Topical Encyclopedia
Agriculture in the Bible is a significant theme that reflects the agrarian society of ancient Israel and the surrounding regions. The practice of farming, including the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock, is frequently mentioned throughout the Scriptures, illustrating both literal and metaphorical lessons.
Creation and StewardshipThe Bible begins with the account of creation, where God places Adam in the Garden of Eden to "work it and keep it" (
Genesis 2:15). This establishes the foundational role of humanity as stewards of God's creation, tasked with cultivating and caring for the land. The responsibility of stewardship is a recurring theme, emphasizing the relationship between humans and the earth.
Agricultural PracticesThe Israelites practiced various forms of agriculture, including the cultivation of grains, vineyards, and olive groves. Key crops mentioned in the Bible include wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, and dates.
Deuteronomy 8:8 describes the Promised Land as "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey."
The agricultural calendar was marked by significant events such as the sowing and reaping seasons, which were integral to the Israelites' way of life. The Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, celebrated the wheat harvest, while the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, marked the end of the agricultural year with the gathering of produce.
Laws and RegulationsThe Mosaic Law contains numerous regulations concerning agriculture, reflecting God's concern for justice, mercy, and provision. The Sabbatical Year, or Shemitah, required the land to lie fallow every seventh year, allowing it to rest and rejuvenate (
Leviticus 25:4). This practice underscored the principle of reliance on God's provision and the importance of sustainable farming.
The law also mandated leaving the edges of the fields unharvested and not gathering the gleanings, so that the poor and the foreigner could gather food (
Leviticus 19:9-10). This provision demonstrated God's care for the marginalized and promoted social justice within the community.
Metaphorical and Spiritual LessonsAgricultural imagery is frequently used in the Bible to convey spiritual truths. Jesus often employed parables related to farming to teach about the Kingdom of God. The Parable of the Sower (
Matthew 13:3-9) illustrates the different responses to the Gospel message, while the Parable of the Weeds (
Matthew 13:24-30) speaks to the coexistence of good and evil until the final judgment.
The Apostle Paul also uses agricultural metaphors to describe spiritual growth and the work of the Church. In
1 Corinthians 3:6-9, he writes, "I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." This passage highlights the collaborative effort in ministry and the ultimate dependence on God for spiritual increase.
Blessings and CursesAgricultural prosperity was often seen as a sign of God's blessing, while famine and drought were viewed as manifestations of divine judgment. In
Deuteronomy 28, blessings for obedience include abundant harvests and fruitful land, whereas curses for disobedience involve scarcity and blight.
The prophets frequently called the people back to faithfulness, warning that neglecting God's commands would result in agricultural failure.
Joel 1:10-12 describes the devastation of the land due to the people's sin, urging repentance and a return to the Lord.
ConclusionAgriculture in the Bible serves as a vital backdrop for understanding the cultural, economic, and spiritual life of the Israelites. It provides rich symbolism for teaching about God's provision, human responsibility, and the principles of justice and mercy. Through the lens of agriculture, the Scriptures reveal profound truths about the relationship between God, humanity, and creation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
a.) of or pertaining to agriculture; connected with, or engaged in, tillage; as, the agricultural class; agricultural implements, wages, etc.
Strong's Hebrew
7704. sadeh -- field, land... Word Origin from the same as saday Definition field, land NASB Word Usage
agricultural (1), battlefield* (1), country (14), countryside (1), countryside* (1
...Library
What Carey did for Science --Founder of theAgricultural and...
... LIFE OF WILLIAM CAREY, DD CHAPTER XII WHAT CAREY DID FOR SCIENCE"FOUNDER
OF THEAGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF INDIA....
The Unjust Steward - Dives and Lazarus - JewishAgricultural Notes...
... THE UNJUST STEWARD - DIVES AND LAZARUS - JEWISHAGRICULTURAL NOTES - PRICES OF PRODUCE -
WRITING AND LEGAL DOCUMENTS - PURPLE AND FINE LINEN - JEWISH NOTIONS...
The God of the Rain
... They were to be anagricultural people. Their very worship was (if you can
understand such a thing now-a-days) to beagricultural....
The Faithful London Lady.
... She came to London, and the first night I was there I saw her in theAgricultural
Hall. She was accompanied by only one of her boys"the other had died....
Some Preliminary Definitions
... To confuse "rural" with "agricultural" is to ignore both the past and the present
in movements of population and in organization of interests....
The Economic Challenge to the Church
... One could go through the whole list of contrasts between the economically well-favored
sections of the country and the less favoredagricultural sections and...
Connecticut at the Close of the Revolution
... had created; but it was not until after the act of 1833, creating the joint-stock
companies, that Connecticut turned from a purelyagricultural community to...
The Early Training of a Race.
... These fundamental conceptions of government persisted even when, under the influence
of a newagricultural environment, the Hebrews established the kingship...
The Preparations of the Greeks for Defense.
... The Spartans were anagricultural people, cultivating the valley in the southeastern
part of the Peloponnesus, the waters of which were collected and conveyed...
Conflicts of the Church with Public Wrongs.
... There is no instance in all history of a race of people passing in so short a space
of time from the barbarous stage to theagricultural and civilized." [170]....
Thesaurus
Agricultural (1 Occurrence)... (a.) of or pertaining to agriculture; connected with, or engaged in, tillage;
as, the
agricultural class;
agricultural implements, wages, etc.
...Feasts (45 Occurrences)
... in most instances two or more of these bases coexist, and the emphasis on the natural,
theagricultural, the national, or the religious phase will vary with...
Fasts (3 Occurrences)
... in most instances two or more of these bases coexist, and the emphasis on the natural,
theagricultural, the national, or the religious phase will vary with...
Education (4 Occurrences)
... EDUCATION IN EARLY ISRAEL 1. Nomadic andAgricultural Periods 2. The Monarchical
Period 3. Deuteronomic Legislation 4. Reading and Writing III....
Agriculture
... commonwealth. The year in Palestine was divided into sixagricultural periods:-.
I. SOWING TIME.... 19.).Agricultural implements and operations....
Passover (81 Occurrences)
... It is of course perfectly natural for anagricultural people to celebrate the
turning-points of theagricultural year in connection with their traditional...
Produce (140 Occurrences)
... 9. (n.) That which is produced, brought forth, or yielded; product; yield; proceeds;
result of labor, especially ofagricultural labors. 10....
Agrarian
... 1. (a.) Pertaining to fields oragricultural lands; as an agrarian society; esp.,
relating to an equal or equitable division of lands; as, the agrarian laws of...
Anointing (39 Occurrences)
... and, accordingly, Weinel (Stade's Zeutschrift, XVIII, 50) holds that, as the use
of oil for general purposes in Israel was anagricultural custom borrowed from...
Sabbatical (1 Occurrence)
... suspension. This means that the children of Israel were now developing
from a purelyagricultural people to a commercial nation....
Resources
What are the different Jewish festivals in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the structure of the Jewish calendar? | GotQuestions.orgTopical: Analogies ' Article Index | GotQuestions.orgAgricultural: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
