Isaiah 28:23-29 · Bible study
Isaiah 28:23-29 Commentary: God's Wise Methods in Judgment and Mercy
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God use different methods in dealing with us? An agricultural parable reveals His wisdom in judgment and mercy.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God wisely adapts His judgment and mercy to each situation, as a farmer uses different methods for different crops.
- Key words: יִסְּרוֹ (instructs) and יוֹרֶנּוּ (teaches) show divine guidance in agriculture; פָּלָא (wonderful) and הִגְדִּיל תּוּשִׁיָּה (made great wisdom) emphasize God's surpassing counsel.
- Main debate: Whether the parable primarily addresses God's restraint in judging Israel or offers a universal principle of divine providence.
- Theological theme: The interplay of judgment and mercy, grounded in God's wisdom (v.29).
- Best use: A pastoral resource for those struggling with God's severe dealings, pointing to His purposeful, wise love.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
23Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention and hear what I say.
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.
27Surely caraway is not threshed with a sledge, and the wheel of a cart is not rolled over the cumin. But caraway is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
28Grain for bread must be ground, but it is not endlessly threshed. Though the wheels of the cart roll over it, the horses do not crush it.
29This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
WEB World English Bible 2000
23Give ear, and hear my voice! Listen, and hear my speech!
24Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?
25When 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?
26For his God instructs him in right judgment and teaches him.
27For the dill isn’t threshed with a sharp instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned over the cumin; but the dill is beaten out with a stick, and the cumin with a rod.
28Bread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don’t grind it.
29This also comes out from Yahweh of Armies, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
KJV King James Version 1769
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
25When 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?
26For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
27For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
28Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
29This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
23Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24Doth he that ploweth to sow plow continually? doth he continually open and harrow his ground?
25When 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?
26For his God doth instruct him aright, and doth teach him.
27For the fitches are not threshed with a sharp threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
28Bread grain is ground; for he will not be always threshing it: and though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he doth not grind it.
29This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts, who is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in wisdom.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
23Give ear, and hear my voice, Attend, and hear my saying:
24The whole day plougheth the ploughman to sow? He openeth and harroweth his ground!
25Hath 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?
26And instruct him for judgment doth his God, He doth direct him.
27For not with a sharp-pointed thing threshed are fitches, And the wheel of a cart on cummin turned round, For with a staff beaten out are fitches, And cummin with a rod.
28Bread- corn is beaten small, For not for ever doth he sorely thresh it, Nor crushed it hath a wheel of his cart, Nor do his hoofs beat it small.
29Even this from Jehovah of Hosts hath gone out, He hath made counsel wonderful, He hath made wisdom great!
Darby Darby Bible 1890
23Give ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.
24Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? Is he [all day] opening and breaking the clods of his land?
25Doth he not, when he hath levelled the face thereof, cast abroad dill, and scatter cummin, and set the wheat in rows, and the barley in an appointed place, and the rye in its border?
26His God doth instruct him in [his] judgment, he doth teach him.
27For the dill is not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart-wheel turned about upon the cummin; but dill is beaten out with a staff, and cummin with a rod.
28Bread [corn] is crushed, because he will not ever be threshing it; and if he drove the wheels of his cart and his horses [over it], he would not crush it.
29This also cometh forth from Jehovah of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel, great in wisdom.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
23Give ear, and hear my voice, hearken, and hear my speech.
24Shall the ploughman plough all the day to sow, shall he open and harrow his ground?
25Will 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?
26For he will instruct him in judgment: his God will teach him.
27For gith shall not be thrashed with saws, neither shall the cart wheel turn about upon cummin: but gith shall be beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a staff.
28But breadcorn shall be broken small: but the thrasher shall not thrash it for ever, neither shall the cart wheel hurt it, nor break it with its teeth.
29This also is come forth from the Lord God of hosts, to make his counsel wonderful, and magnify justice.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Isaiah 28:23
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this passage uses the farmer's work to illustrate God's wise and varied methods in dealing with His people. Calvin states that Isaiah does not speak about agriculture for its own sake but to direct hearers to higher matters: God's judgments are not random but purposeful, like plowing that leads to sowing. Barnes observes that the questions in verses 24-25 imply the farmer does not plow continually, he has different tasks for different seasons. Similarly, God's judgments have an end: preparing a seed-plot for a future harvest. The Cambridge Bible suggests the first part (vv.24-26) shows that God's work of judgment leads to sowing (mercy and restoration), while the second part (vv.27-29) draws the lesson that threshing varies with the crop: tender seeds (like dill and cummin) are treated gently, but bread corn is crushed, yet not endlessly. Thus God adapts His measures to the moral needs of His people, punishing some more severely and others more lightly, always with wisdom. Matthew Henry calls husbandry a divine art, and the whole parable reveals that God is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom (v.29).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Judgment leading to restoration: The farmer plows only to sow (v.24); God's judgments prepare for a future harvest of righteousness, especially for Judah.
- Providential wisdom in all circumstances: The variety of threshing methods (vv.27-28) shows that God adapts discipline to each individual's capacity, whether severe or gentle.
