If the grape plant’s sunshiny field isn’t rocky enough, she’ll be all showy, with lush green leaves, but bear little fruit. If the grape plant’s field is too rocky, she’ll lack enough earth for hearty roots and mournfully shrivel up. Thus, the landowner looking for the perfect place to plant a choice vine does precisely what the Beloved did in Isaiah 5. He looked for a great spot in a decent climate with generous access to sun, an aspect that could soak in water but also drain it, and the right amount of rocks to make things just challenging enough for his vines to be a little uncomfortable.
