Isaiah 28:23-26

Context

28:23 Pay attention and listen to my message!¹

Be attentive and listen to what I have to say!²

28:24 Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time?³

Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?

28:25 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?⁴

28:26 His God instructs him;

he teaches him the principles of agriculture.⁵

[28:23] ¹tn Heb “to my voice.”

[28:23] ²tn Heb “to my word”; cf. KJV, ASV, NRSV “hear my speech.”

[28:24] ³tn Heb “All the day does the plowman plow in order to plant?” The phrase “all the day” here has the sense of “continually, always.” See BDB 400 s.v. יוֹם.

[28:25] ⁴tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “place wheat [?], and barley [?], and grain in its territory.” The term שׂוֹרָה (shorah) is sometimes translated “[in] its place,” but the word is unattested elsewhere. It is probably due to dittography of the immediately following שְׂעֹרָה (sÿo’rah, “barley”). The meaning of נִסְמָן (nisman) is also uncertain. It may be due to dittography of the immediately following כֻסֶּמֶת (kussemet, “grain”).

[28:26] ⁵tn Heb “he teaches him the proper way, his God instructs him.”