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Isaiah 28:24 — Word Study

Depth

WLCהֲכֹ֣ל הַיּ֔וֹם יַחֲרֹ֥שׁ הַחֹרֵ֖שׁ לִזְרֹ֑עַ יְפַתַּ֥ח וִֽישַׂדֵּ֖ד אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃

BSADoes the plowmanchârash [farmer, cultivator] plowchârash [to till, to break up the soil] for plantingzâraʻ [to sow, to scatter seed] everykôl dayyôwm [all the time, continually] Does he continuously loosenpâthach [always, without ceasing, to open, to break up] and harrowsâdad [to break up clods, to prepare the soil] the soilʼădâmâh [the land, the earth]

Word
Listen & take awayIsaiah 28
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 24 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('ad.ma.To) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Isaiah 28:24quick helps
In a sentenceThe verse questions the routine of the farmer, emphasizing the purpose behind his work.
Who is speakingThe prophet Isaiah, using a rhetorical question to illustrate a point.
Where we areIn a section discussing the nature of labor and its purpose.
The hard wordיַחֲרֹ֥שׁ
Take awayWork has a purpose, and not every action is done continuously without reason.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbחָרַשׁ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Isaiah 28:24

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Purpose of Laborgenerated

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.

Isaiah 28:24 uses the metaphor of a farmer to illustrate that not every task is performed daily without purpose. The rhetorical questions highlight the natural rhythm of agricultural work, suggesting that just as a farmer has specific times for plowing and planting, so too does God have a purpose in His dealings with His people. This reflects a broader theme in Isaiah about understanding the ways of God in relation to human actions and divine instruction.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Jeremiah 4:3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
2Hosea 10:11–12Ephraim 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.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 2 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word יַחֲרֹ֥שׁ, ya.cha.Roshgenerated

The verb יַחֲרֹ֥שׁ (*ya.charash*) means 'to plow' and is in the imperfect tense, indicating an ongoing action. It is derived from a root that can also imply silence or engraving, but in this context, it specifically refers to the act of preparing the soil for planting.

This word emphasizes the labor involved in farming, suggesting a thoughtful process rather than mindless repetition. The farmer's work is purposeful, aligning with the broader message of the passage about intentionality in actions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase Does the plowman plow for planting every day?.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of two main clauses, both beginning with a question. The first clause asks if the farmer plows every day, while the second inquires whether he continuously loosens and harrows the soil. This structure emphasizes the rhetorical nature of the questions, inviting the reader to consider the purpose behind the actions.

The use of parallelism in the questions highlights the rhythm of agricultural work, reinforcing the idea that labor is not performed aimlessly but with intention.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates יַחֲרֹ֥שׁ as μέλλει, which means 'is he about to' or 'does he intend to.' This choice suggests a focus on the farmer's intention behind the act of plowing, aligning with the rhetorical questioning in the Hebrew text.

This translation reflects a slight shift in emphasis, focusing on the farmer's purpose rather than the act itself, which may indicate a broader understanding of labor and intention.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Isaiah 28:24 asks whether a farmer plows every day and whether he continuously loosens and prepares the soil. This verse uses rhetorical questions to illustrate that work has a purpose and is not done mindlessly.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What is the significance of the farmer's work in this verse?

The farmer's work illustrates that labor is intentional and purposeful, reflecting a natural rhythm in agricultural practices.

How does this verse relate to God's work?

Just as the farmer does not work aimlessly, God's actions are also purposeful, teaching us about the importance of intention in our own lives.

What can we learn from the questions posed in this verse?

The questions encourage us to reflect on our own routines and the purpose behind our actions, prompting us to consider whether we are working with intention.

Why does the verse use rhetorical questions?

Rhetorical questions engage the reader and invite them to think deeply about the nature of work and purpose, making the message more impactful.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What routines in my life may need to be examined for their purpose and intention?
  2. How can I ensure that my daily actions align with a greater purpose?
  3. In what ways does understanding the nature of labor help me appreciate God's work in my life?
  4. How can I apply the principle of intentionality from this verse to my spiritual practices?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Jerome references this verse in his writings, discussing the themes of labor and intention in life.

