(6) The original is very expressive, by the idiom of infinitive combined with finite verb.
"He shall walk, and walk and weep,
Bearing the handful of seed:
He shall come, and come with singing,
Bearing his sheaves,"
where we must certainly see an extension and not a mere repetition of the former figure, for the very form of the expression suggests the long patient labour of the sower, and the reward which patience and perseverance always bring--a harvest in proportion to the toil and trouble of seed-time. The words of the prophet Haggai (Haggai 1:10-11; Haggai 2:19), contemporary with the Return, should be compared. The word rendered "precious" in the Authorised Version may be correctly represented by "handful." Its meaning is "drawing;" and from Amos 9:13 (see margin) we see that the sower was called "the drawer of seed," no doubt from the hand being repeatedly drawn out for the cast from the bag or basket containing the seed. Others render "seed-basket" here. The contrast so beautifully painted in this verse was certainly realised when "the priests and Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of the house of God with joy" (Ezra 6:16; comp. Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 12:42).
Verse 6. - He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed; literally, going he goes and weeping; i.e. weeping every step as he goes - "bearing the draught of seed," i.e. the seed which he has drawn forth from his bag, and is about to scatter on the earth. Thus it is that he "goes forth." How differently does he return! He shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him; literally, coming he comes with a cry of joy, bearing with him his sheaves. He obtains in the end an ample return for all his labors.
126:4-6 The beginnings of mercies encourage us to pray for the completion of them. And while we are in this world there will be matter for prayer, even when we are most furnished with matter for praise. Suffering saints are often in tears; they share the calamities of human life, and commonly have a greater share than others. But they sow in tears; they do the duty of an afflicted state. Weeping must not hinder sowing; we must get good from times of affliction. And they that sow, in the tears of godly sorrow, to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting; and that will be a joyful harvest indeed. Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be for ever comforted. When we mourn for our sins, or suffer for Christ's sake, we are sowing in tears, to reap in joy. And remember that God is not mocked; for whatever a man soweth that shall he reap, Ga 6:7-9. Here, O disciple of Jesus, behold an emblem of thy present labour and future reward; the day is coming when thou shalt reap in joy, plentiful shall be thy harvest, and great shall be thy joy in the Lord.
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed,.... Which he sows in tears. This is but a repetition and confirmation of what is before expressed in different words; and may be applied, as to a praying saint, so to a faithful preacher of the word. The word is the precious seed which he bears, which he takes out of the granaries of the Scriptures; and carries from place to place, and scatters and sows, Luke 8:11; compared to seed, because of its meanness in the eyes of those that know it not; because of its generative virtue and increase, which it has from God, and which, unless sown in the earth, produces no fruit: and it is called "precious seed", because either bought at a great price, when grain is dear; or because it usually is the choicest wheat that is the sowing seed; and so may denote the preciousness and value of the Gospel, dispensed by Christ's faithful ministers, which is called a sowing of spiritual things, 1 Corinthians 9:11; which should be done plentifully and constantly, and with the same sort of seed or doctrine, and which requires art and skill; and is often performed weeping or with tears, because of their own insufficiency, through fear of success, and through want of it; and because of the badness of the ground, the hardness of men's hearts they have to do with. The allusion seems to be to a poor husbandman, that has got but little seed to sow, and this bought at a dear price; and which he buries under the clods, and fears it will rise no more; and weeps as he sows, because of the badness of the weather, or of the soil, doubting of success. Aben Ezra, by the words rendered "precious seed", or, as they may be, "a draught of seed" (r), understands the vessel in which the sower carries his seed, the seed basket, from whence he draws and takes out the seed, and scatters it; see Amos 9:13; so the Targum,
"bearing a tray of sowing corn;''
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him; the seed he has been to and fro in sowing springs up under a divine blessing; and, beyond his expectation and fears, produces a large and plentiful crop; which he reaps, and returns home, not with his arms full of sheaves only, but with his cart laden with them: so a faithful minister, sooner or later, is blessed with converts, who will be his joy and crown of rejoicing another day: see John 4:35, 1 Thessalonians 2:19.
"He shall walk, and walk and weep,
Bearing the handful of seed:
He shall come, and come with singing,
Bearing his sheaves,"
where we must certainly see an extension and not a mere repetition of the former figure, for the very form of the expression suggests the long patient labour of the sower, and the reward which patience and perseverance always bring--a harvest in proportion to the toil and trouble of seed-time. The words of the prophet Haggai (Haggai 1:10-11; Haggai 2:19), contemporary with the Return, should be compared. The word rendered "precious" in the Authorised Version may be correctly represented by "handful." Its meaning is "drawing;" and from Amos 9:13 (see margin) we see that the sower was called "the drawer of seed," no doubt from the hand being repeatedly drawn out for the cast from the bag or basket containing the seed. Others render "seed-basket" here. The contrast so beautifully painted in this verse was certainly realised when "the priests and Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of the house of God with joy" (Ezra 6:16; comp. Ezra 6:22; Nehemiah 12:42).
"bearing a tray of sowing corn;''
shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him; the seed he has been to and fro in sowing springs up under a divine blessing; and, beyond his expectation and fears, produces a large and plentiful crop; which he reaps, and returns home, not with his arms full of sheaves only, but with his cart laden with them: so a faithful minister, sooner or later, is blessed with converts, who will be his joy and crown of rejoicing another day: see John 4:35, 1 Thessalonians 2:19.
(r) "tractionem seminis", Montanus, Piscator, Gejerus.