What is clear: God is the source of all true wisdom, and His dealings with people—whether in judgment or mercy—are purposeful and never arbitrary.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the parable | The parable illustrates God's wise and varied treatment of His people using the analogy of a farmer. | Some interpreters (e.g., Calvin, Cambridge Bible) see it primarily as a defense of God's judgment against scoffers leading to eventual mercy. Others (e.g., Matthew Henry) focus more on the lesson of God's general providence in disciplining individuals and nations. |
| Identity of the crops | The crops mentioned (black cumin, cumin, wheat, barley, spelt) were standard in ancient Israelite agriculture. | English translations differ on the exact identity of the first two: 'fitches' (KJV, ASV) vs. 'dill' (Darby) vs. 'caraway' (BSB). The Hebrew קֶצַח likely refers to black cumin (nigella sativa), but this does not affect the main point. |
| Reference to 'horsemen' in v.28 | The verse describes threshing methods that involve driving animals over grain. | Some ancient versions (Syriac, Vulgate) read 'hoofs' (פַּרְסוֹת) instead of 'horsemen' (פָּרָשִׁים), as noted by Clarke and Barnes. The Masoretic Text supports 'horsemen,' but both readings point to animals. The interpretive difference is minor. |
| Application to Israel vs. universal | The immediate context addresses judgment against Jerusalem's scoffers. | Some commentators (e.g., Gill) apply the parable primarily to Israel's history. Others (e.g., Calvin, Barnes) see it as a timeless principle of God's wisdom in providence. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Isaiah 28:23-29 is set against the backdrop of the prophet's warnings to scoffing leaders in Jerusalem during the Assyrian threat (c. 701 BC). In the preceding verses, Isaiah condemns the rulers' false security and their alliance with Egypt, comparing their covenant with death to a short bed and narrow blanket (v.20). Then in verse 21, he warns that Yahweh will rise up to do His work, an extraordinary, unusual act of judgment against His own people.
The passage that follows (vv.23-29) is a carefully crafted parable drawn from the science of agriculture. Ancient Israelite farming involved several distinct operations: plowing to break the soil, harrowing to level it, sowing different seeds in their proper plots, and then threshing to separate grain from chaff. The farmer did not plow endlessly; he plowed in order to sow. Likewise, sowing varied by crop: wheat was planted in rows, barley in an appointed place, and spelt in its border. Threshing methods also varied: tender seeds like black cumin (קֶצַח) and cumin (כַּמֹּן) were beaten out with a stick or rod, while bread wheat was crushed under a threshing sledge or cart wheel, but not excessively, so the grain would not be ground into flour before milling.
This agricultural knowledge was understood as a gift from God. Clarke notes that all nations attributed the invention of agriculture to the gods. The interlinear shows that verse 26 uses the verb יִסְּרוֹ (yis.ser.o, 'he instructs him') and יוֹרֶנּוּ (yo.re.nu, 'he teaches him'), discipline and teaching that come from God. So the husbandman's wisdom reflects divine wisdom. By using this everyday picture, Isaiah calls the scoffers to recognize that God, like a wise farmer, knows exactly when to plow (judge), what to sow (restore), and how to thresh (administer severity or gentleness). The passage is meant to humble the proud and give hope to the penitent.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note two minor textual variants. In verse 28, the Masoretic Text reads וּפָרָשָׁיו ('and his horses' or 'and his horsemen'), but the Syriac, Vulgate, Symmachus, and Theodotion read 'hoofs' (פַּרְסָיו), as Clarke and Barnes mention. The pronunciation is close (shin vs. samekh). The difference does not change the basic sense that animals trample grain. Additionally, Clarke suggests reading וָלֶחֶם (velahem) with a conjunction based on the Vulgate, but the Masoretic Text has לֶחֶם without the conjunction. Neither variant significantly alters meaning.
Reception History
Christians across traditions have read this passage as a parable of God's wise providence. Early interpreters, including Jerome, noted the different threshing tools as symbols of varying degrees of divine discipline. In the Middle Ages, the passage was often used in sermons on the virtue of patience under affliction. John Calvin's commentary emphasizes that the farmer's skill comes from God, urging readers to behold God's wonderful hidden judgments. Matthew Henry applies it broadly to the 'art of husbandry' as a divine gift. In modern times, the passage has been a resource for those wrestling with the problem of suffering, affirming that God knows when to press hard and when to treat gently. The final verse (v.29) has been quoted in hymns and liturgies celebrating God's wisdom.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s methods are purposeful, not random. Like the farmer who plows only to sow, God’s judgments are always aimed at a harvest of righteousness. He does not afflict without a redemptive goal.
- God’s methods are varied, not uniform. Different crops receive different treatment, dill is beaten with a stick, wheat is crushed under the wheel. Similarly, God disciplines each person and nation according to their need and capacity.
- God’s methods are wise, not arbitrary. The farmer learns his skill from God; the Lord Himself is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. We can trust Him even when we do not understand His ways.
Five-point outline
- The call to pay attention (v.23): The prophet demands careful listening; the parable requires reflection.
- Plowing has a purpose (v.24): Judgment is not endless; it prepares for sowing.
