Hosea 10:12

10:12 Sow righteousness for yourselves,

reap unfailing love.

Break up the unplowed ground for yourselves,

for it is time to seek the Lord,

until he comes and showers deliverance ¹  on you.

Job 4:8

4:8 Even as I have seen, ²  those who plow ³  iniquity ⁴ 

and those who sow trouble reap the same. ⁵ 

Proverbs 22:8

22:8 The one who sows ⁶  iniquity will reap trouble,

and the rod of his fury ⁷  will end.

Ecclesiastes 5:16

5:16 This is another misfortune: ⁸ 

Just as he came, so will he go.

What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

Galatians 6:7

6:7 Do not be deceived. God will not be made a fool. ⁹  For a person ¹⁰  will reap what he sows,

[10:12]  ¹ tn Or “righteousness” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT); NAB “justice.”

[4:8]  ² tn The perfect verb here represents the indefinite past. It has no specific sighting in mind, but refers to each time he has seen the wicked do this.

[4:8]  ³ sn The figure is an implied metaphor. Plowing suggests the idea of deliberately preparing (or cultivating) life for evil. This describes those who are fundamentally wicked.

[4:8]  ⁴ tn The LXX renders this with a plural “barren places.”

[4:8]  ⁵ tn Heb “reap it.”

[22:8]  ⁶ sn The verse is making an implied comparison (a figure of speech known as hypocatastasis) between sowing and sinning. One who sins is like one who sows, for there will be a “harvest” or a return on the sin – trouble.

[22:8]  ⁷ tc There is a variant reading in the LXX; instead of “the rod of his wrath” it reads “the punishment of his deeds.” C. H. Toy wishes to emend שֵׁבֶט (shevet) to שֶׁבֶר (shever), “the produce of his work” (Proverbs [ICC], 416). But the Hebrew text is not obscure, and שֶׁבֶר does not exactly mean “produce.” The expression “rod of his wrath” may not follow the imagery of 8a very closely, but it is nonetheless understandable. The “rod” is a symbol of power; “wrath” is a metonymy of cause indicating what wrath will do, and an objective genitive. The expression signifies that in reaping trouble for his sins this person will no longer be able to unleash his fury on others. The LXX adds: “A man who is cheerful and a giver God blesses” (e.g., 2 Cor 9:7).

[5:16]  ⁸ tn See the note on the phrase “depressing misfortune” in v. 13.

[6:7]  ⁹ tn Or “is not mocked,” “will not be ridiculed” (L&N 33.409). BDAG 660 s.v. μυκτηρίζω has “of God οὐ μ. he is not to be mocked, treated w. contempt, perh. outwitted Gal 6:7.”

[6:7]  ¹⁰ tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.