Isaiah 55:10
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
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,
11 so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
12 You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- 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,
- KJV
- 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:
- WEB
- 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;
- ASV
- 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;
- DARBY
- 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:
- BLB
- For as the rain comes down—and the snow—from the heavens, and [from] there it does not return until it has quenched the earth and made it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the one sowing and bread to the one eating,
- ÅB
- For slik som regnet og snøen faller ned fra himmelen og ikke vender tilbake dit, men vanner jorden og får den til å bære og gro og gir såmannen sæd og den etende brød,
- OTB
- For som regnet og snøen kommer ned fra himmelen, og ikke vender tilbake uten å vanne jorden og få den til å spire og blomstre, og gi såkorn til den som sår og brød til den som spiser,
- B1930
- For likesom regnet og sneen faller ned fra himmelen og ikke vender tilbake dit, men vanner jorden og får den til å bære og gro og gir såmannen sæd og den etende brød,
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
2 Corinthians 9:9–11
As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
Read in contextDeuteronomy 32:2
Let my teaching fall like rain and my speech settle like dew, like gentle rain on new grass, like showers on tender plants.
Read in contextIsaiah 30:23
Then He will send rain for the seed that you have sown in the ground, and the food that comes from your land will be rich and plentiful. On that day your cattle will graze in open pastures.
Read in contextEzekiel 34:26
I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season—showers of blessing.
Read in contextHosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
Read in contextIsaiah 61:11
For as the earth brings forth its growth, and as a garden enables seed to spring up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations.
Read in contextPsalms 65:9–13
You attend to the earth and water it; with abundance You enrich it. The streams of God are full of water, for You prepare our grain by providing for the earth.
Read in contextIsaiah 5:6
I will make it a wasteland, neither pruned nor cultivated, and thorns and briers will grow up. I will command the clouds that rain shall not fall on it.”
Read in context