Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Does he not plant wheat in its place, barley in its plot, and spelt in its field? New Living Translation Does he not finally plant his seeds— black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, and emmer wheat— each in its proper way, and each in its proper place? English Standard Version When he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter dill, sow cumin, and put in wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and emmer as the border? Berean Standard Bible When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border. Berean Literal Bible Does he not, when he has leveled its face, then scatter caraway and sow cummin and put in a row the wheat in the appointed place and the barley and the spelt at its border? King James Bible When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place? New King James Version When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow the black cummin And scatter the cummin, Plant the wheat in rows, The barley in the appointed place, And the spelt in its place? New American Standard Bible Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter cumin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area? NASB 1995 Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter cummin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area? NASB 1977 Does he not level its surface, And sow dill and scatter cummin, And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place, and rye within its area? Legacy Standard Bible Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter cumin And plant wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its area? Amplified Bible When he has leveled its surface, Does he not sow [the seed of] dill and scatter cumin, And plant wheat in rows, And barley in its [intended] place and rye within its border? Berean Annotated Bible When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border. Christian Standard Bible When he has leveled its surface, does he not then scatter black cumin and sow cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, with spelt as their border. Holman Christian Standard Bible When he has leveled its surface, does he not then scatter black cumin and sow cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, with spelt as their border. American Standard Version When he hath levelled the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows, and the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in the border thereof? Contemporary English Version When a field is ready, they scatter the seeds of dill and cumin; they plant the seeds of wheat and barley in the proper places and sow other grains around the edges. English Revised Version When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the appointed place and the spelt in the border thereof? GOD'S WORD® Translation When he has smoothed its surface, doesn't he scatter black cumin seed and plant cumin? Doesn't he plant wild wheat in rows? Doesn't he put barley in its own area and winter wheat at its borders? Good News Translation Once they have prepared the soil, they plant the seeds of herbs such as dill and cumin. They plant rows of wheat and barley, and at the edges of their fields they plant other grain. International Standard Version When he has leveled its surface, he scatters caraway and sows cumin, doesn't he? He plants wheat in rows, barley in its designated place, and feed for livestock around its borders, doesn't he? NET Bible Once he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant, sow the seed of the cumin plant, and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places? New Heart English Bible When he has leveled its surface, doesn't he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and emmer as its borders? Webster's Bible Translation When he hath made even the face of it, doth he not cast abroad the vetches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat, and the appointed barley, and the rye in their place? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleWhen he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border. World English Bible When he has leveled its surface, doesn’t he plant the dill, and scatter the cumin seed, and put in the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place? Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionHas he not, if he has made its face level, "" Then scattered fitches, and sprinkles cumin, "" And has placed the principal wheat, "" And the appointed barley, "" And the rye [in] its own border? Berean Literal Bible Does he not, when he has leveled its face, then scatter caraway and sow cummin and put in a row the wheat in the appointed place and the barley and the spelt at its border? Young's Literal Translation Hath he not, if he have made level its face, Then scattered fitches, and cummin sprinkle, And hath placed the principal wheat, And the appointed barley, And the rie in its own border? Smith's Literal Translation Did he not make level its face and disperse the fennel flower, and he will scatter the cummin, and he set the wheat in order, and designated the barley, and the spilt in his bound? