Isaiah 30:24 - Exposition

The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground ; rather, theft till or cultivate the ground . The Hebrew word is generic, and does not apply to "eating" ( i.e. ploughing) only. Shall eat clean provender. Delitzsch says that b'lil khamitz is "a mash, composed of oats, barley, and vetches, made more savory with salt and sour vegetables." Mr. Cheyne translates, "Shall eat mixed provender with salt." The general idea is clearly that they shall have for their ordinary food that superior kind of provender which, according to existing practices, was reserved for rare occasions. Winnowed with the shovel . Anciently, winnowing was chiefly effected by tossing the grain into the air with shovels in a draughty place. The fan was scarcely in use so early as Isaiah's time. He means by mizreh probably a second instrument for tossing the grain Delitzsch translates, "winnowing-fork."