Psalms 107:37 — Word Study
WLCוַיִּזְרְע֣וּ שָׂ֭דוֹת וַיִּטְּע֣וּ כְרָמִ֑ים וַ֝יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ פְּרִ֣י תְבֽוּאָה׃
BSAThey sowzâraʻ▸ [plant seeds in] fieldssâdeh [lands used for cultivation] and plantnâṭaʻ▸ [establish, fix] vineyardskerem [gardens for growing vines] that yieldʻâsâh▸ [produce, bring forth] a fruitfulpᵉrîy [bountiful, abundant] harvesttᵉbûwʼâh [crop, produce]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיִּזְרְע֣וּ | and they sowed | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| שָׂ֭דוֹת | fields | Noun common, feminine plural absolute |
| וַיִּטְּע֣וּ | and they planted | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| כְרָמִ֑ים | vineyards | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וַ֝יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ | and they produced | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| פְּרִ֣י | fruit of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| תְבֽוּאָה׃ | produce | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest. |
| KJV | And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase. |
| ASV | And sow fields, and plant vineyards, And get them fruits of increase. |
| YLT | And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, And they make fruits of increase. |
| WEB | sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase. |
| BBE | And put seed in the fields and make vine-gardens, to give them fruit. |
All translations agree on the agricultural imagery presented in this verse.
The structure consists of a main clause followed by a subordinate phrase that details the actions and their results.
6 commentators on this verse
Gill, Poole, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
verbזָרַע
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Psalms 107:37
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 — God's Provision and Blessingsgenerated
Psalms 107:37 reflects on the agricultural practices of sowing and planting, emphasizing how these actions lead to a fruitful harvest. This verse is part of a larger narrative that speaks to God's faithfulness in providing for His people, as seen throughout the psalm. The imagery of fields and vineyards symbolizes abundance and the blessings that come from diligent labor.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 37:30 | And this will be a sign to you, O Hezekiah: This year you will eat what grows on its own, and in the second year what springs from the same. But in the third year you will sow and reap; you will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. |
| 2 | Jeremiah 29:5 | “Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat their produce. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 31:5 | Again you will plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria; the farmers will plant and enjoy the fruit. |
| 4 | Ezekiel 28:26 | And there they will dwell securely, build houses, and plant vineyards. They will dwell securely when I execute judgments against all those around them who treat them with contempt. Then they will know that I am the LORD their God.’” |
| 5 | Amos 9:13–15 | “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes, the sower of seed. The mountains will drip with sweet wine, with which all the hills will flow. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 14 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — זָרַע, vai.yiz.re.'Ugenerated
The verb זָרַע (zara`) means to sow or scatter seed. It encompasses not only the literal act of planting seeds but also carries figurative meanings, such as spreading ideas or producing spiritual fruit. The parsing indicates that it is a sequential imperfect verb in the Qal stem, used here in the third person masculine plural, referring to a group engaged in the act of sowing.
This word appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, highlighting its significance in agricultural contexts. It is foundational for understanding the relationship between labor and the resulting harvest, both physically and spiritually.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study references the Berean Standard Bible, which uses sow for זָרַע and plant for נָטַע.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The verse contains multiple clauses, with the finite verbs יִּזְרְע֣וּ (they sowed), יִּטְּע֣וּ (they planted), and יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ (they produced) governing the actions described. Each verb is followed by its respective object, creating a clear structure that emphasizes the sequence of agricultural activities.
The Hebrew word order places the verbs at the forefront, highlighting the actions taken by the subjects, which are critical to the overall meaning of the verse.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates זָרַע as ἔσπειραν, which also means 'they sowed'. This choice reflects a direct correspondence to the Hebrew meaning, maintaining the agricultural context.
Similarly, נָטַע is rendered as ἐφύτευσαν, indicating the act of planting. The consistent agricultural terminology in the Septuagint reinforces the themes of cultivation and harvest present in the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 107:37 describes how people engage in agriculture by sowing fields and planting vineyards, which results in a fruitful harvest. This verse illustrates God's provision and the blessings that come from diligent work in cultivating the land.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
To sow fields means to plant seeds in the ground, preparing for future crops and harvests.
Vineyards symbolize abundance and prosperity, representing the fruits of labor and God's blessings.
A fruitful harvest signifies the successful outcome of hard work and God's provision for His people.
This verse illustrates how God blesses the efforts of His people, providing for their needs through the fruits of their labor.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I seen God's provision in my own life?
- How can I apply the principles of sowing and planting in my daily activities?
- What does a fruitful harvest look like in my spiritual life?
- How can I be diligent in my work and trust in God's blessings?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentary on this verse highlights the agricultural imagery and God's blessings, as seen in the works of early Church Fathers.
