Isaiah 55:10–11
God compares his word to rain: it does not return empty
Study it word by word10For as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return there, but water the earth and make it give birth and sprout, and give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11so will be my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but it will do what pleases me, and it will prosper in that for which I sent it.
In its context
8“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways,” declares YHWH.
9“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are higher my ways than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
…
12For with gladness you will go out, and in peace you will be led; the mountains and the hills will break forth before you into joyful shouting, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13Instead of the thornbush will come up the cypress, and instead of the nettle will come up the myrtle; and it will be for YHWH as a name, as an eternal sign that will not be cut off.”
Its words in the original
- יֵרֵדyered· go down, bring down
Go down, come down, descend. In the causative form, bring down, take down. Going from Canaan to Egypt is "going down".
- גֶּשֶׁםgeshem· heavy rain
Heavy rain, downpour.
- שֶּׁלֶגsheleg· snow
Snow.
- שָּׁמַיִםshamayim· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- יָשׁוּבyashuv· return, turn back
Turn back, return. Also turn away; in the causative form, bring back, give back, answer. Figuratively, turn back to God (change course). Often adverbial: "again".
- הִרְוָהhirva· drink one's fill, drench
To drink one's fill, to be soaked: to drink until satisfied; said of land, to be well watered.
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- הוֹלִידָholida· bear, father
Give birth, bear children; said of the father, "father" or "beget". In some forms, help at a birth (midwife) or be born.
- הִצְמִיחָhitsmiach· sprout
Sprout, spring up; begin to grow.
- נָתַןnatan· give, put, set
Give, in a very wide sense: hand over, put, place, grant, allow, make something be.
- זֶרַעzera· offspring, seed
Seed. From there "offspring": the children and generations that come from someone. Also sowing and semen.
- זֹּרֵעַzorea· sow
Sow; produce seed.
- לֶחֶםlechem· bread, food
Bread; in a wide sense, food.
- אֹכֵלochel· eat
Eat; also consume, devour (said of fire or the sword).
- יִהְיֶהyihye· be, become, happen
Be, exist; also "become" or "happen". It is the verb of "there was", "it was" and "it came to pass".
- דְבָרִdevari· word, matter, thing
Word; what is said. Also "matter" or "thing": what is spoken about, an affair, an event.
- יֵצֵאyetse· go out, bring out
Go out, come out. In the causative form, "make go out", "bring out", "lead out", "produce".
- פִּpi· mouth
Mouth. Also what someone says or commands ("by the mouth of" = by the word of); the edge of a sword; "according to".
- רֵיקָםrekam· empty-handed; without cause
Empty-handed, with nothing; also in vain, without cause.
- עָשָׂהasa· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- חָפַצְתִּיchafatsti· desire, delight in
Want, desire; be pleased with someone, delight in.
- הִצְלִיחַhitsliach· prosper, succeed
Go well, succeed; in the causative form, make something succeed. Also rush upon someone (of the Spirit).
- שְׁלַחְתִּיshelachti· send, stretch out
Send; stretch out (the hand); let go, send away, set free.