JeromeLETTER 22.20 c. 347–420
I praise wedlock, I praise marriage, but it is because they give me virgins. I gather the rose from the thorns, the gold from the earth, the pearl from the shell.
Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 28 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Isaiah 28:24 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow?.... Or, "every day"; he ploughs in order to sow; by ploughing he prepares the ground for sowing, that is his end in ploughing; and he may plough a whole day

Read John Gill on Isaiah 28 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground? Doth the plowman plow all day to sow?

Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 28 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? the ploughman doth not spend all his time in ploughing the ground, in order to the sowing it, or, as it follows, in opening it, and breaking its clods; but he hath several times for several works, a time for ploughing, and a time for sowing and harrowing, and a time for reaping, and a time for threshing, or beating, and bruising the corn for his own use; which wisdom God hath put into him. This is the sum of the similitude propounded here and in the following verses; the design and meaning whereof seems to be this, to teach them that God had his times and seasons for several works, and that the methods of his providence were various at several…

Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 28 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah 28:24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?Ver. 24. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow?] Or, Every day. Doth he not find him somewhat else to do besides? Sua sunt rebus omnibus agendis tempora, novandi, arandi, occandi, aequandi, serendi, metendi, colligandi et excernendi grani, et suae rationes singulis. And shall not the only wise God afflict his people with moderation and discretion? Yea, verily; for he is "a God of judgment, and waiteth to be gracious." We are no longer ploughed than needs; and whereas we may think our hearts soft enough, it may be so for some grace; but God hath seeds of all sorts to cast in, the wheat and the…

Read John Trapp on Isaiah 28 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(24) Doth the plowman plow all day . . .?—Better, every day. Ploughing represents naturally, as in Jeremiah 4:3, the preparatory discipline by which the spiritual soil is rendered fit for the sower’s work. It is a means, and not an end, and is, therefore, in its very nature but for a season. To a nation passing through this stage, Assyrian invaders scoring their long furrows visibly on the surface of the land, the parable gave the hope that this was preparing the way for the seed-time of a better harvest.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 28 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

23–29. A parable derived from husbandry. The motive of its insertion in this place was probably the different treatment meted out to Samaria and to Jerusalem. The precise point of the analogy is somewhat uncertain; but perhaps we may interpret the thought as follows. There are two parts. The first (Isaiah 28:24-26) appears to justify Jehovah’s procedure by the end He has in view. As the farmer does not go on ploughing for ever out of a mere blind passion for ploughing, but ploughs in order to sow; so Jehovah’s work of judgment is to issue in the preparation of a seed-plot, and in due time ploughing will give place (in the case of Judah) to sowing. The second (Isaiah 28:27-29) draws the…

Read Cambridge on Isaiah 28 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Doth the plowman ... - The question here asked implies that he does “not” plow all the day. The interrogative form is often the most emphatic mode of affirmation. All day - The sense is, does he do nothing else but plow?

Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 28 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

24-26. Doth the ploughman plough all day — That is, does he plough interminably, never cease? To sow — In order to sow, in order to make the ground ready for sowing. The parallel number is of the same meaning.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 28 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Does he who plows to sow plow continually? Does he keep turning the soil and breaking the clods?

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Does the plowman plow for planting every day? Does he continuously loosen and harrow the soil?

NETBNew English Translation2006

Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Doth he that ploweth to sow plow continually? doth he continually open and harrow his ground?

RVARevised Version, American1894

Doth the plowman plow continually to sow? doth he continually open and break the clods of his ground?

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Doeth the plowe man plowe all the day, to sowe? doeth he open, and breake the clots of his ground?

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow? Is he [all day] opening and breaking the clods of his land?

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

The whole day plougheth the ploughman to sow? He openeth and harroweth his ground!

