Isaiah 55:10

“The Efficacy of God's Word”· Isaiah 55:10–11Read in context
King James Version
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
KJV (with Strong's)
For as the rain H1653 cometh down H3381, and the snow H7950 from heaven H8064, and returneth H7725 not thither, but watereth H7301 the earth H776, and maketh it bring forth H3205 and bud H6779, that it may give H5414 seed H2233 to the sower H2232, and bread H3899 to the eater H398:
Complete Jewish Bible
For just as rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return there, but water the earth, causing it to bud and produce, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
Berean Standard Bible
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
American Standard Version
For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
World English Bible Messianic
For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it grow and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
Geneva Bible (1599)
Surely as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth and maketh it to bring forth and bud, that it may giue seede to the sower, and bread vnto him that eateth,
Young's Literal Translation
For, as come down doth the shower, And the snow from the heavens, And thither returneth not, But hath watered the earth, And hath caused it to yield, and to spring up, And hath given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,
Nederlands · STVE
Want gelijk de regen en de sneeuw van den hemel nederdaalt, en derwaarts niet wederkeert; maar doorvochtigt de aarde, en maakt, dat zij voortbrenge en uitspruite, en zaad geve den zaaier, en brood den eter;
Translation
See also
2 Korinthe 9:92 Korinthe 9:11Deuteronomium 32:2Jesaja 30:23Ezechiël 34:26Hosea 10:12Jesaja 61:11
In the KJVVerse 18,751 of 31,102 · 60.3%

Study this verse

Summary

Isaiah 55:10 presents a profound and comforting analogy, anchoring the divine promises of restoration and grace within a chapter brimming with invitations to God's unfailing love. It powerfully illustrates the unwavering certainty and absolute efficacy of God's spoken word by likening its purposeful nature to the dependable, life-giving cycle of rain and snow. Just as precipitation unfailingly descends from heaven to nourish the earth, causing it to yield fruit and provide essential sustenance, so too will God's divine declarations accomplish their intended purpose, bringing forth spiritual life, provision, and ultimate fulfillment for His people.

Context

Literary Context

Isaiah 55:10 is strategically positioned as a foundational analogy, immediately preceding the climactic declaration in Isaiah 55:11, which explicitly states that God's word will not return to Him void but will achieve His sovereign purposes. The preceding verses, particularly Isaiah 55:1-7, extend a gracious invitation to all who spiritually thirst, urging them to seek the Lord and return to Him with promises of abundant pardon and an everlasting covenant. This verse grounds these spiritual promises in a tangible, observable natural phenomenon, thereby reinforcing the absolute reliability of God's character and His covenant faithfulness. It is an integral part of the "Book of Comfort" (Isaiah 40-66), a section of Isaiah primarily addressing a people in exile or deep despair, offering profound hope and assurance of divine restoration and ultimate triumph.

Historical & Cultural Context

For an agrarian society in the ancient Near East, the phenomena of rain and snow were not merely weather events but were absolutely essential for survival and prosperity. The annual cycle of precipitation directly determined the success of crops, the availability of food, and the overall well-being of the community. Drought was a constant and terrifying threat, often interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure and leading to widespread famine and suffering. Therefore, the consistent and predictable nature of rain and snow, ensuring the earth's productivity and the sustenance of life, served as an exceptionally potent and universally understood metaphor for reliability, blessing, and divine faithfulness. This vivid imagery would have resonated deeply with the exiles in Babylon, who longed for restoration to their homeland and the fulfillment of God's promises in a land that frequently experienced unpredictable and often insufficient rainfall.

Key Themes

This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching theological and narrative themes prevalent throughout the book of Isaiah. Foremost among these is the Divine Certainty and Efficacy of God's word, emphasizing that His declarations are not empty pronouncements but are inherently powerful, purposeful, and always achieve their intended outcome, a truth explicitly articulated in Isaiah 55:11. It also highlights the theme of Divine Provision and Sustenance, portraying God as the ultimate provider who graciously nourishes His creation, both physically through natural processes and spiritually through the life-giving power of His word, leading to abundant growth and spiritual fruitfulness. Furthermore, the theme of Irreversible Purpose is central; just as the rain and snow do not return to heaven until their mission on earth is fully complete, so God's plans and promises are unstoppable and will inevitably bear their intended fruit, providing "seed to the sower, and bread to the eater."

