In verses 30-32 King Hezekiah is the addressee rather than the Assyrian king, so a new paragraph begins here, which is introduced by the connector And. Verses 22b-29 were addressed indirectly to Hezekiah to comfort him, but verses 30-32 are meant for him personally. Translators should make it clear in verse 30 that Hezekiah is the new addressee. Good News Translation does this by beginning with “Then Isaiah said to King Hezekiah.” However, it is possible that the speaker is still the LORD, speaking through his prophet, as in the previous verses. New American Bible and New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh identify Hezekiah as the addressee in a footnote. Bible en français courant indicates that it is Hezekiah by beginning with “As for you, Hezekiah” (similarly New International Version). New Jerusalem Bible solves the problem by including the following heading for verses 30-32 “A sign for Hezekiah.”

This shall be the sign for you means that the following message to Hezekiah in verses 30-32 will prove that what the prophet has said is true. For sign see the comments on 7.11.

According to the rest of this verse, part of the sign is that Hezekiah and his people will be able to eat from their own crops after two years. For two years there will be little harvest since the invading Assyrian army lived off the land and the fields will need time to recover. However, by the third year they will be able to plant crops and harvest them.

This year eat what grows of itself: The Hebrew noun rendered what grows of itself refers to plants that grow spontaneously without the efforts of a farmer. The plants may grow from seed spilled accidentally on the ground at harvest time, or from seed scattered by the wind, birds, or other animals. Lev 25.5 and 11 give instructions about not eating such crops, but here they are to be eaten. Another possible rendering for this noun is “what grows freely in the fields.”

And in the second year what springs of the same: What springs of the same renders another Hebrew noun. This noun refers to the plants that grow spontaneously from the seeds that fall from the spontaneous crops of the previous year. It may be rendered “whatever the land produces alone again.” For this whole clause Bible en français courant has simply “next year the same.”

Then in the third year sow and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit: The common Hebrew conjunction here is rendered then. However, it may be better translated as a contrastive conjunction to show the contrast between the agricultural inactivity during the first two years and the planting and reaping in the third year. Good News Translation uses “but” (also Contemporary English Version, New International Version, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible). The Hebrew verbs rendered sow, reap, and eat are plural imperatives, referring to Hezekiah and his people. Many languages will require objects for the verbs sow and reap, for example, “sow seeds and reap a harvest” or “plant crops and harvest them.”

It is normally not possible within a year to plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. Vineyards take several years to produce grapes for eating. However, in the third year the people will be able to replant their vineyards, which were destroyed by the Assyrians, and eventually eat their fruit. For vineyards see 1.8.

Some translation examples for this verse are:

• “Hezekiah, I will give you this sign: This year you and your people will eat what grows by itself, then next year what springs from that; but in the third year you can sow crops and harvest them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

• “This is the sign for you, Hezekiah: This year you and your people eat what grows naturally, and next year you eat what grows from that; but in the third year you should sow seed and harvest the crop, replant vineyards and enjoy their fruit.

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 .