|
Topic:
Thoughts
And Things Of The Bible -- Agriculture
Agriculture was little cared for by the patriarchs. The pastoral life,
however, was the means of keeping the sacred race, whilst yet a family,
distinct from mixture and locally unattached, especially whilst in Egypt.
When grown into a nation it supplied a similar check on the foreign
intercourse, and became the basis of the Mosaic commonwealth. "The
land is mine," (Leviticus 25:23) was a dictum which made agriculture
likewise the basis of the theocratic relation. Thus every family felt its
own life with intense keenness, and had its divine tenure which it was to
guard from alienation. The prohibition of culture in the sabbatical year
formed a kind of rent reserved by the divine Owner. Landmarks were deemed
sacred, (19:14) and the inalienability of the heritage was insured by its
reversion to the owner in the year of jubilee; so that only so many years
of occupancy could be sold. (Leviticus 25:8-16; 23-35) Rain.--Water was
abundant in Palestine from natural sources. (8:7; 11:8-12) Rain was
commonly expected soon after the autumnal equinox. The period denoted by
the common scriptural expressions of the "early" and the
"latter rain," (11:14; Jeremiah 5:24; Hosea 6:3; Zechariah 10:1;
James 5:7) generally reaching from November to April, constituted the
"rainy season," and the remainder of the year the "dry
season." Crops.--The cereal crops of constant mention are wheat and
barley, and more rarely rye and millet(?). Of the two former, together
with the vine, olive and fig, the use of irrigation, the plough and the
harrow, mention is made ln the book of (Job 31:40; 15:33; 24:6; 29:19;
39:10) Two kinds of cumin (the black variety called fitches), (Isaiah
28:27) and such podded plants as beans and lentils may be named among the
staple produce. Ploughing and Sowing.--The plough was probably very light,
one yoke of oxen usually sufficing to draw it. Mountains and steep places
were hoed. (Isaiah 7:25) New ground and fallows, (Jeremiah 4:3; Hosea
10:12) were cleared of stones and of thorns, (Isaiah 5:2) early in the
year, sowing or gathering from "among thorns" being a proverb
for slovenly husbandry. (Job 5:5; Proverbs 24:30,31) Sowing also took
place without previous ploughing, the seed being scattered broad cast and
ploughed in afterwards. The soil was then brushed over with a light
harrow, often of thorn bushes. In highly-irrigated spots the seed was
trampled by cattle. (Isaiah 32:20) Seventy days before the passover was
the time prescribed for sowing. The oxen were urged on by a goad like a
spear. (Judges 3:31) The proportion of harvest gathered to seed sown was
often vast; a hundred fold is mentioned, but in such a way as to signify
that it was a limit rarely attained. (Genesis 26:12; Matthew 13:8) Sowing
a field with divers seed was forbidden. (22:9) Reaping and Threshing.--The
wheat etc., was reaped by the sickle or pulled by the roots. It was bound
in sheaves. The sheaves or heaps were carted, (Amos 2:13) to the floor--a
circular spot of hard ground, probably, as now, from 50 to 80 or 100 feet
in diameter. (Genesis 1:10,11; 2 Samuel 24:16,18) On these the oxen, etc.,
forbidden to be muzzled, (25:4) trampled out the grain. At a later time
the Jews used a threshing sledge called morag, (Isaiah 41:15; 2 Samuel
24:22; 1 Chronicles 21:23) probably resembling the noreg, still employed
in Egypt--a stage with three rollers ridged with iron, which, aided by the
driver's weight crushed out, often injuring, the grain, as well as cut or
tore the straw, which thus became fit for fodder. Lighter grains were
beaten out with a stick. (Isaiah 28:27) The use of animal manure was
frequent. (Psalms 83:10; 2 Kings 9:37; Jeremiah 8:2) etc. Winnowing.--The
shovel and fan, (Isaiah 30:24) indicate the process of winnowing--a
conspicuous part of ancient husbandry. (Psalms 35:5; Job 21:18; Isaiah
17:13) Evening was the favorite time, (Ruth 3:2) when there was mostly a
breeze. The fan, (Matthew 3:12) was perhaps a broad shovel which threw the
grain up against the wind. The last process was the shaking in a sieve to
separate dirt and refuse. (Amos 9:9) Fields and floors were not commonly
enclosed; vineyard mostly were, with a tower and other buildings. (Numbers
22:24; Psalms 80:13; Isaiah 5:5; Matthew 21:33) comp. Judg 6:11 The
gardens also and orchards were enclosed, frequently by banks of mud from
ditches. With regard to occupancy, a tenant might pay a fixed money rent,
(Song of Solomon 8:11) or a stipulated share of the fruits. (2 Samuel
9:10; Matthew 21:34) A passer by might eat any quantity of corn or grapes,
but not reap or carry off fruit. (23:24,25; Matthew 12:1) The rights of
the corner to be left, and of gleaning Corner; Gleaning, formed the poor
man's claim on the soil for support. For his benefit, too, a sheaf
forgotten in carrying to the floor was to be left; so also with regard to
the vineyard' and the olive grove. (Leviticus 19:9,10; 24:19)
Derived from Easton's and Smith's Bible Dictionaries
Fair Use. Presented For Educational Purposes Only.
If these words have been a blessing, please forward them
to a friend.
These words were posted at one of Shepherd's Care Ministries Sites
called Wisdom Minute. This site is located at:
http://www.findthepower.com/wisdomminute
Shepherd's Care Ministries Main Site located at:
http://www.findthepower.com/ |