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleWill he not, when he hath made plain the surface thereof, sow gith, and scatter cummin, and put wheat in order, and barley, and millet, and vetches in their bounds? Catholic Public Domain Version Will he not, when he has made the surface level, sow coriander, and scatter cumin, and plant wheat in rows, and barley, and millet, and vetch in their places? New American Bible When he has leveled the surface, does he not scatter caraway and sow cumin, Put in wheat and barley, with spelt as its border? New Revised Standard Version When they have leveled its surface, do they not scatter dill, sow cummin, and plant wheat in rows and barley in its proper place, and spelt as the border? Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleDoes he not, after he has leveled its surface, scatter the dill and sow cummin, and put in wheat and barley, and rye in its borders? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Is it not whenever he levels its surface, he scatters the fennel, and he sows cumin, and casts wheat and barley and rye at its borders? OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917When he hath made plain the face thereof, Doth he not cast abroad the black cummin, and scatter the cummin, And put in the wheat in rows and the barley in the appointed place And the spelt in the border thereof? Brenton Septuagint Translation Does he not, when he has levelled the surface thereof, then sow the small black poppy, or cumin, and afterward sow wheat, and barley, and millet, and bread-corn in thy borders? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Listen and Hear…24Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil? 25When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots, and rye within its border. 26For his God instructs and teaches him properly.… Cross References When he has leveled its surface Psalm 65:10 You soak its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth. Job 39:10 Can you hold him to the furrow with a harness? Will he plow the valleys behind you? Hosea 10:11 Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground. does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? Leviticus 19:19 You are to keep My statutes. You shall not crossbreed two different kinds of livestock; you shall not sow your fields with two kinds of seed; and you shall not wear clothing made of two kinds of material. Deuteronomy 22:9 Do not plant your vineyard with two types of seed; if you do, the entire harvest will be defiled—both the crop you plant and the fruit of your vineyard. Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. He plants wheat in rows Genesis 26:12 Now Isaac sowed seed in the land, and that very year he reaped a hundredfold. And the LORD blessed him, Matthew 13:24 Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. Deuteronomy 8:8 a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; and barley in plots Exodus 9:31-32 (Now the flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley was ripe and the flax was in bloom; / but the wheat and spelt were not destroyed, because they are late crops.) Ruth 2:17 So Ruth gathered grain in the field until evening. And when she beat out what she had gleaned, it was about an ephah of barley. and rye within its border. Leviticus 23:22 When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap all the way to the edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the foreign resident. I am the LORD your God.’” Leviticus 19:9-10 When you reap the harvest of your land, you are not to reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. / You must not strip your vineyard bare or gather its fallen grapes. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 24:19 If you are harvesting in your field and forget a sheaf there, do not go back to get it. It is to be left for the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Matthew 13:3-9 And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. … Mark 4:3-9 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. … Treasury of Scripture When he has made plain the face thereof, does he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rye in their place? in the principal, etc. rye. Exodus 9:31,32 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled… Ezekiel 4:9 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof. place. Jump to Previous Abroad Appointed Area Barley Border Cast Cumin Cummin Different Dill Earth Edge Face Fitches Grain Leveled Lines Plain Plant Principal Proper Rows Rye Scatter Seed Sorts Spelt Surface Thereof Vetches Wheat WithinJump to Next Abroad Appointed Area Barley Border Cast Cumin Cummin Different Dill Earth Edge Face Fitches Grain Leveled Lines Plain Plant Principal Proper Rows Rye Scatter Seed Sorts Spelt Surface Thereof Vetches Wheat WithinIsaiah 28 1. The prophet threatens Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness5. The residue shall be advanced in the kingdom of Christ 7. He rebukes their error 9. Their unwillingness to learn 14. And their security 16. Christ the sure foundation is promised 17. Their security shall be tried 23. They are incited to the consideration of God's providence When he has leveled its surface This phrase refers to the preparation of the ground for planting, a common agricultural practice in ancient Israel. The leveling of the surface ensures that the soil is ready to receive seeds, symbolizing the importance of preparation and order in God's creation. This can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual readiness and the need for a firm foundation, as echoed in passages like Matthew 13:3-9, where Jesus speaks of the parable of the sower. does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows and barley in plots and rye within its border Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahThe prophet who conveyed God's messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He is the author of the Book of Isaiah, which contains prophecies and teachings relevant to both his time and future events. 