"And they sowed fields, and planted vineyards, and gat fruit of grain" [Psalms 107:37]: at which that workman rejoices, who says, "Not because I desire a gift,Early Church Fathers on Psalms 107 →
Commentators on this verse — 6 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 107:37 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd sow the fields, and plant vineyards,.... And so raise a sufficient supply of corn and wine for the support of themselves and families.
Read John Gill on Psalms 107 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleMay yield, Heb. and they shall make or procure from their fields and vineyards. Fruits of increase; such fruits as they use to produce.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 107 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 107:37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.Ver. 37. And sow the fields, and plant vineyards] These are noble employments, such as the ancient patriarchs were much in, and the most honourable among the Romans, as Coriolanus, Marcus Curius, Cato Major, &c. Our forefathers, if they could call any one bonum eolonum, a good husbandman, they thought it praise enough, saith Cicero. Which may yield] The thankful earth yielding, by God’ s blessing, her gratum onus, full burden to the laborious tiller.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 107 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges37. And sowed fields and planted vineyards, Which yielded fruitful produce. With Psalms 107:36 cp. Psalms 107:4-5. In Psalms 107:37 the R.V. and get them fruits is possible, but not in accordance with the general usage of the phrase.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 107 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleAnd sow the fields, and plant vineyards - Cultivate the earth. The culture of the vine was an important feature in agriculture in Palestine, and hence, it is made so prominent here.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 107 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible33-42. These verses comprehend the last two strophes, the first ending with Psalms 107:38, and the latter with Psalms 107:42. The whole comprises a description of what God can do in his sovereign grace and judgment with a nation.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 107 →The verse in English, compared — 16 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
They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest.
sow fields, plant vineyards, and reap the fruits of increase.
They sow fields and plant vineyards that yield a fruitful harvest.
They cultivated fields, and planted vineyards, which yielded a harvest of fruit.
Tyndale line
And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
And sow fields, and plant vineyards, And get them fruits of increase.
And sow fields, and plant vineyards, and get them fruits of increase.
And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
And sowe the fieldes, and plant vineyardes, which bring foorth fruitfull increase.
Strictly literal
And sow fields, and plant vineyards, which yield fruits of increase;
And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, And they make fruits of increase.
And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, || And they make fruits of increase.
And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, that they may yield the fruits of the [annual] product.
They build a city to plant fields in, to plant vineyards, and to bring in an abundant harvest.
Simplified
They sow their fields and plant their vineyards, producing a good harvest.
And put seed in the fields and make vine-gardens, to give them fruit.
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.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint in all seven words of this verse, demonstrating a strong textual agreement. The Dead Sea Scrolls also reflect the same agricultural themes, although some words are partly restored by an editor.
וַיִּזְרְע֣וּ שָׂ֭דוֹת וַיִּטְּע֣וּ כְרָמִ֑ים וַ֝יַּעֲשׂ֗וּ פְּרִ֣י תְבֽוּאָה׃
7 of the 7 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.
ויזרעו שדות ויטעו [כרמים] [ויעשו] [פרי] תבואה
nothing on the leather here — 4 partly restored, 3 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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 107:37
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.
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.
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
H2232 זָרַע sow, scatter seed .. lit. sow
2232 zara` zaw-rah'
a primitive root; to sow; figuratively, to disseminate,
plant, fructify:--bear, conceive seed, set with sow(-er),
yield.
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
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
שָׂדַי (saday) and שָׂדֶה (sadeh) both refer to a field or land, encompassing cultivated areas, open fields, and regions opposed to mountains or seas. The terms can denote specific portions of ground and are associated with wildlife habitats. They derive from a root meaning to spread out, indicating flat, expansive areas.
שָׂדַי n.m. field, land
cultivated field
home of wild beasts
plain, opp. mt.
land, opp. sea
base
שָׂדֶה 819 n.m. id. [u.ak.ab]
(ordinary contr. form)open field, country
definite portion of ground, field, land
land, opp. sea
base
H7704a שָׂדַי field, land . cultivated field
. home of wild beasts
. plain, opp. mt.
. land, opp. sea
H7704b שָׂדֶה id. [7704a] . open field, country
. definite portion of ground, field, land
. land, opp. sea
7704 sadeh saw-deh'
or saday {saw-dah'-ee}; from an unused root meaning to spread
out; a field (as flat):--country, field, ground, land, soil,
X wild.
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — Sirion.
This name means field, land, plain
Another spelling of cher.mon (חֶרְמוֹן "(Mount )Hermon" H2768)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: soil.
: soil
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: country.
: country/field
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — Field (of the Launderer).
Combined with ka.vas (כָּבַס "Washer's" H3526)
This name means field, land
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: wildlife.
: wild(animals/plants)
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — field.