Exposition and Analysis

Key Word Analysis

Rain geshem' H1653

From a root meaning "to shower," this word specifically refers to a heavy, soaking rain or a downpour. In an agricultural context, geshem was crucial for crop growth and was often perceived as a direct and tangible blessing from God, signifying His favor and provision. Its inclusion here emphasizes the life-giving, saturating, and transformative quality of God's word, which thoroughly penetrates and brings about profound change.

Seed zeraʻ' H2233

This term, derived from a primitive root meaning "to sow," refers to the literal seed used for planting, but also extends figuratively to fruit, offspring, or posterity. In this verse, it signifies the inherent potential for future growth, multiplication, and continuation. It represents the ongoing cycle of life and the propagation of God's truth, implying that God's word not only provides immediate spiritual sustenance but also empowers and ensures future spiritual fruitfulness and expansion.

Bread lechem' H3899

This word encompasses food in general, but specifically refers to bread, which was the staple food in the ancient world and a fundamental necessity for survival. It signifies essential sustenance, nourishment, and the immediate fulfillment of a basic, vital need. The imagery of "bread to the eater" underscores the direct, life-sustaining provision that God's word offers, satisfying spiritual hunger, providing strength for daily living, and meeting the immediate needs of God's people.

Verse Breakdown

"For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,"

This opening clause establishes the powerful analogy at the heart of the verse. It describes the natural, observable phenomenon of precipitation descending from the sky. The crucial point articulated here is that this precipitation does not return to its divine source until its intended purpose on earth has been fully accomplished. This sets up the direct parallel for God's word, emphasizing its purposeful, one-way journey from the divine realm to the earthly, designed to achieve a specific outcome.

"but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud,"

This part of the verse details the immediate, direct, and transformative effect of the rain and snow. They are not inert or passive but actively "water" the parched earth, thereby enabling it to "bring forth" (to produce, to give birth to vegetation) and "bud" (to sprout, to grow new life). This highlights the active, creative, and life-generating power inherent in these natural elements, mirroring the dynamic, efficacious, and life-giving power of God's spoken word.

"that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:"

This final clause describes the ultimate beneficial and dual outcome of the precipitation's work. The growth and fruitfulness facilitated by the rain and snow lead to a bountiful harvest, which in turn provides "seed to the sower" (ensuring future planting, continued agricultural cycles, and sustained provision) and "bread to the eater" (providing immediate, essential nourishment for the present). This illustrates the comprehensive nature of God's word: it provides for present spiritual needs and simultaneously ensures future spiritual growth, fruitfulness, and ongoing provision.

Literary Devices

Isaiah 55:10 is masterfully crafted using several prominent literary devices. The most evident are Analogy and Simile, which directly compare the reliable and purposeful action of natural precipitation (rain and snow) to the equally reliable and purposeful nature of God's word. The implied "so shall" (explicit in the following verse, Isaiah 55:11) forms the classic structure of this comparison, using the tangible, observable natural world as irrefutable proof of a profound spiritual truth. There is also a subtle yet significant instance of Personification in the idea that the rain and snow "returneth not thither" until they have accomplished their mission, imbuing these natural elements with a sense of purpose, intentionality, and determination that directly foreshadows the intentionality and unwavering resolve of God's word. Finally, the imagery of "seed to the sower, and bread to the eater" functions as a Metonymy or Synecdoche, where the parts (seed, bread) represent the entire process of agricultural productivity, sustenance, and the cycle of life. This, in turn, serves as a powerful Metaphor for the spiritual nourishment, growth, and fruitfulness that God's promises bring forth in the lives of His people.

Theological and Thematic Connections

This verse lays a profound theological foundation for understanding the very nature and inherent power of God's word. It asserts that divine communication is not merely informative or declarative but is inherently performative; it carries within itself the power to accomplish precisely what it declares. Just as God established the natural order with its reliable cycles of provision and sustenance, so too has He established a spiritual order where His promises are as certain and effective as the rain that waters the earth. This divine certainty underpins all of God's covenants, His redemptive plans, and His prophetic declarations, assuring His people that His declarations of salvation, restoration, blessing, and ultimate triumph will unfailingly come to pass. The imagery of seed and bread further connects to the overarching biblical themes of divine sustenance, abundant provision, and the spiritual nourishment derived from actively engaging with God's truth.