2. Judah and Jerusalem The primary audience of Isaiah's prophecies. During Isaiah's time, these regions were facing political and spiritual challenges, including threats from surrounding nations and internal corruption. 3. The Farmer A metaphorical figure in this verse representing God's wisdom and order in creation. The farmer's actions illustrate the careful planning and purpose in God's dealings with His people. 4. Agricultural Practices The verse uses imagery from farming, such as leveling the ground and sowing different seeds, to convey spiritual truths about God's order and precision. 5. God's Wisdom Implicit in the verse is the theme of divine wisdom, as God, like a farmer, knows the appropriate time and method for each action. Teaching Points God's Order and PrecisionJust as a farmer carefully plans and executes his planting, God orchestrates the events of our lives with precision and purpose. Trust in His divine order, even when circumstances seem chaotic. Diversity in God's Plan The variety of seeds and planting methods reflects the diversity in God's creation and His plans for each individual. Embrace your unique role in God's kingdom and appreciate the diversity of gifts and callings within the body of Christ. Preparation for Growth The leveling of the ground signifies preparation. In our spiritual lives, we must prepare our hearts to receive God's word and allow it to take root and grow. Patience in God's Timing Just as crops require time to grow, spiritual growth and the fulfillment of God's promises require patience. Trust in God's perfect timing for the harvest. Faithfulness in Small Things The farmer's attention to detail in planting each type of seed reminds us to be faithful in the small tasks God assigns us, knowing they contribute to His greater plan. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Isaiah 28:25?2. How does Isaiah 28:25 illustrate God's order in our daily lives? 3. What lessons on preparation can we learn from Isaiah 28:25? 4. How does Isaiah 28:25 connect with Proverbs' teachings on diligence? 5. In what ways can we implement the principles of Isaiah 28:25 today? 6. How does Isaiah 28:25 encourage us to trust God's timing and methods? 7. What is the significance of plowing in Isaiah 28:25 for understanding God's guidance? 8. How does Isaiah 28:25 reflect God's wisdom in agricultural practices? 9. What does Isaiah 28:25 reveal about God's order in creation? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 28? 11. What foods are mentioned in the Bible? 12. In Isaiah 25:2, which specific 'fortified city' is being referenced, and what archaeological evidence supports or contradicts its complete destruction? 13. How does Isaiah 52:2's command to rise from captivity align with known historical timelines and evidence of Israel's exiles? 14. Isaiah 25:10 proclaims God's protection over His people, yet wars and disasters continue; does this prophecy provide any verifiable timeline for its fulfillment? What Does Isaiah 28:25 Mean When he has leveled its surface• The farmer first smooths the ground, removing stones and clods so seed can take root (see Isaiah 28:24; Proverbs 24:27, “Prepare your work outside…,”). • Spiritually, the Lord likewise prepares hearts before He plants truth (Hosea 10:12, “Break up your fallow ground,”). • The image reminds us that God’s dealings are deliberate, never haphazard (1 Corinthians 14:40, “Let all things be done decently and in order,”). Does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin? • Caraway and cumin are small, delicate seeds; the farmer scatters them gently by hand rather than plowing them under. • God tailors His methods to the “seed” He plants in us—sometimes gentle, sometimes forceful—yet always wise (Psalm 103:13-14; Matthew 12:20). • Variety in sowing pictures the diverse ways He distributes gifts and callings (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). • Just as each spice has a unique flavor, every believer has a distinct role in God’s plan (Romans 12:4-5). He plants wheat in rows • Wheat is laid out carefully, row upon row, for maximum yield. • The ordered pattern points to God’s structured purposes for His people (Ephesians 2:10, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand,”). • Rows also suggest perseverance—steady, consistent growth rather than random bursts (Galatians 6:9). And barley in plots • Barley, a hardier grain, goes into separate plots suited to its nature (Exodus 9:31-32). • The Lord assigns each believer a field that matches his or her capacity (Matthew 25:15). • Different “plots” prevent overcrowding and allow for distinct harvest times, reflecting seasons in our walk with God (Ecclesiastes 3:1). And rye within its border • Rye (or spelt) is sown along borders, creating natural boundaries. • God sets borders for nations and individuals alike (Acts 17:26; Proverbs 22:28). • Healthy boundaries protect the crop and keep it from encroaching on another’s space—an echo of the command to “live peaceably with all” (Romans 12:18). • The detail underscores that nothing in God’s field is random; each boundary serves the harvest. summary Isaiah 28:25 paints a vivid picture of a farmer who levels, scatters, rows, plots, and borders—each action purposeful. The Holy Spirit, the ultimate Teacher (Isaiah 28:26), works with the same precision: preparing hearts, tailoring His methods, assigning roles, and marking boundaries. The verse reassures us that God’s wisdom governs every detail of His field and every season of our lives, promising a well-planned, fruitful harvest for all who submit to His orderly care. (25) Doth he not cast abroad the fitches. . . .?