Isaiah 37:30

And this [shall be] a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat [this] year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.

And this shall be a sign {H226} unto thee, Ye shall eat {H398} this year {H8141} such as groweth {H5599} of itself; and the second {H8145} year {H8141} that which springeth {H7823} of the same: and in the third {H7992} year {H8141} sow {H2232} ye, and reap {H7114}, and plant {H5193} vineyards {H3754}, and eat {H398} the fruit {H6529} thereof.

"'This will be the sign for you [people of Isra'el]: this year, you will eat the grain that grows of itself; the second year, you will eat what grows from that; but in the third year, you will sow, reap, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

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.

And this shall be the sign unto thee: ye shall eat this year that which groweth of itself, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.

Isaiah 37:30 (KJV) Commentary

Text: "And this [shall be] a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat [this] year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof."

Context and Background

This verse is part of God's powerful answer to King Hezekiah's desperate prayer. Jerusalem was under siege by the mighty Assyrian army led by Sennacherib, who had sent a blasphemous letter challenging both Hezekiah and the Lord God of Israel. Hezekiah had spread the letter before the Lord in the temple and sought divine intervention. God, through the prophet Isaiah, promises deliverance and gives this specific sign to confirm the certainty of His word.

Meaning and Themes

The sign given to Hezekiah is an agricultural one, spanning three years:

  • Year 1 (This year): The people will eat "such as groweth of itself." This refers to volunteer crops, grain that sprouts naturally from seed scattered during the previous harvest or left unharvested due to the invasion and disruption.
  • Year 2 (Second year): They will eat "that which springeth of the same." This likely refers to a second growth from the roots or scattered seeds of the volunteer crop from the first year, or perhaps continued reliance on natural provision as normal farming is still not fully resumed.
  • Year 3 (Third year): Full restoration is promised. The people will be able to "sow, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof," indicating a return to normal, productive agricultural life and stability.

This sign assures Hezekiah that the Assyrian threat would be removed, and the land, though disrupted, would recover under God's provision, culminating in a return to prosperity and settled life. Key themes are God's faithfulness, His detailed provision for His people, His power to restore even after devastation, and the assurance that His promises are certain.

Linguistic Note

The Hebrew words for "groweth of itself" (saphiach) and "springeth of the same" (shachis) both refer to volunteer growth from previously sown or harvested fields, emphasizing that during these first two years, the provision would come not from normal farming but from God's natural allowance, a sign of His care during the period of recovery.

Significance and Application

The sign demonstrated God's complete control, not only over armies and kings but also over the very processes of nature and agriculture. It provided a tangible, time-bound assurance of future security and prosperity after the immediate crisis. For us, it can be a reminder that God's restoration often involves a process, moving from disruption to reliance on His basic provision, and finally to full fruitfulness. We can trust in God's timing and His ability to bring life and productivity back into areas of our lives that have been devastated or disrupted, knowing His promises are reliable.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 2 Kings 19:29

    And this [shall be] a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.

  • 1 Kings 13:3

    And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This [is] the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that [are] upon it shall be poured out.

  • 1 Kings 13:5

    The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

  • Isaiah 7:14

    Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

  • 2 Kings 20:9

    And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?

  • Leviticus 25:4

    But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

  • Leviticus 25:5

    That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: [for] it is a year of rest unto the land.

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