1) field, land
1a) cultivated field
1b) of home of wild beasts
1c) plain (opposed to mountain)
1d) land (opposed to sea)
N-mp — Noun common · feminine plural absoluteHNcfpa
נָטַע (nata`) is a Hebrew verb meaning to plant or establish. It can refer to planting in a literal sense or establishing something figuratively. The verb appears in both the Qal and Niphal forms, indicating actions of planting and being established, respectively.
נָטַע vb. plant
Qal
plant
plant, fig. = establish
Niph. be planted, fig., = be established.
base
H5193 נָטַע plant
5193 nata` naw-tah'
a primitive root; properly, to strike in, i.e. fix;
specifically, to plant (literally or
figuratively):--fastened, plant(- er).
נָטַע (na.ta) — to plant.
1) to plant, fasten, fix, establish
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to plant
1a2) to plant, establish (fig.)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be planted
1b2) to be established (fig.)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
כֶּרֶם (kerem) means 'vineyard' and is derived from an unused root of uncertain meaning. It covers the concept of a garden or vineyard, including terms like 'vines' and 'vintage.' The word appears in contexts related to agriculture, specifically in the Old Testament.
כֶּרֶם 92 n.m. (f.) vineyard
base
H3754 כֶּרֶם vineyard
3754 kerem keh'-rem
from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a garden or
vineyard:--vines, (increase of the) vineyard(-s), vintage. See
also 1021.
see HEBREW for 01021
כֶּרֶם (ke.rem) — vineyard.
vineyard
N-cp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
- Origin and antiquity of
- The design of planting
- Frequently walled or fenced with hedges
עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.
עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make
Qal 2524
do (1560 t.)
deal with
oft. in phr. do kindness with
abs. act, act with effect
make (670 t.)
produce, yield
prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
make offering
attend to, put in order
observe, celebrate, religious festival
acquire property of various kinds
appoint priests
bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
use
spend, pass, days of life
Niph.
97be done
be made, of concr. things
be produced from vine
be prepared, of food
be offered
be observed, passover
be used
Pu. I was made
base
[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze
base
H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)
. deal with
. oft. in phr. do kindness with
. abs. act, act with effect
. . make (670 + t.)
. produce, yield
. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
. make offering
. attend to, put in order
. observe, celebrate, religious festival
. acquire property of various kinds
. appoint priests
. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
. use
. spend, pass, days of life
. . be done
. . be made, of concr. things
. be produced from vine
. be prepared, of food
. be offered
. be observed, passover
. be used
. I was made
H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze
6213 `asah aw-saw'
a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and
widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,
appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,
bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal
(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)
execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +
finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go
about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X
indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,
make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,
bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,
provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,
spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be
(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.
: do/perform
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
1a2c) to prepare
1a2d) to make (an offering)
1a2e) to attend to, put in order
1a2f) to observe, celebrate
1a2g) to acquire (property)
1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute
1a2i) to bring about
1a2j) to use
1a2k) to spend, pass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be done
1b2) to be made
1b3) to be produced
1b4) to be offered
1b5) to be observed
1b6) to be used
1c) (Pual) to be made
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.
(Piel) to press, squeeze
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.
: make(OBJECT)
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vqw3mp
פְּרִי (priy) means 'fruit' and encompasses various meanings, including the literal fruit of the ground, offspring or children, and figurative fruit representing the consequences of actions. It is derived from a root that emphasizes the concept of produce or reward.
פְּרִי 119 n.m. fruit
fruit of the ground, of produce in gen.
= offspring, fruit of womb
fig. of fruit of actions, i.e. their consequences
base
H6529 פְּרִי fruit . fruit of the ground, of produce in gen.
. = offspring, fruit of womb
. fig. of fruit of actions, i.e. their consequences
6529 priy per-ee'
from 6509; fruit (literally or figuratively):--bough,
((first-)) fruit((-ful)), reward.
see HEBREW for 06509
פְּרִי (pe.ri) — fruit.
1) fruit
1a) fruit, produce (of the ground)
1b) fruit, offspring, children, progeny (of the womb)
1c) fruit (of actions) (fig.)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
תְּבוּאָה (tbuw'ah) refers to produce or revenue, typically from the earth, including crops and income. It can also figuratively denote gains, such as wisdom or the product of lips. The word is derived from a root meaning to bring forth, and its usage spans both literal and figurative contexts.
תְּבוּאָה n.f. proventus, product, revenue
product, yield, usually of earth
income, revenue, in general
fig. gain of wisdom
base
H8393 תְּבוּאָה proventus, product, revenue
8393 tbuw'ah teb-oo-aw'
from 935; income, i.e. produce (literally or
figuratively):--fruit, gain, increase, revenue.
see HEBREW for 0935
תְּבוּאָה (te.vu.ah) — produce.
1) produce, product, revenue
1a) product, yield, crops (of the earth usually)
1b) income, revenue
1c) gain (of wisdom) (fig)
1d) product of lips (fig)
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteHNcfsa