"... In an agrarian economy, the sowing and planting of crops is a major event, the timing of which depends on the type of seed, for which there is always a “time” (Ecclesiastes 3:2). In the Bible, God is viewed as the One who instructs the farmer how to do his work rightly (Isaiah 28:29). Sometimes plowing the soil and planting went together; at other times one followed the other so that some seed fell on paths, rocky ground or Human Sowing. Sowing is spoken of figuratively for setting various things in motion. In both the Old Testament and the New Testament it is used for engaging in a righteous or loving activity (Proverbs 11:18; Ecclesiastes 11:1; Hosea 10:12; compare James 3:18), for initiating evil and disrupting unity (Job 4:8; Proverbs 6:14, 19; 16:28; 22:8) and for undertaking a spiritual task (Galatians 6:8–9). Linked with harvesting, it gives birth to proverbs about the link between energy expended and outcome expected, such as “you reap whatever you sow” (Galatians 6:7), “one sows and another reaps” (see Job 31:8; Micah 6:15; compare John 4:37) or “those who sow in tears reap in joy” (see Psalm 126:5; Proverbs 22:8). It is also a metaphor for giving, which if done sparingly will result in a small return, if done generously in a large return (2 Corinthians 9:7–10) ..."