This also comes from the LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights that God's "working" isn't just about great plans, but also about the practical execution of wisdom. It emphasizes that even in the seemingly simple, everyday actions of a farmer, we see a reflection of God's intricate design and intelligent ordering of all things.
This also comes from the LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The prophet Isaiah has been illustrating God's wisdom in the details of farming, showing how a farmer carefully threshes different grains using various methods. This verse concludes that analogy by stating that this agricultural wisdom, like all good things, ultimately comes from the LORD of hosts, who Himself is infinitely wise in His plans and actions.
Did you know that the way a farmer threshes grain holds a profound lesson about God's wisdom? It's not just about farming; it's about how God teaches us.
This verse highlights that even the practical skills of a farmer, like knowing exactly how to thresh different grains, come directly from God. Isaiah uses this agricultural wisdom as a mirror to reflect God's own perfect way of managing His people.
God's Teaching in Practice
God's wisdom isn't just about knowing things; it's about how He acts. This verse reveals two key aspects of His divine strategy.
Isaiah 28:29 calls God "wonderful in counsel" and "excellent in working." This means His wisdom has both a strategic and an active dimension.
Counsel and Execution
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Understand the original words
YHWH Sabaoth · Hebrew Noun phrase
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty, majesty, and absolute authority as the Commander of all spiritual and physical forces in the universe. It portrays Him as the Almighty King who leads both the heavenly host and the earthly affairs of His people.
etsah · Hebrew Noun
In a biblical context, counsel (etsah) refers to a plan, purpose, advice, or strategy. When attributed to God, it signifies His divine decree, perfect wisdom, and the unfailing purpose He executes in history for His glory and the good of His people.
chokmah · Hebrew Noun
Wisdom (chokmah) in Scripture is not merely intellectual knowledge but the practical, God-given ability to live life effectively and righteously according to His law. It is the discernment to apply divine truth to the complexities of human life.
This passage also speaks of the Lord possessing wisdom and understanding, echoing the sentiment in Isaiah about God's excellent wisdom in His actions.
Isaiah 9:6This verse uses similar language, calling the coming child 'Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,' highlighting God's amazing counsel.
Psalm 104:24This Psalm marvels at the vastness and wisdom of God's creation, similar to how Isaiah points to God's wonderful counsel and working in the farmer's methods.
Job 12:13This verse directly states that wisdom and strength belong to God, mirroring Isaiah's declaration that God is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working.
barnesIsaiah 28:29: "This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working."
This also cometh ... - That is, these various devices for threshing his grain comes from the Lord no less than the skill with which he tills his land. (see Isaiah 28:26 ). And excellent in working - Or rather, who magnifies (חגדיל chigdiyl) his wisdom ( תוּשׁיה tûshı̂yâh). This word properly means wisdom, or understanding Job 11:6; Job 12:16; Job 26:3; Proverbs 3:21;…
ellicottIsaiah 28:29: "This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working."
(29) This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts. —The force of the climax lies in the use of the highest of the Divine names instead of “God” (Elohim), as in Isaiah 28:26 . The wisdom of the husband man was His gift in the highest aspect of the being that had been revealed to men, and that gift was in itself a parable of the method of His own government.
The verse highlights that God's "working" isn't just about great plans, but also about the practical execution of wisdom. It emphasizes that even in the seemingly simple, everyday actions of a farmer, we see a reflection of God's intricate design and intelligent ordering of all things.
The prophet Isaiah has been illustrating God's wisdom in the details of farming, showing how a farmer carefully threshes different grains using various methods. This verse concludes that analogy by stating that this agricultural wisdom, like all good things, ultimately comes from the LORD of hosts, who Himself is infinitely wise in His plans and actions.
The prophet Isaiah has been illustrating God's wisdom in the details of farming, showing how a farmer carefully threshes different grains using various methods. This verse concludes that analogy by stating that this agricultural wisdom, like all good things, ultimately comes from the LORD of hosts, who Himself is infinitely wise in His plans and actions.
"This also comes from the LORD of hosts; he is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom." — The verse highlights that God's "working" isn't just about great plans, but also about the practical execution of wisdom. It emphasizes that even in the seemingly simple, everyday actions of a farmer…
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Last reviewed October 2026