Isa 37:30 | NETfull | STEP | “This will be your reminder that I have spoken the truth: This year you will eat what grows wild, and next year what grows on its own. But the year after that you will plant seed and harvest crops; you will plant vines and consume their produce.

Isaiah 37:30

30 ^{▼▼ At this point the word concerning the king of Assyria (vv. 22–29) ends and the Lord again addresses Hezekiah and the people directly (see v. 21).} “This will be your reminder that I have spoken the truth: ^{▼▼ Heb “and this is your sign.” In this case the אוֹת (’ot, “sign”) is a future reminder of God’s intervention designated before the actual intervention takes place. For similar “signs” see Exod 3:12 and Isa 7:14–25.} This year you will eat what grows wild, ^{▼▼ This refers to crops that grew up on their own (that is, without cultivation) from the seed planted in past years.} and next year ^{▼▼ Heb “and in the second year” (so ASV).} what grows on its own. But the year after that ^{▼▼ Heb “in the third year” (so KJV, NAB).} you will plant seed and harvest crops; you will plant vines and consume their produce. ^{▼▼ The four plural imperatival verb forms in v. 30b are used rhetorically. The Lord commands the people to plant, harvest, etc. to emphasize the certainty of restored peace and prosperity.}