Paragraph 8:7–10
This paragraph describes the agricultural and political weakness that resulted from Israel’s unsuccessful alliance with Assyria. It also predicts Israel’s future punishment as exiles in Assyria.
8:7
This verse uses terms from farming to describe the current agricultural weakness of Israel and its partial conquest by foreign troops.
8:7a–b
Notice the parallel parts that form a saying:
7a For they sow the wind,
7b and they shall reap the whirlwind.
The Bible has various sayings about sowing and reaping. This saying is a complex metaphor about the undesirable consequences of the people’s actions. This metaphor compares the people to farmers who habitually plant a small crop (“the wind”) and harvest a much larger and undesirable crop (“the whirlwind”).
they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: In this metaphor, the wind represents the people’s foolish, worthless behavior. the whirlwind represents the severe punishment that they will receive as a result.
Here are some other ways to translate this complex metaphor:
• Keep the metaphor. For example:
“The people of Israel plant the wind, but they harvest a storm. (God’s Word)
• Change the metaphor of sowing and reaping to a simile. For example:
“What they ⌊habitually ⌋ plant is like a wind, and what they will harvest is like a whirlwind.
• Change the metaphor to a simile and make the meaning of the wind and/or the whirlwind explicit. For example:
“Israel’s ⌊foolish actions ⌋ are like planting the wind, but ⌊their punishment ⌋ will be like harvesting a terrible storm.
In Hebrew, this saying begins with a conjunction that can be understood in at least two different ways in this context. Any of the following options is acceptable:
• It introduces a statement that refers back to the people’s idol worship. For example:
For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. (Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Indeed, they have planted wind and will harvest a storm!
• It introduces the reason they will reap a whirlwind. The reason is because they have sown the wind. For example:
Since they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind (New Jerusalem Bible)
In some languages, it may be more natural to leave the connection with the preceding verse(s) implied. Many versions, including the God’s Word (quoted above) do this. Use a natural way in your language to indicate the relationship of 8:7a–b to the surrounding context.
whirlwind: In Hebrew, the word whirlwind in the metaphor refers to a wind storm that causes severe destruction.
If whirlwinds are not known in your language area, here are some ways to translate the word:
• Use a descriptive term. For example:
violent wind storm
• Use a word in your language for a similar storm that occurs in your area. For example:
typhoon
-or-
hurricane
-or-
sandstorm
-or-
cyclone
8:7c–d
Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:
7c
There is no standing grain;
7d
what sprouts fails to yield flour.
These lines continue to use farming terms, as in 8:7a–b. They describe a particular crop that does not produce grain.
8:7c
There is no standing grain: This clause refers to a wheat or barley plant. This kind of plant has a head at the top of the stalk that produces kernels of grain. The grain plant that is described here has grown tall in a field. But it has no grain on it, so there is nothing to harvest.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
There are no heads on the standing grain (Revised English Bible)
-or-
A field of grain that does not ripen (God’s Word)
-or-
No grain/wheat has grown on the ⌊tall ⌋ plants
8:7d
what sprouts fails to yield flour: This clause means that what sprouts will not produce any grain. As a result, there will be nothing to grind into flour.
flour: In Hebrew, this word can refer to either flour or grain/wheat that is ready to be ground into flour. You may translate it either way. If you translate it as flour (as in the Berean Standard Bible), make sure that the connection between the plant and flour is clearly understood. In some cases, it may be clear from your translation of 8:7c.
Here are some ways to translate this clause:
The result is that there is no flour.
-or-
so there is nothing to use for making flour
-or-
there is no wheat to grind into flour
You may also translate in a more general way. For example:
it produces nothing (New Century Version)
8:7e
Even if it should produce, the foreigners would swallow it up: In Hebrew, the first clause functions like a conditional (if) statement. It describes a hypothetical situation. Even if the plants did produce some grain, foreigners would eat it.
Here are some other ways to translate both clauses:
Even if it did produce grain, foreigners would eat it all. (God’s Word)
-or-
And even if there is any grain, foreigners will eat it. (New Living Translation (2004))
Even if it should produce: In Hebrew, the object of produce is only implied. Some versions translate this clause in a general way. For example:
But even if it did (Good News Translation)
-or-
Even if it produced something (New Century Version)
Other versions make what it produces explicit. For example:
it will produce no flour (New International Version)
-or-
Even if you harvest grain (Contemporary English Version)
the foreigners would swallow it up: The Hebrew word for foreigners is literally “strangers.” It refers here to people from enemy nations who have invaded the land of Israel.
Here is another way to translate this line:
people from other countries would take it and eat it
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