And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruit thereof.
And this will be a sign to prove it to you: This year you will eat whatever grows wild on its own. In the second year, you'll eat what springs up from those same plants. But in the third year, you'll be able to plant your crops and harvest them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
God is giving King Hezekiah a three-year agricultural sign to prove that Jerusalem will survive the Assyrian siege and return to normal life.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of Isaiah 37, King Hezekiah of Judah was facing a massive invasion from the Assyrian empire under King Sennacherib, who had besieged Jerusalem and threatened its destruction. Through the prophet Isaiah, God provided this sign as a promise of deliverance, indicating that for two years the people would survive on crops that grew naturally without planting, due to the war's disruption. In the third year, normal agricultural activities would resume, symbolizing God's assurance of restoration and protection for the nation.
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