Mark 4:3-5

Amplified Bible

³“Listen! A sower went out to sow seed; ⁴and as he was sowing, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵Other seed fell on rocks where there was not much soil; and immediately a plant sprang up ^[a]because the soil had no depth.

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Footnotes

Mark 4:5 In many parts of Israel a layer of limestone lies an inch or so beneath the surface of the ground. This layer traps the moisture, and for a brief period of time a plant growing there may appear to flourish. But as soon as a dry spell comes, the moisture quickly dissipates. Due to the layer of limestone, the plant cannot sink roots and soon withers and dies (v 6).