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Does the plowman plow the whole day to sow? He opens and harrows his ground!

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

Doth the ploughman plough all the time to sow? doth he open and harrow his ground [continually]?

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Does a farmer who plows all day to sow, only plow the ground? Does he continually break up and harrow the field?

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Shall the ploughman plough all the day to sow, shall he open and harrow his ground?

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Does the farmer spend all his time plowing? Does he spend all his time preparing the soil?

BBEBible in Basic English1949

Is the ploughman for ever ploughing? does he not get the earth ready and broken up for the seed?

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseהֲ?clausenoun phrase · adverbialכֹ֣לallnoun phraseהַtheיּ֔וֹםdayverbיַחֲרֹ֥שׁdoes.he.plownoun phrase · subjectהַtheחֹרֵ֖שׁplowmanprepositional phrase · prepositionalלִtoclauseverbזְרֹ֑עַsowclauseverb phrase · verbיְפַתַּ֥חdoes.he.loosen?וִֽandישַׂדֵּ֖דdoes.he.harrow?noun phrase · objectאַדְמָתֽlandוֹhis

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text is consistent with the Septuagint and the Dead Sea Scrolls, with all witnesses agreeing on the wording of the verse. The scrolls provide a nearly complete match, indicating a stable transmission of the text.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

הֲכֹ֣ל הַיּ֔וֹם יַחֲרֹ֥שׁ הַחֹרֵ֖שׁ לִזְרֹ֑עַ יְפַתַּ֥ח וִֽישַׂדֵּ֖ד אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
הֲכֹ֣לὅληνהַיּ֔וֹםἡμέρανיַחֲרֹ֥שׁμέλλειהַחֹרֵ֖שׁἀροτριῶνלִזְרֹ֑עַσπόρονיְפַתַּ֥חπροετοιμάσειוִֽישַׂדֵּ֖דἐργάσασθαιאַדְמָתֽוֹ׃γῆν

8 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 1Qisaaa copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

הכול היום יחרוש החורש לזרוע ופתח וישדד אדמת׳ו

8 words on the leather.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q60a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[הכל] [היום] [יחרש] [החרש] [לזרע] יפתח [וישדד] [אדמת׳ו]

1 word on the leather — 7 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Isaiah 28:24כֹּל¿ all¿ allכֹּליוֹםthe daythe dayיוֹםחָרַשׁdoes he plodoes he plowחָרַשׁחָרַשׁthe plowmanthe plowmanחָרַשׁזָרַעto sowto sowזָרַעפָּתַחdoes he loodoes he loosen?פָּתַחשָׂדַדand he may and he may harrשָׂדַדאֲדָמָהland hisland hisאֲדָמָהכָּלַלto perfectto perfectכָּלַלאָדֹםto reddento reddenאָדֹםקָצֵרbe shortbe shortקָצֵרעֵדָהcongregaticongregationעֵדָהעֲבֹדָהserviceserviceעֲבֹדָהשְׁבִיעִיseventhseventhשְׁבִיעִישַׁבָּתSabbathSabbathשַׁבָּתכִּלְאַיִםmixturemixtureכִּלְאַיִםפִּתּוּחַengravingengravingפִּתּוּחַדָּלdoordoorדָּלחָרַשׁto plow/plto plow/plotחָרַשׁאָרַךְto prolongto prolongאָרַךְפְּרִיfruitfruitפְּרִי
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 28:24

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
הֲכֹ֣לha.Khol ¿ all H3605 Particle · noun common masculine singular construct
5,415× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for 'all' or 'everything' is used throughout the Bible, like in Genesis 1:31, where God sees all He has made as very good. It encompasses the entirety of something, whether people, things, or situations.
Tyndale gloss
all
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all

with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

Absolutely:

without the art., all things, all

with the art. הַכֹּל

where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every

. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all

. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned

. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3605 kol kole

or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;

hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a

plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any

(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as

many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,

whoso(-ever).

see HEBREW for 03634

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כֹּל (kol) — all.

