New International VersionGrain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain.
New Living TranslationGrain for bread is easily crushed, so he doesn’t keep on pounding it. He threshes it under the wheels of a cart, but he doesn’t pulverize it.
English Standard VersionDoes one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it.
Berean Standard BibleGrain for bread must be ground, but it is not endlessly threshed. Though the wheels of the cart roll over it, the horses do not crush it.
King James BibleBread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen.
New King James VersionBread flour must be ground; Therefore he does not thresh it forever, Break it with his cartwheel, Or crush it with his horsemen.
New American Standard BibleGrain for bread is crushed, Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it, He does not thresh it longer.
NASB 1995Grain for bread is crushed, Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it, He does not thresh it longer.
NASB 1977Grain for bread is crushed, Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it, He does not thresh it longer.
Legacy Standard BibleGrain for bread is crushed, But he does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually disturb it, He does not crush it longer.
Amplified BibleBread grain is crushed fine, Indeed, the farmer does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually damage it, He does not thresh it longer.
Christian Standard BibleBread grain is crushed, but is not threshed endlessly. Though the wheel of the farmer’s cart rumbles, his horses do not crush it.
Holman Christian Standard BibleBread grain is crushed, but is not threshed endlessly. Though the wheel of the farmer’s cart rumbles, his horses do not crush it.
American Standard VersionBread grain is ground; for he will not be always threshing it: and though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he doth not grind it.
Contemporary English VersionWheat and barley are pounded, but not beaten to pulp; they are run over with a wagon, but not ground to dust.
English Revised VersionBread corn is ground; for he will not ever be threshing it: and though the wheel of his cart and his horses scatter it, he doth not grind it.
GOD'S WORD® TranslationGrain is ground into flour, but the grinding eventually stops. It will be threshed. The wheels of his cart will roll over it, but his horses won't crush it.
Good News TranslationThey do not ruin the wheat by threshing it endlessly, and they know how to thresh it by driving a cart over it without bruising the grains.
International Standard VersionIt must be ground; one cannot keep threshing it forever. Even if he drives his cart and horses over it, he cannot crush it.
NET BibleGrain is crushed, though one certainly does not thresh it forever. The wheel of one's wagon rolls over it, but his horses do not crush it.
New Heart English BibleBread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses do not grind it.
Webster's Bible TranslationBread-corn is bruised; because he will not always be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleGrain for bread must be ground, but it is not endlessly threshed. Though the wheels of the cart roll over it, the horses do not crush it.
World English BibleBread flour must be ground; so he will not always be threshing it. Although he drives the wheel of his threshing cart over it, his horses don’t grind it. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionBread-[grain] is beaten small, "" For he does not severely thresh it forever, "" Nor has a wheel of his cart crushed [it], "" Nor do his hooves beat it small.
Young's Literal Translation Bread -corn is beaten small, For not for ever doth he sorely thresh it, Nor crushed it hath a wheel of his cart, Nor do his hoofs beat it small.
Smith's Literal TranslationBread shall be beaten small; for threshing, he will not forever thresh it; and the wheel of his wagon he put in motion and his horsemen shall not beat it small. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut bread corn shall be broken small: but the thrasher shall not thrash it for ever, neither shall the cart wheel hurt it, nor break it with its teeth.
Catholic Public Domain VersionBut grain for bread must be crushed. Truly, the thresher cannot thresh it unceasingly, and the cartwheel can neither disrupt it, nor break it with its surface.
New American BibleGrain is crushed for bread, but not forever; though he thresh it thoroughly, and drive his cartwheel and horses over it, he does not pulverize it.
New Revised Standard VersionGrain is crushed for bread, but one does not thresh it forever; one drives the cart wheel and horses over it, but does not pulverize it. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleGrain is threshed for our sakes because man would not otherwise be threshing it, nor break it with many wheels of his threshing instruments, nor crush it under the feet of his oxen.
Peshitta Holy Bible TranslatedGrain is trodden for our sake, because it was not profitable to tread. He has trodden it and with the many wheels of his threshers and by his hooves will break it in pieces OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917Is bread corn crushed? Nay, he will not ever be threshing it; And though the roller of his wagon and its sharp edges move noisily, He doth not crush it.
Brenton Septuagint Translationfor I will not be wroth with you for ever, neither shall the voice of my anger crush you.
Additional Translations ... Audio Bible
Context Listen and Hear… 27Surely caraway is not threshed with a sledge, and the wheel of a cart is not rolled over the cumin. But caraway is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod. 28Grain for breadmust be ground,butit is notendlessly threshed.Though the wheelsof the cartroll over it,the horsesdo notcrush it.29This also comes from the LORD of Hosts, who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.…
Cross References Matthew 11:28-30Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. / Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. / For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Hebrews 12:11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
James 3:17-18But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere. / Peacemakers who sow in peace reap the fruit of righteousness.
2 Timothy 2:6The hardworking farmer should be the first to partake of the crops.
Galatians 6:9Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Romans 5:3-5Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; / perseverance, character; and character, hope. / And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
1 Corinthians 9:10Isn’t He actually speaking on our behalf? Indeed, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they should also expect to share in the harvest.