- Sowing is careful and ordered (v.25): God places each grain in its proper place, fulfilling His covenant promises.
- Threshing is measured (vv.27-28): The intensity of discipline fits the recipient. God does not crush what He intends to preserve.
- All wisdom comes from the Lord (vv.26,29): The farmer’s skill and God’s governance both originate in the same source of wonderful counsel.
Illustration hooks
- A parent’s discipline: A wise parent doesn’t punish a child for every mistake with equal force; a toddler who touches a hot stove gets a firm warning, but a teenager who lies may face stricter consequences. The goal is always restoration, not destruction.
- A skilled baker: Different flours require different handling. Bread dough needs kneading; pastry dough needs gentle folding. Overworking either ruins the result. God knows exactly how much pressure each life can bear.
- An experienced gardener: Some seeds need direct sun, others shade. Some plants are pruned hard to bear fruit; others are left to grow naturally. The gardener’s wisdom matches the garden’s variety.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God allow some Christians to suffer so much while others seem to have an easy life?
- How can I know whether a difficult season is God’s judgment or just ordinary hardship?
- Does this passage mean that God will never fully destroy His people? What about Old Testament judgments like the exile?
Leading a Discussion
This passage uses the farmer’s work as a window into how God deals with His people. Before you read, think about a time when God used a difficult situation to prepare you for something good. The parable invites us to trust that God knows what He is doing, even when it hurts.
Discussion questions
- Read verses 23-29 aloud. What images stand out to you? Why does Isaiah call for attention before the parable?
- Verse 24 asks: does the plowman plow all day? What point is the prophet making about the purpose of God’s judgments?
- In verse 25, the farmer sows different seeds in different places. How does this reflect God’s individual care for people and nations?
- Verse 26 says God instructs the farmer. What does this tell us about the source of wisdom in everyday work? How does that connect to God’s greater wisdom in governing the world?
- Verses 27-28 contrast the threshing of tender seeds with bread corn. How does this illustrate the different ways God disciplines different people? Can you think of a biblical example?
- Verse 29 declares that all this comes from the Lord of hosts. How does knowing that God is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom help you trust Him in a current difficulty?
- In what ways does this parable challenge or comfort you regarding how God has dealt with you personally?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 32:1 | Give ear, you heavens, and I will speak. Let the earth hear the words of my mouth. |
| Isaiah 1:2 | Hear, heavens, and listen, earth; for Yahweh has spoken: “I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me. |
| Jeremiah 22:29 | O earth, earth, earth, hear Yahweh’s word! |
| Revelation of John 2:7 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God. |
| Revelation of John 2:11 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He who overcomes won’t be harmed by the second death. |
| Revelation of John 2:14 | But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. |
| Revelation of John 2:29 | He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. |
| Jeremiah 4:3 | For Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke explains that the farmer’s varied threshing tools—each chosen for the grain’s toughness—are a deliberate picture of how God deals with His people. God adjusts His instruction, warning and correction to each person’s need, always tempering justice with mercy so that the good are improved and the wicked reclaimed without being destroyed.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes uses the farmer's varied methods—plowing, sowing, threshing—to argue that God does not always deal with his people the same way. Just as a farmer adapts his techniques to different grains and soils, God tailors his afflictions to each person's needs. The goal is never to crush but to purify, just as the farmer threshes only enough to separate grain from chaff.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that the agricultural imagery here is not about God cultivating Israel like a field. Instead, the farmer's varied actions at different times teach that God does not punish instantly but acts with perfect timing and measure, showing wisdom and restraint in judgment.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This commentary reads the farmer parable as two lessons about God’s judgment. Plowing has a purpose and will give way to sowing. Threshing methods vary because delicate grain needs gentler treatment, just as Judah contains a tender “holy seed” that requires mercy, unlike Samaria.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws a parallel between a wise farmer and God's dealings with people. Just as a farmer uses different tools for different seeds and never threshes beyond what is needed, God proportions His judgments and corrections to each person's strength. He is never harsh without purpose, always acting with discretion and tender care.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB explains that God handles His people with the same discretion a farmer uses for different grains, adjusting mercy, judgment, and timing to each situation. His goal is not destruction but refinement, and even severe judgments serve this purpose. This vindicates God's strange work in punishing His people.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch see the farmer's varied treatment of each crop as a picture of God's measured wisdom in dealing with His people. Ploughing and threshing are not endless or crushing; God adjusts His discipline to what each person can bear, always with restoration in view.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees a double lesson in the farming parable: the plowman does not tear the ground forever but sows seed, and the thresher handles each crop with care suited to its nature. So God's judgments are measured correctives, not destruction, designed to bring Israel forth as purified fruit.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry sees the farmer's practical skill in plowing, sowing, and threshing each crop appropriately as wisdom taught directly by God. This illustrates how God's judgments are carefully measured, never harsh or random, but exactly suited to accomplish His purposes.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a parallel between a farmer who varies his work for different crops and God's diverse dealings with his people. Just as the farmer plows, harrows, threshes, and grinds each grain appropriately, God wisely adapts his judgments and mercies to prepare his people, not always punishing but taking his own time and season for each work.