1) all, the whole

1a) all, the whole of

1b) any, each, every, anything

1c) totality, everything

Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Part | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular construct
HTi/Ncmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.

(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.

(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).

(3) All one, "It is all one" (Job 9:22), "it makes no difference whether I live or die."

(4) At all, "If thy father miss me at all" (1Sa 20:6), "in any way," "in the least."

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
הַיּ֔וֹםhai.Yom the day H3117 Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
2,306× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word 'yom' refers to a day, which can be a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time. It is used in the Bible to describe a wide range of time periods, from a single day to a year or a lifetime. The word 'yom' is used in many different contexts throughout the Bible.
Amplified meaning
all the time, continually
Tyndale gloss
day
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יוֹם (yowm) means 'day' and refers to a division of time, contrasting with night. It can denote a literal 24-hour period, a general time span, or even a year. The term is used in various contexts, including the 'day of Yahweh,' which signifies a time of divine judgment. It also appears in phrases indicating temporal references like today, yesterday, and tomorrow.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יוֹם 2285 n.m. day

day, opp. night

Day as division of time

יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

Pl. days of anyone

Days

יוֹם = time

Phrases

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3117 יוֹם day . day, opp. night

. Day as division of time

. יוֹם י׳ day of Yahweh, chiefly as time of his coming in judgment, involving often blessedness for righteous

. Pl. days of anyone

. Days

. יוֹם = time

. Phrases

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3117 yowm yome

from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm

hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one

sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by

an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, +

chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to)

day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, +

(for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as

(... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually,

presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space,

then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble,

weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole

(+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יוֹם (yom) — day.

: day/when/time/period

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: old.

: old/(full/many)[days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

1b2a) a working day, a day's journey

1c) days, lifetime (pl.)

1d) time, period (general)

1e) year

1f) temporal references

1f1) today

1f2) yesterday

1f3) tomorrow

יוֹם (yom) — day: year.

: year[of_days]

1) day, time, year

1a) day (as opposed to night)

1b) day (24 hour period)

1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1

1b2) as a division of time

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absolute
HTd/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:

(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see

Day

The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…

The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.

¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
יַחֲרֹ֥שׁya.cha.Rosh does he plow H2790 Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to be quiet or silent, but also to scratch or engrave, like a farmer plowing a field. It is used in various contexts, including being silent or deaf. The KJV translates it in different ways, including 'cease' or 'hold peace'.
Amplified meaning
farmer, cultivator
Tyndale gloss
to plow/plot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָרַשׁ (*charash*) encompasses meanings related to cutting, engraving, and plowing, as well as devising, often with a negative connotation. It also has a related form, חָרֵשׁ (*charesh*), which means to be silent or deaf. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical actions to metaphorical implications of secrecy and silence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרַשׁ] vb. cut in, engrave, plough, devise

Qal

cut in, engrave

plough

devise

Niph. Zion, as a field she shall be ploughed

Hiph. fabricating mischief against

base

[חָרֵשׁ] vb. 1. be silent, dumb, speechless; 2. be deaf; chiefly poet.

Qal

be silent, alw. of God’s keeping silence when men pray

be deaf

Hiph.

be silent (= exhibit silence)

once causat. make silent

be deaf, shew deafness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2790a חָרַשׁ cut in, engrave, plough, devise H2790b חָרֵשׁ . be silent, dumb, speechless

. be deaf; chiefly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2790 charash khaw-rash'

a primitive root; to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to

engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate

(of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense);

hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone;

hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of

dumbness):--X altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise,

ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace,

plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep

silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue,

worker.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרַשׁ (cha.rash) — to plow/plot.

1) to cut in, plough, engrave, devise

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut in, engrave

1a2) to plough

1a3) to devise

1b) (Niphal) to be ploughed

1c) (Hiphil) to plot evil

חָרֵשׁ (cha.resh) — be quiet.