Philippians 4:5Let your gentleness be apparent to all. The Lord is near.
Colossians 1:10-11so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, / being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully
1 Peter 5:10And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.
Proverbs 3:11-12My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke; / for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
Psalm 126:5-6Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy. / He who goes out weeping, bearing a trail of seed, will surely return with shouts of joy, carrying sheaves of grain.
Jeremiah 31:28Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, to demolish, destroy, and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the LORD.
Hosea 10:12Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: / a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
Treasury of Scripture Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen. bread Isaiah 21:10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you. Amos 9:9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like ascorn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth. Matthew 3:12 Whose fanis in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. the wheel Isaiah 28:27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Jump to Previous AlthoughAlwaysBreadBreakBruiseBruisedCartCornCrushCrushedCrushingDamageDrivesDroveEdgesEventuallyFlourGrainGrindGroundHorsemenHorsesIndeedLetsMoveRollerSharpThreshingWagonWheelWheelsJump to Next AlthoughAlwaysBreadBreakBruiseBruisedCartCornCrushCrushedCrushingDamageDrivesDroveEdgesEventuallyFlourGrainGrindGroundHorsemenHorsesIndeedLetsMoveRollerSharpThreshingWagonWheelWheelsIsaiah 28 1.The prophet threatens Ephraim for their pride and drunkenness5.The residue shall be advanced in the kingdom of Christ7.He rebukes their error9.Their unwillingness to learn14.And their security16.Christ the sure foundation is promised17.Their security shall be tried23.They are incited to the consideration of God's providenceGrain for bread must be groundThis phrase highlights the necessity of processing grain to produce bread, a staple food in ancient Israel. The grinding of grain is a metaphor for the trials and refining processes that believers undergo. In biblical times, grain was ground using millstones, a labor-intensive process that required patience and skill. This imagery can be connected to the refining process described in other scriptures, such as Malachi 3:3, where God is depicted as a refiner and purifier. The necessity of grinding also points to the idea that trials and challenges are essential for spiritual growth and maturity. but it is not endlessly threshed
Threshing was a common agricultural practice in ancient Israel, involving the separation of grain from the chaff. This phrase suggests that while discipline and refinement are necessary, they are not meant to be excessive or unending. God's discipline is purposeful and measured, as seen inHebrews 12:10-11, where it is described as producing a harvest of righteousness and peace. The restraint in threshing reflects God's mercy and understanding of human limitations, ensuring that His people are not overwhelmed. Though the wheels of the cart roll over it
The imagery of cart wheels rolling over grain further emphasizes the process of refinement and pressure. In ancient times, carts were used to transport heavy loads, and their wheels could crush anything in their path. This phrase suggests that while believers may face significant pressure and challenges, these are part of God's refining process. The rolling wheels can be seen as a metaphor for life's trials, which, although heavy, are controlled by God to achieve His purposes, as seen inRomans 8:28. the horses do not crush it
Horses, often associated with strength and power, symbolize the potential for overwhelming force. However, this phrase reassures that despite the presence of powerful forces, the grain is not crushed. This reflects God's protection and care for His people, ensuring that they are not destroyed by the trials they face. It echoes1 Corinthians 10:13, which promises that God will not allow believers to be tested beyond their ability to endure. The restraint shown by the horses underscores God's sovereignty and the assurance that He will preserve His people through their trials. Persons / Places / Events 1. IsaiahThe prophet who delivered God's messages to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. He is known for his prophecies concerning judgment and redemption. 2. JudahThe southern kingdom of Israel, often the focus of Isaiah's prophecies, including warnings and promises of restoration. 3. ThreshingAn agricultural process used to separate grain from chaff, symbolizing God's method of refining and purifying His people. 4. BreadA staple food representing sustenance and life, often used metaphorically in the Bible to signify spiritual nourishment. 5. Cart and HorsesTools and animals used in the threshing process, symbolizing the means by which God disciplines and refines His people. Teaching Points God's Purpose in DisciplineGod's discipline, like threshing, is purposeful and measured. He refines us to bring out the best, not to destroy us. Endurance Through TrialsJust as grain is not endlessly threshed, our trials have a limit. God knows how much we can bear and uses trials to strengthen our faith. Spiritual NourishmentThe process of making bread from grain symbolizes how God uses our experiences to nourish and grow us spiritually. Trust in God's SovereigntyTrust that God is in control of the refining process. He uses the right tools and methods to shape us according to His will. Hope in RestorationThe imagery of bread reminds us of the ultimate restoration and fulfillment found in Christ, the Bread of Life. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1.What is the meaning of Isaiah 28:28?
2.How does Isaiah 28:28 illustrate God's wisdom in guiding and correcting us?
3.What does "grain is ground" teach about God's process of refining believers?
4.How can we apply the principle of patience from Isaiah 28:28 in trials?
5.How does Isaiah 28:28 connect with God's discipline in Hebrews 12:11?
6.In what ways can Isaiah 28:28 encourage perseverance in your spiritual journey?
7.What does Isaiah 28:28 reveal about God's methods of discipline and instruction?
8.How does Isaiah 28:28 illustrate the balance between judgment and mercy?
