And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.

2 KINGS 19:29KJV
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2 Kings 19:29 (KJV)

What does 2 Kings 19:29 mean?

2 Kings 19:29 promises a sign to reassure the people: for two years, they will survive by eating what grows on its own, but in the third year, they will be able to plant and harvest crops and vineyards again. This verse is meant to show that normal life and stability will return after a time of hardship.

The prophet Isaiah is speaking to King Hezekiah of Judah during the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem. The city is under threat, and the people are worried about survival. Isaiah’s message uses everyday farming to show God’s care: first, they will rely on naturally growing food, but soon they will be able to farm as usual, signaling that the crisis will end.

The Hebrew behind 2 Kings 19:29

  • "sign" (אוֹת, 'ot, H226): This word means a mark or proof. Here, it refers to a concrete event that will confirm Isaiah’s message is true.
  • "grow" (סָפִיחַ, safiach, H5599): This word describes plants that sprout up on their own, without being intentionally sown. It highlights that in the first year, the people will eat only what comes up naturally, not from planned farming.
  • "springeth" (שָׁחִיס, shachis, H7823): This word is similar to "grow," but points to a second cycle of naturally growing crops, reinforcing the idea of survival without normal agriculture for two years.
  • "sow" (זָרַע, zara, H2232), "reap" (קָצַר, qatsar, H7114), "plant" (נָטַע, nata, H5193): These words describe the return to regular farming in the third year, marking a shift from survival to restoration.

Why 2 Kings 19:29 matters

  • 2 Kings 19:29 clears up that the hardship facing Jerusalem was not permanent; God gave a specific timeline for recovery, which would have reassured the people.
  • The verse emphasizes that God’s sign is practical and observable, not just a vague promise—people could literally watch for these changes in their fields.
  • This verse connects to the larger story of God protecting Jerusalem from the Assyrians, showing that God’s deliverance includes both immediate survival and long-term restoration.

Where else these words appear

“springeth” Hebrew H7823 · used in 2 verses

  • Isaiah 37:30 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.

“grow” Hebrew H5599 · used in 5 verses

  • Leviticus 25:5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.
  • Leviticus 25:11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
  • Job 14:19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

“reap” Hebrew H7114 · used in 46 verses

  • Leviticus 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
  • Ruth 2:9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have drawn.
  • Isaiah 17:5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

“sow” Hebrew H2232 · used in 54 verses

  • Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
  • Deuteronomy 11:10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:
  • Isaiah 32:20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth thither the feet of the ox and the ass.