1) to be silent, be dumb, be speechless, be deaf

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be silent

1a2) to be deaf

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to be silent, keep quiet

1b2) to make silent

1b3) to be deaf, show deafness

1c) (Hithpael) to remain silent

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVqi3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

plou (charash; arotrioo): No implement of the Bible is more frequently illustrated today than the plow. This is partly because there is every reason to believe that the plows still used throughout Egypt, Palestine, and Syria are counterparts of the ancient ones. The first plows were probably an adaptation of the ancient Egyptian hoe, where the handle was lengthened in order that animals might be hitched to it. To make it easier to break up the ground, it was pointed, and handles were added by which it could be guided. The ancient plow probably varied in type in different sections of the country, as it does today. In one form a young tree Of oak or other strong wood of a diameter of 3 or 4 inches is cut off just below a good-sized branch and again 15 or 20 inches above. The upper end of the severed trunk is pointed and forms the share. Between this and the side branch is fitted a brace.…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Shares of, sharpened by the smiths of the Philistines 1Sa 13:20

→ Used by Elisha with twelve yoke (pairs) of oxen 1Ki 19:19

→ By Job' s servants Job 1:14

→ FIGURATIVE

Of afflictions Ps 129:3

¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
הַחֹרֵ֖שׁha.cho.Resh the plowman H2790 Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
74× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb can mean to be quiet or silent, but also to scratch or engrave, like a farmer plowing a field. It is used in various contexts, including being silent or deaf. The KJV translates it in different ways, including 'cease' or 'hold peace'.
Amplified meaning
to till, to break up the soil
Tyndale gloss
to plow/plot
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חָרַשׁ (*charash*) encompasses meanings related to cutting, engraving, and plowing, as well as devising, often with a negative connotation. It also has a related form, חָרֵשׁ (*charesh*), which means to be silent or deaf. The entries indicate a range of uses, from physical actions to metaphorical implications of secrecy and silence.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[חָרַשׁ] vb. cut in, engrave, plough, devise

Qal

cut in, engrave

plough

devise

Niph. Zion, as a field she shall be ploughed

Hiph. fabricating mischief against

base

[חָרֵשׁ] vb. 1. be silent, dumb, speechless; 2. be deaf; chiefly poet.

Qal

be silent, alw. of God’s keeping silence when men pray

be deaf

Hiph.

be silent (= exhibit silence)

once causat. make silent

be deaf, shew deafness

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2790a חָרַשׁ cut in, engrave, plough, devise H2790b חָרֵשׁ . be silent, dumb, speechless

. be deaf; chiefly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2790 charash khaw-rash'

a primitive root; to scratch, i.e. (by implication) to

engrave, plough; hence (from the use of tools) to fabricate

(of any material); figuratively, to devise (in a bad sense);

hence (from the idea of secrecy) to be silent, to let alone;

hence (by implication) to be deaf (as an accompaniment of

dumbness):--X altogether, cease, conceal, be deaf, devise,

ear, graven, imagine, leave off speaking, hold peace,

plow(-er, man), be quiet, rest, practise secretly, keep

silence, be silent, speak not a word, be still, hold tongue,

worker.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חָרַשׁ (cha.rash) — to plow/plot.

1) to cut in, plough, engrave, devise

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to cut in, engrave

1a2) to plough

1a3) to devise

1b) (Niphal) to be ploughed

1c) (Hiphil) to plot evil

חָרֵשׁ (cha.resh) — be quiet.