Isaiah 55:11Deuteronomy 32:2Matthew 4:4

Reflection and Application

Isaiah 55:10 offers immense encouragement and serves as a powerful call to unwavering trust in the absolute reliability of God's promises. In a world often characterized by profound uncertainty, broken promises, and unfulfilled expectations, this verse stands as an immovable anchor, reminding us that God's word is utterly dependable and inherently effective. It invites us to rest in the profound assurance that whatever God has spoken—whether a promise of salvation, a command for righteous living, a prophetic declaration, or a personal word of guidance—will inevitably come to fruition. This truth should cultivate patience, perseverance, and steadfast hope in our faith journey, knowing that even when we do not immediately perceive the results, God's word is actively working to bring forth its intended fruit. Furthermore, this verse challenges us to actively and consistently engage with God's word, allowing it to "water" our hearts, "make us bring forth and bud" in spiritual growth and maturity, and ultimately provide "seed" for future ministry and the propagation of His truth, as well as "bread" for our daily spiritual sustenance and strength.

Questions for Reflection

  1. How does the certainty of rain and snow fulfilling their purpose deepen your trust in God's specific promises for your life and for the world?
  2. In what specific areas of your life do you need to more intentionally allow God's word to "water" and "make you bring forth and bud" in spiritual growth and fruitfulness?
  3. Beyond personal consumption, how can you be more intentional about receiving "seed" (for future sowing and ministry) and "bread" (for present spiritual nourishment) from God's word daily?

FAQ

How does Isaiah 55:10 relate to the concept of God's sovereignty?

Isaiah 55:10 powerfully illustrates God's sovereignty by demonstrating His absolute and unchallengeable control over both the natural world and the spiritual realm. Just as He orchestrates the precise descent and purpose of the rain and snow, ensuring they fulfill their life-giving mission on earth, so too does He ensure that His spoken word accomplishes His divine will. The verse inherently implies that God's plans and declarations are not contingent on human cooperation, external circumstances, or any earthly resistance; rather, they are inherently effective and unstoppable because they originate from His supreme power, infinite wisdom, and perfect authority. This concept is further emphasized and explicitly stated in the subsequent verse, Isaiah 55:11, which directly links the efficacy of natural processes to the unstoppable, sovereign power of God's word, highlighting His ultimate authority and control over all things, both seen and unseen.

Christ-Centered Fulfillment

Isaiah 55:10 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is eternally the living Word of God. Just as the rain and snow descend from heaven to give life and sustenance to the earth, so too did the Word, God Himself, "come down from heaven" in the incarnation of Jesus Christ (John 6:38). He is the one who truly "watereth the earth," not merely with physical rain, but with the life-giving truth, grace, and Spirit that bring forth spiritual fruit and eternal life in the hearts of all who believe (John 4:14). Jesus Himself declared, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35), thereby providing ultimate spiritual nourishment that satisfies the deepest hunger of the human soul. Furthermore, He is the ultimate "seed" of the kingdom, sown into the world through His life, death, and resurrection to bring forth an abundant harvest of righteousness and salvation (Matthew 13:3-8). His redemptive mission, like the rain and snow, did not "return... void" but perfectly accomplished God's pleasure and purpose, culminating in His atoning sacrifice and glorious resurrection, which secured eternal life and reconciliation for all who place their faith in Him (Hebrews 9:12). Thus, Christ perfectly embodies the purposeful, life-giving, and unfailingly effective nature of God's word as described in Isaiah 55:10.

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Public-domain commentary

Matthew Henry

From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Isaiah 55:6–13. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.

1662–1714 · 8 verses
Passage under commentIsaiah 55:6–13
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points(1.) (2.) Details[1.] [2.] Fine details

We have here a further account of that covenant of grace which is made with us in Jesus Christ, both what is required and what is promised in the covenant, and of those considerations that are sufficient abundantly to confirm our believing compliance with and reliance on that covenant. This gracious discovery of God's good-will to the children of men is not to be confined either to the Jew or to the Gentile, to the Old Testament or to the New, much less to the captives in Babylon. No, both the precepts and the promises are here given to all, to every one that thirsts after happiness, Isa 55:1. And who does not? Hear this, and live.

I.Here is a gracious offer made of pardon, and peace, and all happiness, to poor sinners, upon gospel terms, Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7.

