Isaiah 55:10

New Living Translation

"The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
"Rain and snow fall from the sky and don't return until they have watered the ground. Then the ground causes the plants to sprout and grow, and they produce seeds for the farmer and food for people to eat.

Update Bible Version
For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and does not return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

New Century Version
Rain and snow fall from the sky and don't return without watering the ground. They cause the plants to sprout and grow, making seeds for the farmer and bread for the people.

New English Translation
The rain and snow fall from the sky and do not return, but instead water the earth and make it produce and yield crops, and provide seed for the planter and food for those who must eat.

Webster's Bible Translation
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:

World English Bible
For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn't return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

Amplified Bible
"For as the rain and snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth, Making it bear and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

English Standard Version
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And as reyn and snow cometh doun fro heuene, and turneth no more ayen thidur, but it fillith the erthe, and bischedith it, and makith it to buriowne, and yyueth seed to hym that sowith, and breed to hym that etith,

English Revised 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;

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,

Contemporary English Version
"Rain and snow fall from the sky. But they don't return without watering the earth that produces seeds to plant and grain 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;

Bible in Basic English
For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not go back again, but gives water to the earth, and makes it fertile, giving seed to the planter, and bread for food;

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;

Darby Translation
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:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, except it water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

King James Version (1611)
For as the raine commeth down, and the snow from heauen, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring foorth and bud, that it may giue seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

New Life Bible
The rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there without giving water to the earth. This makes plants grow on the earth, and gives seeds to the planter and bread to the eater.

New Revised Standard
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

Geneva Bible (1587)
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,

George Lamsa Translation
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and sprout and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
For, as the rain and the snow descend from the heavens. And thither, do not return, Except they have watered the earth. And caused it to bring forth and bud, - And given seed to the sower, and bread to the eater,

Douay-Rheims Bible
And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

Revised Standard Version
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And lyke as the rayne and snowe commeth downe from heauen, and returneth not thyther agayne, but watereth the earth, maketh it fruitfull and greene, that it may geue corne vnto the sower, and bread to hym that eateth:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For as rain shall come down, or snow, from heaven, and shall not return until it have saturated the earth, and it bring forth, and bud, and give seed to the sower, and bread for food:

Good News Translation
"My word is like the snow and the rain that come down from the sky to water the earth. They make the crops grow and provide seed for planting and food to eat.

Christian Standard Bible®
For just as rain and snow fall from heavenand do not return therewithout saturating the earthand making it germinate and sprout,and providing seed to sowand food to eat,

Hebrew Names Version
For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn't return there, but waters the eretz, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

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:

Lexham English Bible
For just as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and they do not return there except they have watered the earth thoroughly and cause it to bring forth and sprout, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

Literal Translation
For as the rain and the snow comes down from the heavens and do not return there, except it waters the earth and make it bring forth and bud, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

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,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And like as the rayne & snowe cometh downe from heaue, & returneth not thither agayne, but watereth the earth, maketh it frutefull & grene, that it maye geue corne & breade vnto the sower:

New American Standard Bible
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it produce and sprout, And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

New King James Version
"For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

Legacy Standard Bible
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,And do not return there without watering the earthAnd making it bear and sprout,And giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

Contextual Overview

⁶ Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. ⁷ Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously. ⁸ "My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord . "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. ⁹ For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. ¹⁰ "The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. ¹¹ It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. ¹² You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! ¹³ Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where nettles grew, myrtles will sprout up. These events will bring great honor to the Lord 's name; they will be an everlasting sign of his power and love."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as the rain: Isaiah 5:6, Isaiah 30:23, Isaiah 61:11, Deuteronomy 32:2, 1 Samuel 23:4, Psalms 65:9-13, Psalms 72:6, Psalms 72:7, Ezekiel 34:26, Hosea 10:12, Revelation 11:6

give: 2 Corinthians 9:9-11

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:12 - herb Genesis 47:23 - here is seed Ruth 1:6 - in giving Psalms 147:16 - giveth Ecclesiastes 11:3 - the clouds Ecclesiastes 11:6 - sow Song of Solomon 2:13 - fig tree Isaiah 27:3 - water Isaiah 32:20 - Blessed Isaiah 40:8 - the word Micah 5:7 - tarrieth Haggai 1:12 - Zerubbabel John 15:16 - bring Acts 12:24 - General Acts 17:34 - certain Acts 21:20 - they glorified 1 Corinthians 3:6 - God 2 Corinthians 9:10 - he Galatians 3:13 - redeemed Hebrews 6:7 - the earth Revelation 21:24 - the nations

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither,.... Rain and snow come down from the clouds in the heavens, and do not return again until they have done what they are sent to do, or have produced the following effects; otherwise they may be exhaled into vapours, as they often are, and drawn up again by the sun:

but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud; or, "inebriateth the earth" n; soaks into it, and reaches the seed that is sown in it, and causes that to spring up, and rise into stalk and ear:

that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; produce a sufficiency for food both for man and beast, and enough for seed to sow the ground with the following year.

n כי אם הרוה את ארץ εως αν μεθυση την γην, Sept.; "sed inebriats" Pagninus, Junius Tremellius "quin imo inebriavit terram", Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For as the rain cometh down - The meaning of this verse and the following is plain. This refers evidently, as the whole passage does, to the times which should succeed the coming of the Messiah. The hearts of people by nature are what the earth would be without the rains of heaven - barren and sterile. But God says that his truth shall certainly accomplish an effect similar to that produced by descending showers. The rain never descends in vain. It makes the earth fertile, beautiful, and lovely. So would it be with his truth in the moral world. The comparison of truth with descending rain or dews is exceedingly beautiful, and occurs not unfrequently in the Bible. See Deuteronomy 32:2 -

My doctrine shall drop as the rain,

My speech shall distil as the dew,

As the small rain upon the tender herb,

And as the showers upon the grass.

Compare 2 Samuel 23:4; Psalms 72:6; Isaiah 5:6; the note at Isaiah 44:3.

And the snow - This is a part of the emblem or symbol designed to denote the fertilizing effect of the truth of God. The snow, as well as the rain, accomplishes important purposes in rendering the earth fertile. It constitutes a covering that contributes to the warmth and preservation of plants and vegetation in the colder latitudes, and on the hills and mountains is accumulated in the winter months to fill the streams, or produce the overflowing of the rivers in the spring and the summer. This expression should not, however, be pressed ad unguem in the interpretation, as if it contained any special spiritual signification. It is a part of the general description of that which descends from heaven to render the earth fertile.

From heaven - From the clouds.

And returneth not thither - That is, not in the form in which they descend on the earth. They return not there as rain and snow. The main idea is, they do not return without accomplishing the effect which God intends.

And bud - Put forth its increase; causes it to sprout up, or germinate. The word ‘bud’ is applied rather to the small protuberance on the ends of limbs and branches, which contains the germ of the future leaf or flower. This word צמח tsâmach means rather “to germinate,” or to cause to vegetate in general. It is applied to the putting forth of vegetation. on the earth when the showers descend.