Genesis 3:18 — Word Study
WLCוְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־ עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
BSABoth thornsqôwts [prickly growths, thorny plants] and thistlesdardar [thorny weeds] it {will} yieldtsâmach▸ [spring forth, grow] and you {will} eatʼâkal [devour, consume] the plantsʻeseb [vegetation] of the fieldsâdeh [land, earthly realm]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וְק֥וֹץ | and thorn[s] | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| וְדַרְדַּ֖ר | and thistle[s] | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ | will cause to sprout | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect third person feminine singular |
| לָ֑ךְ | for you | Preposition, suffix |
| וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ | and you will eat | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect second person masculine singular |
| אֶת־ | the object marker | Particle |
| עֵ֥שֶׂב | [the] vegetation of | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃ | the field | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. |
| KJV | Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; |
| ASV | thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; |
| YLT | and thorn and bramble it doth bring forth to thee, and thou hast eaten the herb of the field; |
| WEB | It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. |
| BBE | Thorns and waste plants will come up, and the plants of the field will be your food; |
Where they part company is תַּצְמִ֣יחַ — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by a conjunction and another main clause, making it a compound sentence that connects the consequences of the ground's yield to Adam's eating.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbצָמַח
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Genesis 3:18
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Consequences of Singenerated
Genesis 3:18 describes the consequences of Adam's disobedience. God informs Adam that the ground will produce thorns and thistles, indicating that his relationship with the earth has changed. This theme of toil and hardship is echoed in the surrounding verses, where God outlines the difficulties Adam will face in providing for himself and his family.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua 23:13 | know for sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become for you a snare and a trap, a scourge in your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you. |
| 2 | Job 5:5 | The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth. |
| 3 | Job 31:40 | then let briers grow instead of wheat and stinkweed instead of barley.” Thus conclude the words of Job. |
| 4 | Proverbs 22:5 | Thorns and snares lie on the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul stays far from them. |
| 5 | Proverbs 24:31 | Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 16 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — קוֹץ, ve.Kotzgenerated
The word קוֹץ (kotz) refers to thorns, derived from a root meaning to prick. It signifies sharp, prickly growths that emerge from the ground, representing the difficulties that will now accompany Adam's labor.
In this context, the thorns symbolize the challenges and hardships that result from sin. The use of this word highlights the transformation of the earth from a place of abundance to one that requires struggle and effort to cultivate.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb תַּצְמִ֣יחַ, will cause to sprout, governs the sentence, indicating what the ground will produce. The structure is straightforward, with the subject being the ground and the objects being the thorns and thistles.
The sentence follows a typical Hebrew structure, where the main verb appears early, establishing the action of yielding, followed by the objects of that action.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, קוֹץ is rendered as ἀκάνθας (akanthas), which also means thorns. This choice aligns closely with the original Hebrew, maintaining the imagery of prickly plants.
The translation reflects a consistent understanding of the consequences of sin, emphasizing the harsh realities that emerge from Adam's actions.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Genesis 3:18 tells us that because of Adam's sin, the ground will now produce thorns and thistles. This means that Adam will have to work hard to get food from the earth, which will no longer yield its bounty easily.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It signifies that life will now involve struggle and hardship due to Adam's disobedience.
They symbolize the difficulties and challenges that arise as a consequence of sin.
It indicates that work will now be toil and filled with challenges, contrasting with the ease of life in the Garden of Eden.
It teaches that disobedience leads to hardship and that the natural world is affected by human actions.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced the consequences of my own actions?
- How can I approach my work with a better attitude, knowing it may involve toil?
- What are some thorns and thistles in my life that I need to address?
- How does understanding the consequences of sin help me in my daily life?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Ambrose of Milan references this verse in his work, discussing the distinction between Adam's labor and the serpent's actions.