1.Let them pray, and their prayers shall be heard and answered (Isa 55:6): "Seek the Lord while he may be found. Seek him whom you have left by revolting from your allegiance to him and whom you have lost by provoking him to withdraw his favour from you. Call upon him now while he is near, and within call." Observe here,

(1.)The duties required. [1.] "Seek the Lord. Seek to him, and enquire of him, as your oracle. Ask the law at his mouth. What wilt thou have me to do? Seek for him, and enquire after him, as your portion and happiness; seek to be reconciled to him and acquainted with him, and to be happy in his favour. Be sorry that you have lost him; be solicitous to find him; take the appointed method of finding him, making use of Christ as your way, the Spirit as your guide, and the word as your rule." [2.] "Call upon him. Pray to him, to be reconciled, and, being reconciled, pray to him for every thing else you have need of."

(2.)The motives made use of to press these duties upon us: While he may be found - while he is near.

[1.]It is implied that now God is near and will be found, so that it shall not be in vain to seek him and to call upon him. Now his patience is waiting on us, his word is calling to us, and his Spirit striving with us. Let us now improve our advantages and opportunities; for now is the accepted time. But,

[2.]There is a day coming when he will be afar off, and will not be found, when the day of his patience is over, and his Spirit will strive no more. There may come such a time in this life, when the heart is incurably hardened; it is certain that at death and judgment the door will be shut, Luk 16:26; Luk 13:25, Luk 13:26. Mercy is now offered, but then judgment without mercy will take place.

2.Let them repent and reform, and their sins shall be pardoned, Isa 55:7. Here is a call to the unconverted, to the wicked and the unrighteous - to the wicked, who live in known gross sins, to the unrighteous, who live in the neglect of plain duties: to them is the word of this salvation sent, and all possible assurance given that penitent sinners shall find God a pardoning God. Observe here,

(1.)What it is to repent. There are two things involved in repentance: - [1.] It is to turn from sin; it is to forsake it. It is to leave it, and to leave it with loathing and abhorrence, never to return to it again. The wicked must forsake his way, his evil way, as we would forsake a false way that will never bring us to the happiness we aim at, and a dangerous way, that leads to destruction. Let him not take one step more in that way. Nay, there must be not only a change of the way, but a change of the mind; the unrighteous must forsake his thoughts. Repentance, if it be true, strikes at the root, and washes the heart from wickedness. We must alter our judgments concerning persons and things, dislodge the corrupt imaginations and quit the vain pretences under which an unsanctified heart shelters itself. Note, It is not enough to break off from evil practices, but we must enter a caveat against evil thoughts. Yet this is not all: [2.] To repent is to return to the Lord; to return to him as our God, our sovereign Lord, against whom we have rebelled, and to whom we are concerned to reconcile ourselves; it is to return to the Lord as the fountain of life and living waters, which we had forsaken for broken cisterns.

(2.)What encouragement we have thus to repent. If we do so,

[1.]God will have mercy. He will not deal with us as our sins have deserved, but will have compassion on us. Misery is the object of mercy. Now both the consequences of sin, by which we have become truly miserable (Eze 16:5, Eze 16:6), and the nature of repentance, by which we are made sensible of our misery and are brought to bemoan ourselves (Jer 31:18), both these make us objects of pity, and with God there are tender mercies.

[2.]He will abundantly pardon. He will multiply to pardon (so the word is), as we have multiplied to offend. Though our sins have been very great and very many, and though we have often backslidden and are still prone to offend, yet God will repeat his pardon, and welcome even backsliding children that return to him in sincerity.

II.Here are encouragements given us to accept this offer and to venture our souls upon it.

For, look which way we will, we find enough to confirm us in our belief of its validity and value.

1.If we look up to heaven, we find God's counsels there high and transcendent, his thoughts and ways infinitely above ours, Isa 55:8, Isa 55:9. The wicked are urged to forsake their evil ways and thoughts (Isa 55:7) and to return to God, that is, to bring their ways and thoughts to concur and comply with his; "for" (says he) "my thoughts and ways are not as yours. Yours are conversant only about things beneath; they are of the earth earthy: but mine are above, as the heaven is high above the earth; and, if you would approve yourselves true penitents, yours must be so too, and your affections must be set on things above." Or, rather, it is to be understood as an encouragement to us to depend upon God's promise to pardon sin, upon repentance. Sinners may be ready to fear that God will not be reconciled to them, because they could not find in their hearts to be reconciled to one who should have so basely and so frequently offended them. "But" (says God) "my thoughts in this matter are not as yours, but as far above them as the heaven is above the earth." They are so in other things. Men's sentiments concerning sin, and Christ, and holiness, concerning this world and the other, are vastly different from God's; but in nothing more than in the matter of reconciliation. We think God apt to take offence and backward to forgive - that, if he forgives once, he will not forgive a second time. Peter thought it a great deal to forgive seven times (Mat 18:21), and a hundred pence go far with us; but God meets returning sinners with pardoning mercy; he forgives freely, and as he gives: it is without upbraiding. We forgive and cannot forget; but, when God forgives sin, he remembers it no more. Thus God invites sinners to return to him, by possessing them with good thoughts of him, as Jer 31:20.

