תהלים 104:14

Hebrew Modern Translation

מצמיח חציר לבהמה ועשב לעבדת האדם להוציא לחם מן הארץ׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Aleppo Codex
חציר לבהמה ועשב לעבדת האדם להוציא לחם מן-הארץ

Biblia Hebrica Stuttgartensia (1967/77)
מַצְמִ֤יחַ חָצִ֨יר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָ֗ה וְ֭עֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַ֣ת הָאָדָ֑ם לְהֹ֥וצִיא לֶ֝֗חֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ ׃

Westminster Leningrad Codex
מַצְמִיחַ חָצִיר ׀ לַבְּהֵמָה וְעֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַת הָאָדָם לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ ׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

causeth: Psalms 145:15, Psalms 145:16, Psalms 147:8, Psalms 147:9, Genesis 1:11, Genesis 1:12, Genesis 1:29, Genesis 2:5, 1 Kings 18:5, Jeremiah 14:5, Jeremiah 14:6, Joel 2:22

herb: Genesis 1:29, Genesis 2:9, Genesis 3:18, Genesis 9:3

that he: Psalms 136:25, Genesis 4:12, Job 28:5, 1 Corinthians 3:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:30 - General Deuteronomy 11:15 - And I will Ruth 1:6 - in giving Job 6:5 - when he hath grass Job 40:15 - he Job 40:20 - where Psalms 36:6 - thou Psalms 50:10 - cattle Psalms 65:9 - visitest Proverbs 27:25 - hay Ecclesiastes 5:9 - the profit Isaiah 30:23 - shall he Jonah 4:11 - and also 1 Corinthians 15:38 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,.... By means of rain falling upon the tender herb, and upon the mown grass, whereby provision of food is made for those creatures that live upon grass.

And herb for the service of man: some herbs being for physic for him, and others for food, and all more or less for his use. Herbs were the original food of man, Genesis 1:29 and still a dinner of herbs, where love is, is better than a stalled ox, and hatred therewith, Proverbs 15:17. Some render it, "and herb at the tillage of man" o: grass grows of itself for the use of the cattle; but the herb, as wheat and the like, which is for the use of man, is caused to grow when man has taken some pains with the earth, and has tilled and manured it: but the former sense seems best.

That he may bring forth food out of the earth; either that man may do it by his tillage; or rather that the Lord may do it, by sending rain, and causing the grass and herbs to grow. However, man's food, as well as the food of beasts, comes out of the earth, as he himself does, and to which he must return.

o לעבדת "ad culturam", Cocceius, some in Vatablus, and Michaelis; so Gussetius, p. 572.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle - Out of the earth there is caused to grow every variety of food necessary for the various orders of beings that are placed upon it. The idea here is not merely that of “abundance;” it is also that of “variety:” the needs and tastes of all have been consulted in the productions of the earth. The one earth - the same earth - has been made to produce the endless varieties of food required for the creatures that have been placed on it. The word “grass” here refers to all the vegetable productions needful for cattle.

And herb for the service of man - Genesis 1:29. The word “herb” here would include every green plant or vegetable; or all that the earth produces for the food of man. This, of course, refers to the earth as it came from the hand of God, and to the original arrangement, before permission was given to man to eat the flesh of animals, Genesis 9:3. The word translated “service” might be rendered “culture,” as if man was to cultivate it for his use, not that it was to be produced, as the food for cattle, spontaneously.

That he may bring forth food out of the earth - Hebrew, “bread.” That is, that by culture he may bring forth that which would make bread.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 104:14. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle — Doth God care for oxen? Yes, and there is not a beast of the field that does not share his merciful regards.

And herb for the service of man — Plants, esculent herbs, and nutritive grain in general; and thus he brings forth food ( lechem, bread) out of the earth. In the germination and growth of a grain of wheat there is a profusion of miracles. God takes care of man, and of all those animals which are so necessary to the convenience and comfort of man.