Lexical Summary saman: To mark, to designate Original Word: סָמַן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance appointed A primitive root; to designate -- appointed. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition appoint NASB Translation place (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs סמן verb whence Niph`al Participle נִסְמָן Isaiah 28:25 (si vera lectio) barley in an appointed place, or a determined portion (compare Ges Hi De and others), but ׳נ lacking in ᵐ5 and plausibly taken as dittograph for כֻּסֶּמֶת by WeProl. 417; Geschichte. Israel i. 409 CheComm. and Hpt. Du; compare Brd GuKau. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope The verb סָמַן conveys the purposeful marking or assigning of a place. In everyday life it described a farmer’s deliberate act of staking out rows or borders before sowing, an action that implied forethought, order, and covenantal stewardship of the land. Canonical Occurrence Isaiah 28:25 is the sole biblical use: “When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow dill and scatter cumin? He plants wheat in rows, barley in plots, and rye within its border?” (Berean Standard Bible). Here the verb lies behind the phrase “plants wheat in rows,” portraying the farmer as one who first marks out the lines, then deposits seed within those carefully defined spaces. Agricultural and Historical Setting Ancient Near-Eastern farmers relied on simple hand tools, yet they worked with remarkable precision. Ploughing loosened soil, but marking rows with a stick or plough-furrow maximized yield by ensuring equal sunlight, moisture, and ease of harvest. Isaiah uses this everyday picture to illustrate that God’s dealings with Israel are neither random nor haphazard; like the farmer, He apportions, arranges, and assigns each element of His field with consummate skill. Literary Context in Isaiah Isaiah 28 addresses leaders who scoff at God’s instruction. The prophet juxtaposes their careless attitudes with the farmer’s careful planning. Just as sowing without marking rows would waste seed, so rejecting divine order brings judgment. סָמַן therefore anchors a larger argument: divine wisdom is embedded in creation and should be mirrored in national and personal obedience. Theological Themes 1. Divine Order: Scripture repeatedly affirms that God “does all things well” (Mark 7:37). The marked rows depict a universe governed by purpose rather than chance (Genesis 1; Psalm 104). Intertextual Resonances • Hosea 10:12 urges, “Sow for yourselves righteousness,” implying intentional spiritual cultivation. Ministry and Discipleship Applications • Strategic Planning: Pastoral leaders are to “map out” ministry with prayerful precision, aligning resources and people with God’s design rather than impulse. Summary Though occurring only once, סָמַן vividly captures the Bible’s affirmation of purposeful design. The farmer’s marked rows in Isaiah 28:25 become a parable of God’s orderly governance and a summons to mirror that order in every sphere of life and ministry. Forms and Transliterations נִסְמָ֔ן נסמן nis·mān nisMan nismānLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 28:25 HEB: שׂוֹרָה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֣ה נִסְמָ֔ן וְכֻסֶּ֖מֶת גְּבֻלָתֽוֹ׃ NAS: Barley in its place and rye KJV: wheat and the appointed barley INT: rows Barley place and rye border 1 Occurrence |
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