2.If we look down to this earth, we find God's word there powerful and effectual, and answering all its great intentions, Isa 55:10, Isa 55:11. Observe here,

(1.)The efficacy of God's word in the kingdom of nature. He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; he appoints when it shall come, to what degree, and how long it shall lie there; he saith so to the small rain and the great rain of his strength, Job 37:6. And according to his order they come down from heaven, and do whatsoever he commands them upon the face of the world, whether it be for correction, or for his land, or for mercy, Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13. It returns not re infect - without having accomplished its end, but waters the earth, which he is therefore said to do from his chambers, Psa 104:13. And the watering of the earth is in order to its fruitfulness. Thus he makes it to bring forth and bud, for the products of the earth depend upon the dews of heaven; and thus it gives not only bread to the eater, present maintenance to the owner and his family, but seed likewise to the sower, that he may have food for another year. The husbandman must be a sower as well as an eater, else he will soon see the end of what he has.

(2.)The efficacy of his word in the kingdom of providence and grace, which is as certain as the former: "So shall my word be, as powerful in the mouth of prophets as it is in the hand of providence; it shall not return unto me void, as unable to effect what it was sent for, or meeting with an insuperable opposition; no, it shall accomplish that which I please" (for it is the declaration of his will, according to the counsel of which he works all things) "and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." This assures us,

[1.]That the promises of God shall all have their full accomplishment in due time, and not one iota or tittle of them shall fail, Kg1 8:56. These promises of mercy and grace shall have as real an effect upon the souls of believers, for their sanctification and comfort, as ever the rain had upon the earth, to make it fruitful.

[2.]That according to the different errands on which the word is sent it will have its different effects. If it be not a savour of life unto life, it will be a savour of death unto death; if it do not convince the conscience and soften the heart, it will sear the conscience and harden the heart; if it do not ripen for heaven, it will ripen for hell. See Isa 6:9. One way or other, it will take effect.

[3.]That Christ's coming into the world, as the dew from heaven (Hos 14:5), will not be in vain. For, if Israel be not gathered, he will be glorious in the conversion of the Gentiles; to them therefore the tenders of grace must be made when the Jews refuse them, that the wedding may be furnished with guests and the gospel not return void.

3.If we take a special view of the church, we shall find what great things God has done, and will do, for it (Isa 55:12, Isa 55:13): You shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace. This refers,

(1.)To the deliverance and return of the Jews out of Babylon. They shall go out of their captivity, and be led forth towards their own land again. God will go before them as surely, though not as sensibly, as before their fathers in the pillar of cloud and fire. They shall go out, not with trembling, but with triumph, not with any regret to part with Babylon, or any fear of being fetched back, but with joy and peace. Their journey home over the mountains shall be pleasant, and they shall have the good-will and good wishes of all the countries they pass through. The hills and their inhabitants shall, as in a transport of joy, break forth into singing; and, if the people should altogether hold their peace, even the trees of the field would attend them with their applauses and acclamations. And, when they come to their own land, it shall be ready to bid them welcome; for, whereas they expected to find it all overgrown with briers and thorns, it shall be set with fir-trees and myrtle-trees: for, though it lay desolate, yet it enjoyed its sabbaths (Lev 26:34), which, when they were over, like the land after the sabbatical year, it was the better for. And this shall redound much to the honour of God and be to him for a name. But,

(2.)Without doubt it looks further. This shall be for an everlasting sign, that it,

[1.]The redemption of the Jews out of Babylon shall be a ratification of those promises that relate to gospel times. The accomplishment of the predictions relating to that great deliverance would be a pledge and earnest of the performance of all the other promises; for thereby it shall appear that he is faithful who has promised.

