THRESHING
THRESHING
Was anciently and is still performed in the East, sometimes with a flail,Rth 2:17 Isa 28:27 ; sometimes by treading out the grain with unmuzzled oxen, Deu 25:4, but more generally by means of oxen dragging an uncouth instrument over the sheaves of grain. See CORN.The instrument most used in Palestine at this time is simply two short planks fastened side by side and turned up in front, like our common stone-sledge, having sharp stones or irons projecting from the under side, Isa 28:27 41:15 1Sa 1:3 . The Egyptian mode is thus described by Niebuhr: “They use oxen, as the ancients did, to beat out their corn, by trampling upon the sheaves, and dragging after them a clumsy machine. This machine is not, as in Arabia, a stone cylinder, nor a plank with sharp stones, as in Syria, but a sort of sledge, consisting of three rollers fitted with irons, which turn upon axles. A farmer chooses out a level spot in his fields, and has his corn carried thither in sheaves, upon asses or dromedaries. Two oxen are then yoked in a sledge; a driver gets upon it, and drives them backward and forward upon the sheaves; and fresh oxen succeed in the yoke from time to time.” By this operation, the straw is gradually chopped fine and the grain released. Meanwhile the whole is repeatedly turned over by wooden pitchforks with three or more prongs, and in due time thrown into a heap in the center of the floor. The machine thus described is called a moreg, and answers to the Hebrew morag mentioned in 2Sa 24:22 1Ch 21:23 .When the grain is well loosened from the straw by the treading of oxen, with or without one of the instruments above mentioned, the whole heap is next thrown with forks several yards against the wind, which blowing away the chaff, the grain falls into a heap by itself, 2Ki 13:7 ; and if necessary, the process is repeated. For this purpose the threshing-floors are in the open air, Jdg 6:37, and often on high ground, like that of Araunah on Mount Moriah, 1Ch 21:15, that the wind may aid more effectually in winnowing the grain, Jer 4:11-12, which is afterwards sometimes passed through a sieve for farther cleansing. The ground is prepared for use as a threshing-floor by being smoothed off, and beaten down hard. While the wheat was carefully garnered, the straw and chaff were gathered up for fuel; a most instructive illustration of the day of judgment, Mat 3:12 .
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Threshing
(prop. ; but sometimes , to tread out, ; and occasionally ). The Hebrews made use of three different-processes for separating the grain from the stalk (comp. Isa 28:27 sq.), an operation always carried on in the open air. SEE STRAW.
1. In the earliest period, and even later for small quantities, especially in the former part of the harvest season, and for the frailer kinds of grain, the seed was beaten out with sticks (, Sept. ). This was a process applied to other agricultural products (Jerome, ad Isaiah loc. cit.), as well as to field grain (Jdg 6:11;. Rth 2:17; Isa 28:27; comp. Columel. 2, 21; Strabo, 4:201). It is a method still in use in the East (Robinson, 2, 650; 3, 233). SEE HARVEST.
2. Usually, however, horned cattle (Mishna, Shebiith, 5, 8, as still in Egypt, Arabia, and Syria), seldom asses or (in modern times) horses (Shaw, p. 124; Buckingham, p. 288), were driven around, usually yoked in pairs or several abreast, and these, by means of their hoofs (Mic 4:13), cut up and separated the chaff and straw from the grain (Isa 28:28; Jer 50:11; Hos 10:11; comp. Varro, De Re Rust. 1, 51; Homer, 11. 20:495 sq.; Pliny, 18:72). So also in ancient Egypt (Wilkinson, 2nd ser. 1, 87, 90). SEE THRESHING-FLOOR.
3. The most, effectual method of threshing was by means of threshing- machines ( [Arab. noraj], or simply , Isa 28:27; Isa 41:15; Job 41:22; also , Jdg 8:7; Jdg 8:16; see Gesen. Thesaur. p. 244; , tribulum, Pliny, 18:72; Talm. ). These consisted sometimes of a wooden plank (trahea, or traha) set with sharp stones or iron points, which was dragged over the sheaves (Rashi, on Isa 41:15; comp. Varro, 1, 52; Columel. 2, 21; Virgil, Georg. 1, 164), sometimes of a sort of cart or wheeled sledge (plostellum Phanicum; comp. Jerome, ad Isa 25:10; Isa 28:27). Such a wagon is mentioned in Isa 28:27 sq. ( and ). SEE THRESHING- INSTRUMENT.