1) to be silent, be dumb, be speechless, be deaf

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be silent

1a2) to be deaf

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to be silent, keep quiet

1b2) to make silent

1b3) to be deaf, show deafness

1c) (Hithpael) to remain silent

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | V-Qal — Particle · verb qal participle (active) masculine singular
HTd/Vqrmsa
¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
לִזְרֹ֑עַliz.Ro.a' to sow H2232 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
56× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To sow or plant seed is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which also has figurative uses like spreading ideas or producing spiritual fruit. It appears in various forms, such as conceiving or yielding seed, and is used in biblical passages like Genesis and Psalm 107.
Amplified meaning
to sow, to scatter seed
Tyndale gloss
to sow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

זָרַע (zara`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sow or scatter seed. It covers various aspects of planting and yielding, including the figurative sense of producing or conceiving. The root can denote actions in different forms, such as being sown or becoming pregnant. The entries indicate a range of uses, from agricultural to reproductive contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

זָרַע vb. sow, scatter seed

Qal

lit. sow

of shrub and tree producing, yielding seed

fig.

Niph. be sown, fructified

be sown

be fructified, made pregnant

Pu. of princes and judges under fig. of trees

Hiph.

produce seed

of a woman, = bear a child

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2232 זָרַע sow, scatter seed .. lit. sow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2232 zara` zaw-rah'

a primitive root; to sow; figuratively, to disseminate,

plant, fructify:--bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er),

yield.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

זָרַע (za.ra) — to sow.

1) to sow, scatter seed

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to sow

1a2) producing, yielding seed

1b)(Niphal)

1b1) to be sown

1b2) to become pregnant, be made pregnant

1c) (Pual) to be sown

1d) (Hiphil) to produce seed, yield seed

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

sou.

See SWINE.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[SWINE]

¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
יְפַתַּ֥חye.fa.Tach does he loosen? H6605 Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
144× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to engrave or carve, and is used in Exodus to describe the intricate carvings on the furniture of the tabernacle.
Amplified meaning
always, without ceasing, to open, to break up
Tyndale gloss
to open
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּתַח (pathach) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to open' and can refer to various actions such as opening doors, loosening restraints, or engraving. It has different forms, including Qal (to open), Niphal (to be opened), and Piel (to engrave). The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, but there is some overlap in meaning regarding its applications in opening and engraving.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

פָּתַח vb. open

Qal open sack

Niph. be opened

Pi. be opened

free, i.e. ungird, camels

loosen (and remove) sack-cloth

open gates, doors

Hithp. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck

base

[פָּתַח] vb. Pi. engrave

Pu. stones engraved with the engravings of a signet.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6605a פָּתַח open .open sack

. be opened

. be opened . free, i.e. ungird, camels

. loosen (and remove) sack-cloth

. open gates, doors

. loosen thee the fetters of thy neck

H6605b פָּתַח Pi. engrave

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6605 pathach paw-thakh'

a primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively);

specifically, to loosen, begin, plough, carve:--appear, break

forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-)grave(-n), loose (self),

(be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to open.

1) to open

1a) (Qal) to open

1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to free

1c2) to loosen

1c3) to open, open oneself

1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself

Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)

פָּתַח (pa.tach) — to engrave.

1) to carve, engrave

1a) (Piel) to engrave

1b) (Pual) to be engraved

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Piel · imperfect third person masculine singular
HVpi3ms
¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
וִֽישַׂדֵּ֖דvi.sa.Ded and he may harrow? H7702 Conjunction · verb piel third person masculine singular
3× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to the act of breaking up clods of soil in a field, essentially harrowing or preparing the land for planting, as described in the book of Isaiah. It is a farming term used in biblical times. This process was crucial for agriculture in ancient Israel.
Amplified meaning
to break up clods, to prepare the soil
Tyndale gloss
to harrow
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שָׂדַד (sadad) is a Hebrew verb meaning to harrow, specifically in the context of breaking clods or preparing a field. The entries indicate that it is a primitive root and primarily used in the Piel form, which emphasizes the action of harrowing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[שָׂדַד] vb. Pi. harrow

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7702 [שָׂדַד] Pi. harrow

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7702 sadad saw-dad'

a primitive root; to abrade, i.e. harrow a field:--break

clods, harrow.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׂדַד (sa.dad) — to harrow.

