The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

PROVERBS 27:25KJV
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Proverbs 27:25 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 27:25 mean?

Proverbs 27:25 describes the natural cycle of growth in the countryside: when the hay is cut and appears, new tender grass grows, and herbs from the mountains are gathered. The verse highlights the ongoing renewal and provision found in nature’s rhythms.

In the book of Proverbs, these words are part of wise sayings attributed to Solomon, often directed to his son or a young listener. The verse uses the imagery of farming and shepherding to point out how the land continually provides resources. This sets the stage for practical lessons about stewardship, planning, and recognizing the dependable patterns in God’s creation.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 27:25

  • "Hay" (חָצִיר, ḥatsir) refers to grass or herbage that is cut for fodder. Its mention points to the harvest and the usefulness of what the land produces.
  • "Appeareth" (נִגְלָה, niglah) means to be revealed or made visible. This word emphasizes the moment when the hay is ready and can be seen, signaling the right time for gathering.
  • "Herbs" (עֵשֶׂב, ‘esev) are general plants or green vegetation, often used for food or medicine. Their gathering from the mountains suggests a careful search for valuable resources beyond just the main fields.
  • "Gathered" (אָסַף, asaf) means to collect or bring in. This word highlights the act of bringing together what has grown, underlining the importance of timely action in making use of what nature provides.

Why Proverbs 27:25 matters

  • Proverbs 27:25 reminds readers that the world’s resources are not static; they follow a cycle, and wise people pay attention to these changes to provide for themselves and others.
  • The verse connects closely to the surrounding verses, which discuss caring for flocks and managing resources, showing that observation and diligence are key to prosperity.
  • By focusing on the renewal of grass and the gathering of herbs, Proverbs 27:25 encourages a mindset that values preparation and recognizes the opportunities that come with each new season.

Where else these words appear

“grass” Hebrew H1877 · used in 15 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.
  • 2 Kings 19:26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
  • Isaiah 15:6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.

“hay” Hebrew H2682 · used in 20 verses

  • Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:
  • Psalms 90:5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
  • Isaiah 35:7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.

“herbs” Hebrew H6212 · used in 32 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.
  • Exodus 10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
  • Psalms 104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;