28:25 Once he has leveled its surface,
does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant,
sow the seed of the cumin plant,
and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places? 1
28:26 His God instructs him;
he teaches him the principles of agriculture. 2
28:27 Certainly 3 caraway seed is not threshed with a sledge,
nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin seed. 4
Certainly caraway seed is beaten with a stick,
and cumin seed with a flail.
1 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “place wheat [?], and barley [?], and grain in its territory.” The term שׂוֹרָה (shorah) is sometimes translated “[in] its place,” but the word is unattested elsewhere. It is probably due to dittography of the immediately following שְׂעֹרָה (sÿo’rah, “barley”). The meaning of נִסְמָן (nisman) is also uncertain. It may be due to dittography of the immediately following כֻסֶּמֶת (kussemet, “grain”).
2 tn Heb “he teaches him the proper way, his God instructs him.”
3 tn Or “For” (KJV, ASV, NASB).
4 sn Both of these seeds are too small to use the ordinary threshing techniques.