Isaiah 28:27

28:27 Certainly ¹  caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge,

nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. ² 

Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick,

and cumin seed with a flail.

Hosea 10:11

Fertility Imagery: Plowing, Sowing, and Reaping

10:11 Ephraim was a well-trained heifer who loved to thresh grain;

I myself put a fine yoke ³ on her neck.

I will harness Ephraim.

Let Judah plow! ⁴ 

Let Jacob break up ⁵  the unplowed ground for himself!

[28:27]  ¹ tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB).

[28:27]  ² sn Both of these seeds are too small to use the ordinary threshing techniques.

[10:11]  ³ tc The MT is unintelligible: עַל־טוּב (’al-tuv, “upon a fine [thing]”?). Cf. KJV “I passed over upon her fair neck”; NRSV “I spared her fair neck.” The BHS editors suggest the revocalization עֹל־טוּב (’ol-tuv, “a fine yoke”), followed by many modern English versions (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NCV, TEV, NLT). The noun עֹל (’ol, “yoke”) also appears in 11:4 in a metaphor which compares Israel to a young heifer as well.

[10:11]  ⁴ tn Or “Judah will plow” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV, CEV “Judah must plow.”

[10:11]  ⁵ tn Or “Jacob will break up.”