(Piel) to harrow

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Piel-Imperf-3ms — Conjunction · verb piel third person masculine singular
HC/Vpu3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

har'-o (sadhadh): Sadhadh occurs in 3 passages (Job 39:10; Isa 28:24; Ho 10:11). In the first 2 it is translated "harrow," in the last "break the clods." That this was a separate operation from plowing, and that it was performed with an instrument drawn by animals, seems certain. As to whether it corresponded to our modern harrowing is a question. The reasons for this uncertainty are:

(1) the ancient Egyptians have left no records of its use;

(2) at the present time, in those parts of Palestine and Syria where foreign methods have not been introduced, harrowing is not commonly known, although the writer has been told that in some districts the ground is leveled after plowing with the threshing-sledge or a log drawn by oxen.…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Harrow

(Heb. harits), a tribulum or sharp threshing sledge; a frame armed on the under side with rollers or sharp spikes (2 Sam. 12:31; 1 Chr. 20:3).

Heb. verb sadad, to harrow a field, break its clods (Job 39:10; Isa. 28:4; Hos. 10: 11). Its form is unknown. It may have resembled the instrument still in use in Egypt.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The word so rendered, (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 20:3) is probably a threshing-machine. The verb rendered "to harrow," (Job 39:10; Isaiah 28:24; Hosea 10:11) expresses apparently the breaking of the clods, and is so far analogous to our harrowing --but whether done by any such machine as we call a "harrow" is very doubtful.

Nave's Topical Bible

→ An agricultural implement used as an instrument of torture 2Sa 12:31; 1Ch 20:3

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
¿ all the day does he plow the plowman to sow does he loosen? and he may harrow? land his
אַדְמָתֽוֹ׃'ad.ma.To land his H127 Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
225× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word refers to the earth or soil, often describing the ground as a source of sustenance. It is used to describe the physical earth, a plot of land, or even a whole country. The KJV translates it as 'country', 'earth', or 'land'.
Amplified meaning
the land, the earth
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֲדָמָה (adamah) refers to ground or land, encompassing meanings such as tilled soil, a specific plot of land, and the earth's visible surface. It can denote territory or the whole inhabited earth, and it is also the name of a city in Naphtali. The word is derived from a root meaning 'red,' likely referring to the color of soil.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֲדָמָה 224 n.f. ground, land (as tilled)

ground (as tilled, yielding sustenance)

piece of ground, landed property

earth as material substance

ground as earth's visible surface

land, territory, country

whole earth, inhabited earth

n. pr. loc. city in Naphtali

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H127 אֲדָמָה ground, land . ground (as tilled, yielding sustenance)

. piece of ground, landed property

. earth as material substance

. ground as earth's visible surface

. land, territory, country

. whole earth, inhabited earth

. n. pr. loc. city in Naphtali

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

127 'adamah ad-aw-maw'

from 119; soil (from its general redness):--country, earth,

ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land.

see HEBREW for 0119

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — land: soil.

: soil

1) ground, land

1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance)

1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land

1c) earth substance (for building or constructing)

1d) ground as earth's visible surface

1e) land, territory, country

1f) whole inhabited earth

1g) city in Naphtali

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — land: country.

: country

1) ground, land

1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance)

1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land

1c) earth substance (for building or constructing)

1d) ground as earth's visible surface

1e) land, territory, country

1f) whole inhabited earth

1g) city in Naphtali

אֲדָמָה (a.da.mah) — land: planet.

: planet

1) ground, land

1a) ground (as general, tilled, yielding sustenance)

1b) piece of ground, a specific plot of land

1c) earth substance (for building or constructing)

1d) ground as earth's visible surface

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs | Suff — Noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HNcfsc/Sp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hiz: Used often in the King James Version with reference to a neuter or inanimate thing, or to a lower animal (Ge 1:11, "after his kind"; Le 1:16, "pluck away his crop"; Ac 12:10, "of his own accord"; 1Co 15:38, "his own body"), etc. the Revised Version (British and American) substitutes "its."

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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