5:11 houses of hewn stone. These were costly to build, in contrast to the mud brick houses in which most people lived (cf. Is. 9:10).

you shall not dwell . . . you shall not drink. The curse of futility (failure to enjoy the fruit of one’s labor) had fallen on the Canaanites as Israel dispossessed them from their cities (Deut. 6:10, 11). Now Israel will suffer the same fate, according to the words of Deut. 25:30 (cf. Is. 65:21–23; 1 Cor. 15:58).