2 Nephi 15

[pam]

2 Nephi 15

The fifth chapter of Isaiah speaks of Jehovah and the vines of his vineyard. The common grape, or biblical vine, Vitis vinifera, has a long history of cultivation in Israel. It is the first cultivated plant to be identified by name in the Bible (see Gen. 9:20) and continues to be an important crop in modern Israel. It was an important source of food and beverage in the ancient Near East. In ancient Israel the September grape harvest was a time of feasting, joy, and song.

In the Holy Land, the grapevine can be an exceptionally robust plant, capable of developing trunks up to one and one-half feet in diameter. They typically produce clusters of grapes weighing from ten to twelve pounds, although some approach thirty pounds in weight. To reach this fruit-producing potential, however, the vine requires a tremendous amount of care and attention. If left untended, it seldom survives. These characteristics made the vine an ideal metaphor for Israel.

Terry Ball, Thy People Shall Be My People and Thy God My God: The 22nd Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium [salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1994], 18