9.What historical context influenced the message of Isaiah 28:28?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Isaiah 28?
11.In Isaiah 28:21-22, does the notion of God performing a 'strange work' and bringing swift judgment raise questions about the consistency of divine justice elsewhere in the Bible?
12.In Isaiah 28:9-10, is the idea of teaching 'line upon line, precept upon precept' contradicted by other biblical texts that emphasize understanding and wisdom over rote instruction?
13.In Isaiah 28:7-8, does the portrayal of priests and prophets being overcome by alcohol conflict with other passages that commend upright spiritual leaders?
14.Revelation 2:28 - How do we reconcile Jesus promising the 'morning star' here with Isaiah 14:12's use of the same term for Lucifer, and does it pose a biblical inconsistency?What Does Isaiah 28:28 Mean Grain for bread must be ground“Grain for bread must be ground” (Isaiah 28:28). The farmer knows raw kernels have to be broken open so they can become nourishing bread. In the same way: • God sometimes allows pressure in our lives so that hidden potential is released (Romans 8:28–29;James 1:2–4). • The grinding is purposeful, never random; He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). • Israel, hearing Isaiah, could trust that the coming discipline from Assyria was designed to make them fruitful, not to waste them (Deuteronomy 8:5;Hebrews 12:10–11).
But it is not endlessly threshedThe farmer stops when the job is done. Likewise: • The Lord’s correction has limits. “He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men” (Lamentations 3:31–33). • He remembers our frame and knows we are dust (Psalm 103:13–14). • Trials have an expiration date: “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace… will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10).
Though the wheels of the cart roll over itThreshing carts with iron-studded wheels look brutal, yet they separate husk from kernel without destroying the grain. So: • God may use heavy circumstances—foreign armies for Judah, unexpected hardships for us—but always with pinpoint accuracy (Isaiah 10:5–7). • What seems crushing is actually refining, producing “an eternal weight of glory far beyond comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). • He can even use oppressive powers to accomplish His purposes, then judge those same powers for their arrogance (Habakkuk 1:5–11; 2:6-20).
The horses do not crush itHorses pull the cart, yet the grain is preserved. Protection is built into the process. • God sets boundaries: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” (1 Corinthians 10:13). • His goal is wholeness, not ruin. “I know the plans I have for you… plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). • Even in discipline He leaves a remnant, a seed for fresh planting (Isaiah 6:13; 37:31-32).
summaryIsaiah 28:28 paints a farmer who knows exactly how much pressure to apply. Grain must be ground—God’s people need shaping—but the process is measured, purposeful, and protective. The Lord disciplines to make us bread that feeds the world, never to pulverize us into dust. Trust His careful hand; He grinds only as long as necessary and stops the moment the bread is ready. (28) Bread corn is bruised.--Better, as a question, Is bread corn crushed to pieces?As the poor and meek of the earth were as the fennel and the cummin, so Israel, in its national greatness, was as the "bread corn" of the wheat and barley. For this a severer chastisement, a more thorough threshing, was needed; but the end of threshing is the preservation, not the destruction, of the true grain. It is for a time, not for ever. It separates the worthless from the precious. The wheels stop when they have done their work. Verse 28. - Bread corn is braised; literally, bread; but no doubt the corn, from which bread is made, is meant. Most critics regard the clause as interrogative, "Is bread corn bruised?" - and the answer as given in the negative by the rest of the sentence, "No; he will not continue always threshing it, nor crunch it with his cart-wheel and his horses - he will not bruise it." Even where the rougher modes of threshing are employed, there is moderation in their employment. Care is taken not to injure the grain. Here the main bearing of the whole parable appears. The afflictions which God sends upon his people are adapted to their strength and to their needs. In no case are they such as to crush and injure. Only such violence is used as is required to detach the good seed from the husks. Where the process is most severe, still the "bread-corn" is not "bruised."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew Grain for breadלֶ֣חֶם(le·ḥem)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3899:Food, bread, grainmust be ground,יוּדָ֔ק(yū·ḏāq)Verb - Hofal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1854:To crush, pulverize, threshbutכִּ֛י(kî)Conjunction
Strong's 3588:A relative conjunctionit is notלֹ֥א(lō)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noendlessly threshed.יְדוּשֶׁ֑נּוּ(yə·ḏū·šen·nū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1758:To trample, threshThough the wheelsגִּלְגַּ֧ל(gil·gal)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1536:A wheel, a whirlwind, dustof the cartעֶגְלָת֛וֹ(‘eḡ·lā·ṯōw)Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5699:Something revolving, a wheeled vehicleroll over it,וְ֠הָמַם(wə·hā·mam)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2000:To make a noise, move noisily, confuse, discomfitthe horsesוּפָרָשָׁ֖יו(ū·p̄ā·rā·šāw)Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6571:A steed, a driver, cavalrydo notלֹֽא־(lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nocrush it.יְדֻקֶּֽנּוּ׃(yə·ḏuq·qen·nū)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1854:To crush, pulverize, thresh
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OT Prophets: Isaiah 28:28 Bread flour must be ground (Isa Isi Is) |