Cattle were used for this vehicle, as usually still among the Arabians (Wellsted, 1, 194); and the Mosaic law forbade the yoking-together of various kinds of beasts, as well as the muzzling of the animals (Deu 25:4; Josephus, Ant. 4:8, 21; 1Co 9:9; Talmud, Kelim, 16:7; comp. Elian, Anim. 4:25), a usage prevalent among the ancient Egyptians and other nations (Bochart, Hieroz. 1, 401; comp. Michaelis, Mos. Recht, 3, 130). SEE MUZZLE.
Threshing is frequently employed by the Hebrew poets as a figure of the divine or providential chastisements, especially national invasion (Isa 41:15; Jer 51:33; Mic 4:13; Hab 3:12). In one passage (Isa 21:10), the bruised grain is made an image of the captive Jews. See generally Schttgen, Triturce et Fullonice Antiquitates (Tr. ad Rh. 1727; Lips. 1763); Paulsen, Ackersbau, p. 110 sq. SEE AGRICULTURE.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Threshing
See AGRICULTURE.
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
THRESHING
See FARMING.
Fuente: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
Threshing
threshing (, dush; , aloao): Dush means literally, to trample out. In Jer 51:33, , darakh, is used of threshing. Fitches and cummin were beaten off with a rod. The distinction between beating and threshing is made in Isa 28:27. Gideon, in order to avoid being seen by the Midianites, beat out his wheat in a wine press instead of threshing it on the threshing-floor (Jdg 6:11). For a general description of the threshing operations see AGRICULTURE.
Figurative: Thou shalt thresh the mountains, i.e. thou wilt overcome great difficulties (Isa 41:15). Babylon’s destruction was foretold poetically in the language of the threshing-floor (Isa 21:10; Jer 51:33; Dan 2:35); Zion’s foes would be gathered as sheaves on the threshing-floor (Mic 4:12, Mic 4:13; compare 2Ki 13:7; Amo 1:3; Hab 3:12); threshing unto the vintage, i.e. throughout the summer, indicated an extra abundant yield (Lev 26:5).
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Threshing
[AGRICULTURE]
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Threshing
This is accomplished in the East by the grain being trodden on by oxen, and that it was so threshed in ancient times is shown by the law that the ox should not be muzzled that trod out the corn. Deu 25:4. There were also threshing ‘instruments,’ with which the grain was beaten out. Threshing was also accomplished by oxen drawing over the grain a sort of sledge without runners, by which the straw also was crushed. 2Sa 24:22; Isa 41:15, etc.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Threshing
By beating
Rth 2:17
By treading
Deu 25:4; Isa 25:10; Hos 10:11; 1Co 9:9; 1Ti 5:18
With instruments:
– Of wood
2Sa 24:22
– Of iron
Amo 1:3
– A cart wheel
Isa 28:27-28
Floors for
Gen 50:10-11; Jdg 6:37; Rth 3:2-14; 1Sa 23:1; 2Sa 6:6; Hos 9:2; Joe 2:24
Floor of Araunah bought by David for a place of sacrifice
2Sa 24:16-25
Floor for, in barns
2Ki 6:27
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Threshing
Thresh, Threshing. Different modes of threshing are used in the East. A level spot was selected for the threshing-floor, generally in an exposed situation where advantage might be taken of the wind for winnowing or separating the corn from the chaff when the threshing process was completed. Robinson observed several of these floors near together of a circular form hardened by beating down the earth, and about 50 feet in diameter, the sheaves being thickly spread on them. Near Jericho “were no less than five such floors, all trodden by oxen, cows, and younger cattle, arranged in each case five abreast, and driven round in a circle, or rather in all directions, over the floor… By this process the straw is broken up and becomes chaff. It is occasionally turned up with a large wooden fork having two prongs, and when sufficiently trodden is thrown up with the same fork against the wind in order to separate the grain, which is then gathered up and winnowed. The whole process is exceedingly wasteful.”
Fuente: People’s Dictionary of the Bible
Threshing
Threshing. See Agriculture.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
THRESHING
Threshing is always in the prophets a symbol of the destruction of the subject concerned; as in Isa 41:15; Jer 51:33; Amo 1:3; Mic 4:13; Hab 3:12; and, in Isa 21:10; ” O my threshing, and the corn of my floor,” signifies, as explained by the LXX., people afflicted, forsaken and grieved.