There, too, is that distinction between the serpent who is said to eat the earth and Adam, to whom God said: ' You shall eat in sadness the herbs of the field.' [ Genesis 3:18 ] We…Early Church Fathers on Genesis 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Genesis 3:18 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee,.... Not for his advantage, but to give him more trouble, and cause him more fatigue and sorrow to root them up: these include all sorts of
Read John Gill on Genesis 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee - [ qowts (H6975), a thorn (Ezekiel 28:24), but
Read Robert Jamieson on Genesis 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThorns also and thistles, and other unuseful and hurtful plants, synecdochically contained under these, shall it bring forth to thee, of its own accord, not to thy benefit, but to thy grief and punishment; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field, instead of those generous and delicious fruits of Paradise, which because thou didst despise, thou shalt no more taste of. See .
Read Matthew Poole on Genesis 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsGenesis 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;Ver. 18. Thorns also and thistles.] Ubi veritas dixit, quod terra homini spinas et tribulos germinaret, subintelligendum fuit, ait Petrarcha, et rusticos tribulis omnibus asperiores. The clowns of Midian drove Jethro’ s daughters from the water they had drawn. Rudeness hath no respect either to sex or condition. Those churls of Succoth were worthily "threshed with thorns of the wilderness, and with briers," and thereby "taught" better manners. Thou shalt eat the herb of the field.] And no longer feed on these pleasant fruits of Paradise, which by thy sin thou hast forfeited. Thus man…
Read John Trapp on Genesis 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17, 18) Unto Adam (without the article, and therefore a proper name) he said.—Lange thoughtfully remarks that while the woman was punished by the entrance of sorrow into the small subjective world of her womanly calling, man is punished by the derangement of the great objective world over which he was to have dominion. Instead of protecting his wife and shielding her from evil, he had passively followed her lead in disobeying God’s command; and therefore “the ground,” the adâmâh out of which Adam had been formed, instead of being as heretofore his friend and willing subject, becomes unfruitful, and must be forced by toil and labour to yield its produce. Left to itself, it will no longer…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Genesis 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 18. Thorns also and thistles, c.] Instead of producing nourishing grain and useful vegetables, noxious weeds shall be peculiarly prolific, injure the ground, choke the good seed, and mock the hopes of the husbandman and thou shalt eat the herb of the field - thou shalt no longer have the privilege of this garden of delights, but must go to the common champaign country, and feed on such herbs as thou canst find, till by labour and industry thou hast raised others more suitable to thee and more comfortable. In the curse pronounced on the ground there is much more implied than generally appears. The amazing fertility of some of the most common thistles and thorns renders them the most…
Read AdamClarke on Genesis 3 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges18. thorns also, &c.] These are not new products of the soil because of sin, but are typical of that which the earth brings forth of itself, and of ground neglected or rendered fallow by man’s indolence. Left to itself, the soil produces weeds which must be removed. Man is to live upon that which he laboriously sows and plants and cultivates. thistles] Elsewhere only in Hosea 10:8. the herb of the field] It is here ordained that man shall eat “the herb of the field,” requiring laborious cultivation. This is a change from the diet of fruit assigned to him in Genesis 2:16 (J). The passage assumes that agriculture was man’s first industry. Anthropology tells a different story; but the Hebrew…
Read Cambridge on Genesis 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible18. Thorns also and thistles — Not that these had never yet grown, though they may not have existed in the garden. They become a curse and a plague by often outstripping the better herbs.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Genesis 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
It will yield thorns and thistles to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.
Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you, but you will eat the grain of the field.
Tyndale line
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
Thornes also, and thistles shall it bring foorth to thee, and thou shalt eate the herbe of the fielde.
Strictly literal
and thorns and thistles shall it yield thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.
and thorn and bramble it doth bring forth to thee, and thou hast eaten the herb of the field;
and it brings forth thorn and bramble for you, and you have eaten the herb of the field;
And thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herbs of the field.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
From the Latin
Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herbs of the earth.
Simplified
It will grow thorns and thistles for you, and you will have to eat wild plants.
Thorns and waste plants will come up, and the plants of the field will be your food;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text is supported by the Samaritan Pentateuch, which agrees word for word. The Septuagint matches 7 of the 8 words from the Hebrew, showing a high degree of consistency across these ancient witnesses.
וְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ אֶת־ עֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶֽה׃
7 of the 8 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
וקוץ ודרדר תצמיח לך ואכלת את עשׂב השׂדה
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Genesis 3:18
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
קוֹץ (qots) refers to a thorn or thornbush, derived from a root meaning to prick. The entries consistently describe it as a plant with sharp points, with no significant disagreement among lexicons.