[2.]It shall be a representation of the blessings promised and a type and figure of them. First, Gospel grace will set those at liberty that were in bondage to sin and Satan. They shall go out and be led forth. Christ shall make them free, and then they shall be free indeed. Secondly, It will fill those with joy that were melancholy. Psa 14:7, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad. The earth and the inferior part of the creation shall share in the joy of this salvation, Psa 94:11, Psa 94:12. Thirdly, It will make a great change in men's characters. Those that were as thorns and briers, good for nothing but the fire, nay, hurtful and vexatious, shall become graceful and useful as the fir-tree and the myrtle-tree. Thorns and briers came in with sin and were the fruits of the curse, Gen 3:18. The raising of pleasant trees in the room of them signifies the removal of the curse of the law and the introduction of gospel blessings. The church's enemies were as thorns and briers; but, instead of them, God will raise up friends to be her protection and ornament. Or it may denote the world's growing better; instead of a generation of thorns and briers, there shall come up a generation of fir-trees and myrtles; the children shall be wiser and better than the parents. And, fourthly, in all this God shall be glorified. It shall be to him for a name, by which he will be made known and praised, and by it the people of God shall be encouraged. It shall be for an everlasting sign of God's favour to them, assuring them that, though it may for a time be clouded, it shall never be cut off. The covenant of grace is an everlasting covenant; for the present blessings of it are signs of everlasting ones.

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Historical interpretation

Historical Reception

2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.

2 quotes · AD 345–420
Ante-NicenePost-Nicene
400

Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.

AD 345Aphrahat the Persian SagePost-NiceneSourceDEMONSTRATIONS 8:15
For the rain and the snow do not return to heaven but accomplish in the earth the will of him that sends them. So the word that he shall send through his Christ, who is himself the Word and the Message, shall return to him with great power. For when he shall come and bring it, he shall come down like rain and snow, and through him all that is sown shall spring up and bear righteous fruit, and the word shall return to his sender; but not in vain shall his going have been, but thus shall he say in the presence of his sender, “Behold, I and the children that the Lord has given me.” And this is the voice through which the dead shall live. And this is the voice of God that shall sound from on high and raise up all the dead.
AD 420JeromePost-NiceneSourceCommentary on Isaiah
(Verse 10, 11) And how does rain and snow descend from the sky, and it will not return there until it has soaked the earth and makes it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread for eating. So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I desire, and it will succeed in the purpose for which I sent it. LXX: Just as the rain and snow descend from the sky and do not return until they have soaked the earth, causing it to bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread for eating. So shall my word be that comes out of my mouth; it will not return until it accomplishes what I desire, and I will make its ways prosperous and fulfill my commands. Based on what has been said earlier, the meaning here is briefly: may the people of the nations not be incredulous, that after so many wicked deeds the impious may suddenly be saved. For my thoughts are not the same as human thoughts, and as far as the heavens are from the earth, so are my thoughts separated from human thoughts. For I am most merciful and abundant in forgiving. Would you like to hear another similarity? Just as rain and snow descend from the sky and do not return there but drench the earth, and make it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish what I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. According to the twofold interpretation of anagoge, the word of the Lord can refer to that one of whom it is written: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). He who does not turn to him empty, unless he has done the will of the Father; and has completed all things for which he was incarnate, and has reconciled the world to God. He who is said to come forth from the mouth, and from the womb and birth canal: not that God has these members, but that we learn the nature of the Lord through our words. Or certainly this must be said, that the sermon of the Gospel doctrine is called a shower, and the rains that are poured out upon good earth, spiritual clouds, to which the truth of God reaches. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses promises rain and showers, saying: Let the earth hear the words of my mouth; let my speech come down as the rain and the dew, so that those who sow in tears may reap in joy. And those who sow in righteousness and in the spirit will reap the fruit of eternal life, receiving the bread of the Gospel teaching, as it is written in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: Open your eyes and be filled with bread. And again: Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. For it is not to be believed that it is commanded to those who eat, that they should open their eyes to eat this bread, by which bodies are nourished, and thus be satisfied with bread, which the poor secretly eat in Abacuc (Abac. III). But God's teaching encourages us to the bread of doctrine, which we cannot eat unless we open the eyes of our heart. Of whom Paul often writes to these, who are nourished by the words of faith and truth (II Cor. IX). And it is commanded to the teacher, that he may send the bread of his doctrine over all the water, and pour out spiritual grace upon all, and know that if he does what is commanded, he will receive rewards in the last time. And it will seem unjust that the one who gives alms should make friends for himself from unjust mammon, who will receive him into eternal tabernacles (Luke XVI): and the one who gives spiritual food and gives food to his servants in their time, will not find them after many ages, which Ecclesiastes calls the multitude of days (Ecclesiastes XI).
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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