9, 10. (a) What role does agriculture play in Israel? (b) What is the significance of each one ‘sitting under his own vine and fig tree’?

⁹ The nation of Israel is an agricultural society. From the time that the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they have settled down to a life of cultivating crops and herding livestock. Thus, agriculture occupies an important place in the legislation given to Israel. A compulsory sabbath rest is commanded for the land every seventh year to allow fertility to be restored to the soil. (Exodus 23:10, 11; Leviticus 25:3-7) The three annual festivals that the nation is commanded to celebrate are timed to coincide with agricultural seasons.​—Exodus 23:14-16.

¹⁰ Vineyards are common throughout the land. The Scriptures list wine, a product of the vine, as a gift from God that “makes the heart of mortal man rejoice.” (Psalm 104:15) Each one ‘sitting under his own vine and fig tree,’ denotes prosperity, peace, and security under God’s righteous rule. (1 Kings 4:25; Micah 4:4) A successful vintage season is considered a blessing and is a cause for singing and rejoicing. (Judges 9:27; Jeremiah 25:30) The opposite is also true. When the vines wither or produce no grapes and the vineyards become desolate wastes of thorns, it is evidence that Jehovah has withdrawn his blessing​—a time of great sorrow.

11, 12. (a) How does Isaiah illustrate the conditions that will result from Jehovah’s judgment? (b) What grim prospects does Isaiah describe?

¹¹ Appropriately, then, Isaiah uses vineyards and their products to illustrate the conditions resulting from Jehovah’s withdrawing his blessing from the land: “The new wine has gone to mourning, the vine has withered, all those glad at heart have gone to sighing.

Isaiah 24:7