Markus 4:5

4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground ¹  where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. ² 

Markus 4:21

The Parable of the Lamp

4:21 He also said to them, “A lamp ³  isn’t brought to be put under a basket ⁴  or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it to be placed on a lampstand?

[4:5]  ¹ sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.

[4:5]  ² tn Grk “it did not have enough depth of earth.”

[4:21]  ³ sn The lamp is probably an ancient oil burning lamp or perhaps a candlestick. Jesus is comparing revelation to light, particularly the revelation of his ministry.

[4:21]  ⁴ tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).