--Modern English would give vetches. Each verb is carefully chosen to describe the special process that belonged to each kind of seed. We have, as it were, an excerpt from the "Georgics" of Palestine. Identification in such cases is not always easy; but I follow Mr. Carruthers (Bible Educator, i. 38) in reading "fennel seed" for the "fitches" of the English version. This, proverbially among the smallest of seeds, so as to be a type of the microscopic unseen, was scattered broadcast; "cummin," also proverbial for its smallness, was sown by a like process, with some technical variation, indicated by the use of the Hebrew words. Wheat and barley were "dropped in" more deliberately by the hand of the sower, and then (instead of "the rie in their place"), "vetches for the borders thereof," these being used in the East as a kind of herbaceous hedge round the field of corn. The point of the enumeration is that the wise tiller of the soil is discriminating in his methods, and deals with each seed according to its nature. So is it, the prophet suggests through the parable which he does not interpret, with the great Husbandman, whose field is the world, and for whom the nations are as seed. For "cast in the principal wheat . . ." read set the wheat in lines and the barley in the appointed place.Verse 25. - When he hath made plain the face thereof; i.e. leveled it - brought the ground to a tolerably even surface. Doth he not cast abroad the fitches? The Hebrew word translated "fitches" - i.e. "vetches" - is qetsach, which is generally allowed to represent the Nigella sativa, a sort of ranun-cuhs, which is cultivated in many parts of the East for the sake of its seeds. These are black, and have an aromatic flavor. Dioscorides (3:83) and Pliny (19:8) say that they were sometimes mixed with bread. And scatter the cummin. "Cummin" (Cuminum sativum) is "an umbelliferous plant, something like fennel." The seeds - or rather, berries - have "a bitterish warm taste, with an aromatic flavor" ('Dict. of the Bible,' vol. 1. p. 372). They seem to have been eaten as a relish with various kinds of food. And cast in the principal wheat; rather, and put in wheat in rows. Drill-ploughs, which would deposit grain in rows, were known to the Assyrians ('Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 2. p. 198). And the rie in their place. Cussemeth, the word translated "rie," is probably the Holeus sorghum, or "spelt," which is largely cultivated in Palestine and other parts of the East, and is the ordinary material of the bread eaten by the poorer classes (see the 'Pulpit Commentary' on Exodus, pp. 219, 220). For "in their place," Kay translates, "in its own border." The wheat and the barley and the spelt would all be sown separately, according to the direction of Leviticus 19:19, "Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed."Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Whenאִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not he has leveled שִׁוָּ֣ה (šiw·wāh) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7737: To level, equalize, to resemble, to adjust its surface, פָנֶ֔יהָ (p̄ā·ne·hā) Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular Strong's 6440: The face does he not הֲלוֹא֙ (hă·lō·w) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no sow יִזְרֹ֑ק (yiz·rōq) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 2236: Be here and there, scatter, sprinkle, strew caraway קֶ֖צַח (qe·ṣaḥ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 7100: Fennelflower and scatter וְהֵפִ֥יץ (wə·hê·p̄îṣ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 6327: To be dispersed or scattered cumin? וְכַמֹּ֣ן (wə·ḵam·mōn) Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3646: Cummin (a plant grown as a condiment) He plants וְשָׂ֨ם (wə·śām) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set wheat חִטָּ֤ה (ḥiṭ·ṭāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2406: Wheat in rows שׂוֹרָה֙ (śō·w·rāh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7795: A ring, a row and barley וּשְׂעֹרָ֣ה (ū·śə·‘ō·rāh) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 8184: Barley in plots, נִסְמָ֔ן (nis·mān) Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular Strong's 5567: To designate with rye וְכֻסֶּ֖מֶת (wə·ḵus·se·meṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 3698: Spelt (a kind of wheat) within its border. גְּבֻלָתֽוֹ׃ (gə·ḇu·lā·ṯōw) Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 1367: A boundary, region Links Isaiah 28:25 NIVIsaiah 28:25 NLT Isaiah 28:25 ESV Isaiah 28:25 NASB Isaiah 28:25 KJV Isaiah 28:25 BibleApps.com Isaiah 28:25 Biblia Paralela Isaiah 28:25 Chinese Bible Isaiah 28:25 French Bible Isaiah 28:25 Catholic Bible OT Prophets: Isaiah 28:25 When he has leveled its surface doesn't (Isa Isi Is) |
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