As when one plows and breaks up the soil, ¹  so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.

before he made the earth and its fields, ¹  or the beginning ²  of the dust of the world.

Does a farmer just keep on plowing at planting time? ¹  Does he keep breaking up and harrowing his ground?

By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

Indeed, this is the joy of his way, ¹  and out of the earth ²  others spring up. ³ 

Wild oxen will be slaughtered ¹  along with them, as well as strong bulls. ²  Their land is drenched with blood, their soil is covered with fat.

He built towers in the desert and dug many cisterns, for he owned many herds in the lowlands ¹  and on the plain. He had workers in the fields and vineyards in the hills and in Carmel, ²  for he loved agriculture. ³ 

But he ¹  left behind some of the poor of the land and gave them fields and vineyards.

For evil does not come up from the dust, ¹  nor does trouble spring up from the ground,

But he ¹  left behind some of the poor ²  and gave them fields and vineyards.

The ¹  seed sown on rocky ground ²  is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

It is like a mustard seed ¹  that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground –

Other seed fell on rock, ¹  and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture.

They will steal your wealth and loot your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your luxurious ¹  homes. Your stones, your trees, and your soil he will throw ²  into the water. ³ 

So ¹  he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For ²  three years ³  now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it ⁴  I find none. Cut ⁵  it down! Why ⁶  should it continue to deplete ⁷  the soil?’

The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God. “You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk. ¹ 

“The first of the firstfruits of your soil you must bring to the house of the Lord your God. You must not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.” ¹ 

and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether or not there are forests in it. And be brave, ¹  and bring back some of the fruit of the land.” Now it was the time of year ²  for the first ripe grapes. ³ 

Instead he will say, ‘I am no prophet – indeed, I am a farmer, for a man has made me his indentured servant since my youth.’ ¹ 

Those ¹  on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, ²  but ³  in a time of testing ⁴  fall away. ⁵