of the process in Deuteronomy 28."[17]

"Thou shalt eat and be full ..." (Deuteronomy 8:10). This description of the anticipated life for Israel in the promised land makes it clear enough, as Cousins said, "That negative puritanism had no place in the Biblical view of the righteous life."[18]