In verses 23-26 there is a change in imagery. Here there is the imagery of fields and crops, of rain and water, and of intense light. They are associated with Yahweh’s healing of his people. Since there is a change in imagery here, RSV/NRSV, Contemporary English Version, Revised English Bible, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch have a paragraph break here, which is helpful

There is a clear literary connection between verses 19-22 and 23-26. Verse 23 begins literally with the phrase “And he gives,” as does verse 20. Both refer to “bread/grain” (verses 20, 23) and “water” (verses 20, 23, 25). However, the bread and water are positive symbols in verses 23 and 25 rather than negative ones, as in verse 20.

And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground: The connector And may be rendered “Then.” It may also be omitted, especially if there is a paragraph break here. The pronoun he refers to “the Lord” (Good News Translation), which some languages may need to indicate at the beginning of new subsection. There are several blessings he will give his people The first one is rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, which may be rendered “rain for the benefit of the crops that you plant.” The land of Judah was often dry, so rain was seen as a great blessing.

And grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous: The second gift is a good harvest, which is guaranteed by adequate rainfall. The Hebrew word for grain is lechem, which is rendered “bread” in verse 20. It has a generic meaning here, including any kind of food crop, not grain only. It is better rendered “crops” (Revised English Bible) or “harvest” (Good News Translation) here. The crops will be rich and plenteous. The Hebrew word for rich comes from a root meaning “fat.” The Hebrew word for plenteous comes from the same root as the noun for “oil” (see the comments on “a very fertile hill” at 5.1). Here both these adjectives describe the crops as high in quality and abundant.

In that day your cattle will graze in large pastures: Not only will God bless the crops, but also the livestock. The phrase In that day refers to some future time that God determines, as in 2.11 (see the comments there). The Hebrew word translated cattle does not refer to cows only but to all livestock, including cows, sheep, and goats. Translators should use a generic word for domestic animals here, such as “livestock” (Good News Translation) in English. Judah’s domestic animals will graze in large pastures. They will have abundant pastureland.

Translation examples for this verse are:

• He will also provide rain for the seed you plant in the ground, and the crops that the earth produces will be rich and abundant. At that time your livestock will graze in big pastures.

• He will water the crops you plant in the ground, and the harvest from the earth will be rich and plentiful. In that time your domestic animals will graze in wide meadows.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Sterk, Jan. A Handbook on Isaiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .