Isaiah 28:27
ESV
Dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, nor is a cart wheel rolled over cumin, but dill is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
NIV
Caraway is not threshed with a sledge, nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a stick.
NASB
For dill is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is the cartwheel driven over cumin; But dill is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a club.
CSB
Certainly black cumin is not threshed with a threshing board, and a cart wheel is not rolled over the cumin. But black cumin is beaten out with a stick, and cumin with a rod.
NLT
A heavy sledge is never used to thresh black cumin; rather, it is beaten with a light stick. A threshing wheel is never rolled on cumin; instead, it is beaten lightly with a flail.
KJV
For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.
NKJV
For the black cummin is not threshed with a threshing sledge, Nor is a cartwheel rolled over the cummin; But the black cummin is beaten out with a stick, And the cummin with a rod.
What does Isaiah 28:27 mean?
Isaiah continues to show that the farmer knows the best practices for growing and processing food from the ground (Isaiah 28:24–26). After the harvest of the dill—or caraway—and cumin, the farmer doesn't thresh them as he would grain. He knows better than that. The farmer threshes the dill with a stick and the cumin with a rod instead of a horse-drawn cart or sledge.Threshing is the process of removing the edible part of the plant from the non-edible. With spices as small as dill and cumin, this is a more delicate practice than with the larger grains. The farmer, of course, understands this. He chooses the right tool for the job. He uses whichever is most appropriate.
Isaiah is probably comparing the threshing of plants with the Lord's judgment on His people. If so, this is a hopeful message. The Lord will "thresh" Judah (Isaiah 28:17–18) but not beyond what is appropriate. He will only separate out those who will trust Him from those who will not—not to forever destroy them all (Jeremiah 30:3).
