The Hebrew word çâphîyach, represented by H5599, refers to a self-sown crop or that which grows spontaneously. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible. The term is rooted in the idea of something falling off and then growing of its own accord, and can also be used figuratively to describe a freshet or something easily washed away.
In biblical law and prophecy, H5599 carries specific significance. The law in Leviticus forbids the Israelites from reaping "that which groweth of its own accord" during the prescribed year of rest and the jubilee, setting aside this spontaneous growth (Leviticus 25:5, Leviticus 25:11). In a prophetic sign found in both 2 Kings and Isaiah, the people are told they will eat "such things as grow of themselves" for a year, signifying a period of divine provision before they can resume normal sowing and reaping (2 Kings 19:29, Isaiah 37:30). A starkly different, figurative meaning is found in Job, where rushing waters wash away "the things which grow out of the dust," comparing this fragile growth to the way God "destroyest the hope of man" Job 14:19.
Several related words help clarify the agricultural and metaphorical contexts of H5599:
- H7114 qâtsar (to reap): This action is explicitly prohibited in relation to the self-sown crop during the land's year of rest, contrasting human harvesting with what is left to grow on its own Leviticus 25:5.
- H2232 zâraʻ (to sow): Sowing is the human action that H5599 replaces. The presence of a self-sown crop indicates a time when people are not actively planting, either by law or circumstance 2 Kings 19:29.
- H7823 shâchîyç (aftergrowth): This word appears directly alongside H5599 in the sign given in 2 Kings and Isaiah, describing the sustenance of the second year and emphasizing a continued period of growth without cultivation Isaiah 37:30.
- H7857 shâṭaph (to gush; inundate, wash away): This is the destructive action performed on the spontaneous growth in Job, framing H5599 as something vulnerable and easily overwhelmed Job 14:19.
The theological weight of H5599 is expressed in several distinct themes:
- Divine Provision: In the contexts of Leviticus, 2 Kings, and Isaiah, the self-sown crop is a tangible sign of God's sustenance. It shows that people can be provided for even when normal agricultural cycles of sowing and reaping are suspended by divine command or enemy invasion 2 Kings 19:29.
- Sanctity of Rest: The prohibition against harvesting H5599 during the jubilee and year of rest marks the land and its produce as holy. This prevents human profit from what grows naturally, acknowledging God's ownership and the land's need for rest Leviticus 25:11.
- Symbol of Fragility: The book of Job uses H5599 to create a powerful metaphor for the frailty of human hope. Just as a self-sown plant is washed away by a flood, so too can a person's hope be destroyed by overwhelming forces Job 14:19.
In summary, H5599 is more than an agricultural term. It embodies a duality central to biblical thought. On one hand, it represents God's faithful provision and the sanctity of divinely appointed rest. On the other, it serves as a potent symbol of the ephemeral nature of life and hope on earth. Its meaning shifts dramatically with context, illustrating either God's gentle care or the stark reality of human vulnerability.
TRV