John Gill Commentary Isaiah 55:10

"For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater;" — Isaiah 55:10 (ASV)

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not return there. Rain and snow come down from the clouds in the heavens, and do not return again until they have done what they are sent to do, or have produced the following effects; otherwise they may be exhaled into vapours, as they often are, and drawn up again by the sun:

but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud; or, "inebriateth the earth" ^F14 ; soaks into it, and reaches the seed that is sown in it, and causes that to spring up, and rise into stalk and ear:

that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater; produce a sufficiency for food both for man and beast, and enough for seed to sow the ground with the following year.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F14: (Ura ta hwrh Ma yk) (ewv an meyush thn ghn) , Sept.; "sed inebriats" Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius; "quin imo inebriavit terram", Montanus.