קוֹץ n.m. thornbush, thorn
base
H6975 קוֹץ thornbush, thorn
6975 qowts kotse
or qots {kotse}; from 6972 (in the sense of pricking); a
thorn:--thorn.
see HEBREW for 06972
קוֹץ (qots) — thorn.
1) thorn, thornbush
1a) thornbush
1b) thorn
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
דַּרְדַּר (dardar) refers to thistles or thorns, as noted in various lexicons. The term is described as a collective noun for these prickly plants, though its exact derivation remains uncertain.
דַּרְדַּר n.[m.] thistles (coll.)
base
H1863 דַּרְדַּר thistles (coll.)
1863 dardar dar-dar'
of uncertain derivation; a thorn:--thistle.
דַּרְדַּר (dar.dar) — thistle.
thistles, thorns
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
צָמַח (tsamach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to sprout or spring up. It encompasses various forms of growth, including plants, hair, and even speech. The root can be used in different grammatical aspects, such as causing something to grow or sprout. The entries highlight its literal and figurative uses, particularly in contexts like abundant growth or the effects of rain.
צָמַח vb. sprout, spring up
Qal sprout, spring up
Pi. grow abundantly
Hiph.
cause to grow
of rain, cause the earth to sprout
base
H6779 צָמַח sprout, spring up
6779 tsamach tsaw-makh'
a primitive root; to sprout (transitive or intransitive,
literal or figurative):--bear, bring forth, (cause to, make
to) bud (forth), (cause to, make to) grow (again, up), (cause
to) spring (forth, up).
צָמַח (tsa.mach) — to spring.
1) to sprout, spring up, grow up
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to sprout, spring up
1a1a) of plants
1a1b) of hair
1a1c) of speech (fig.)
1b) (Piel) to grow abundantly or thickly
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to cause to grow
1c2) to cause to sprout
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3fs — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect third person feminine singularHVhi3fs
ךָּ (ka) — you.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 2nd person masculine singular
HRd/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffixHRd/Sp2ms
אָכַל (akal) means 'to eat' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including literal consumption by humans and animals, as well as figurative uses like devouring by fire or destruction. It can describe actions such as feeding or causing to eat, and it also appears in contexts of oppression and destruction. The verb has various forms, indicating different subjects and nuances.
אָכַל 806 vb. eat
Qal
eat, human subject
of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
fig. of fire, devour, consume
of sword, devour, slay
in genl., devour, consume, destroy
fig. of oppression, devour the poor
Niph.
be eaten by man
be devoured by fire, consumed
be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
Pu. be consumed
Hiph.
cause to eat, feed with
cause to devoure, obj. sword
base
H398 אָכַל eat .. eat, human subject
. of beasts, birds, etc., eat, devour
. fig. of fire, devour, consume
. of sword, devour, slay
. in genl., devour, consume, destroy
. fig. of oppression, devour the poor
. . be eaten by man
. be devoured by fire, consumed
. be wasted, destroyed, of flesh
. be consumed
. . cause to eat, feed with
. cause to devoure, obj. sword
398 'akal aw-kal'
a primitive root; to eat (literally or figuratively):--X at
all, burn up, consume, devour(-er, up), dine, eat(-er, up),
feed (with), food, X freely, X in...wise(-deed, plenty), (lay)
meat, X quite.
אָכַל (a.khal) — to eat.
1) to eat, devour, burn up, feed
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to eat (human subject)
1a2) to eat, devour (of beasts and birds)
1a3) to devour, consume (of fire)
1a4) to devour, slay (of sword)
1a5) to devour, consume, destroy (inanimate subjects - ie, pestilence, drought)
1a6) to devour (of oppression)
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be eaten (by men)
1b2) to be devoured, consumed (of fire)
1b3) to be wasted, destroyed (of flesh)
1c) (Pual)
1c1) to cause to eat, feed with
1c2) to cause to devour
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to feed
1d2) to cause to eat
1e) (Piel)
1e1) consume
Aramaic equivalent: a.khal (אֲכַל "to devour" H0399)
Conj | V-Qal-2ms — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine singularHc/Vqq2ms
אֵת (eth) is primarily a grammatical marker in Hebrew, indicating the definite direct object of a verb. It is not translated into English and typically precedes nouns that are definite. The word is derived from a demonstrative sense of entity, related to the Hebrew word for 'self.' Its Aramaic equivalent is יָת (yat).
אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
base
H853 אֵת the mark of the accusative, prefixed as a rule only to nouns that are definite
853 'eth ayth
apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of
entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more
definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or
namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).
see HEBREW for 0226
אֵת (et) — [Obj.].
sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative
Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
HTo — ParticleHTo
עֵ֫שֶׂב (‘eseb) refers to herbs, grass, or any tender green plants. The word is derived from a root meaning to glisten or be green. It encompasses vegetation in general, and its Aramaic equivalent is עֲשַׂב (‘asav), which also means grass.
עֵ֫שֶׂב n.m. herb, herbage
base
H6212 עֵ֫שֶׂב herb, herbage
6212 `eseb eh'seb
from an unused root meaning to glisten (or be green); grass
(or any tender shoot):--grass, herb.
עֵ֫שֶׂב (e.sev) — vegetation.
herb, herbage, grass, green plants
Aramaic equivalent: a.sav (עֲשַׂב "grass" H6211B)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
שָׂדַי (saday) and שָׂדֶה (sadeh) both refer to a field or land, encompassing cultivated areas, open fields, and regions opposed to mountains or seas. The terms can denote specific portions of ground and are associated with wildlife habitats. They derive from a root meaning to spread out, indicating flat, expansive areas.
שָׂדַי n.m. field, land
cultivated field
home of wild beasts
plain, opp. mt.
land, opp. sea
base
שָׂדֶה 819 n.m. id. [u.ak.ab]
(ordinary contr. form)open field, country
definite portion of ground, field, land
land, opp. sea
base
H7704a שָׂדַי field, land . cultivated field
. home of wild beasts
. plain, opp. mt.
. land, opp. sea
H7704b שָׂדֶה id. [7704a] . open field, country
. definite portion of ground, field, land
. land, opp. sea
7704 sadeh saw-deh'
or saday {saw-dah'-ee}; from an unused root meaning to spread
out; a field (as flat):--country, field, ground, land, soil,
X wild.
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — Sirion.
This name means field, land, plain
Another spelling of cher.mon (חֶרְמוֹן "(Mount )Hermon" H2768)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: soil.
: soil
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: country.
: country/field
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — Field (of the Launderer).
Combined with ka.vas (כָּבַס "Washer's" H3526)
This name means field, land
שָׂדֶה (sa.deh) — land: wildlife.
: wild(animals/plants)
1) field, land
1a) open field, country
1b) definite portion of ground, field, land
1c) land (opposed to sea)
שָׂדַי (sa.day) — field.
1) field, land
1a) cultivated field
1b) of home of wild beasts
1c) plain (opposed to mountain)
1d) land (opposed to sea)
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
feld.
See AGRICULTURE.
Field
(Heb. sadeh), a cultivated field, but unenclosed. It is applied to any cultivated ground or pasture (Gen. 29:2; 31:4; 34:7), or tillage (Gen. 37:7; 47:24). It is also applied to woodland (Ps. 132:6) or mountain top (Judg. 9:32, 36; 2 Sam. 1:21). It denotes sometimes a cultivated region as opposed to the wilderness (Gen. 33:19; 36:35). Unwalled villages or scattered houses are spoken of as “in the fields” (Deut. 28:3, 16; Lev. 25:31;
The Hebrew sadeh is applied to any cultivated ground, and in some instances in marked opposition to the neighboring wilderness. On the other hand the sadeh is frequently contrasted with what is enclosed, whether a vineyard, a garden or a walled town. In many passages the term implies what is remote from a house, (Genesis 4:8; 24:63; 22:25) or settled habitation, as in the case of Esau. (Genesis 25:27) The separate plots of ground were marked off by stones, which might easily be removed, (19:14; 27:17) cf. Job 24:2; Prov 22:28; 23:10 The absence of fences rendered the fields liable to damage from straying cattle, (Exodus…