Topical Encyclopedia
Grain-stems, often referred to in biblical texts, are the stalks or shafts of cereal plants such as wheat, barley, and other grains. These stems play a significant role in the agricultural practices and symbolic imagery found throughout the Bible. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, grain-stems were essential for sustenance and economic stability, serving as a primary source of food and trade.
Biblical References and SymbolismGrain-stems are frequently mentioned in the context of harvest and agricultural practices. In the Book of Ruth, the process of gleaning is described, where Ruth gathers leftover grain-stems in the fields of Boaz: "So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters" (
Ruth 2:3). This practice highlights the importance of grain-stems in providing for the needy and reflects the social laws of Israel that ensured care for the poor and the foreigner.
The imagery of grain-stems is also used metaphorically in Scripture. In the prophetic literature, the cutting down of grain-stems often symbolizes judgment and destruction. For instance, in
Isaiah 17:5, the prophet describes the judgment upon Damascus: "It will be as when a reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as when one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim" . This imagery conveys the thoroughness and inevitability of divine judgment.
Conversely, grain-stems can symbolize abundance and blessing. In
Psalm 65:13, the psalmist praises God for His provision: "The meadows are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing" . Here, the flourishing grain-stems represent the prosperity and joy that come from God's favor and provision.
Agricultural PracticesThe cultivation and harvesting of grain-stems were central to the livelihood of the Israelites. The process involved sowing seeds, tending the fields, and eventually reaping the mature grain. The grain-stems were then threshed to separate the grain from the chaff, a process often mentioned in the Bible. For example, in
Matthew 3:12, John the Baptist uses the imagery of threshing to describe the coming judgment: "His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" .
Cultural and Religious SignificanceGrain-stems held cultural and religious significance in ancient Israel. The Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, was a harvest festival that celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. This festival is mentioned in
Leviticus 23:15-17, where the Israelites are commanded to bring an offering of new grain to the Lord. The grain-stems, therefore, were not only a source of physical sustenance but also a means of worship and thanksgiving to God.
In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of grain to teach spiritual truths. In
John 12:24, He says, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" . Here, the grain-stem becomes a metaphor for sacrifice and the potential for new life and growth through death.
Overall, grain-stems in the Bible are rich in agricultural, cultural, and spiritual significance, reflecting the dependence of God's people on His provision and the deeper truths of His kingdom.
Concordance
Grain-stems (2 Occurrences)Psalms 129:7
He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and they do not make bands of it for thegrain-stems.
(BBE)
Joel 2:5
Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains; like the noise of a flame of fire burning up thegrain-stems, like a strong people lined up for the fight.
(BBE)
Thesaurus
Grain-stems (2 Occurrences)Grain-
stems. Grains,
Grain-
stems. Grain-stores . Multi-Version
Concordance
Grain-
stems (2 Occurrences). Psalms 129:7
...Grains (6 Occurrences)
Jumping (14 Occurrences)
... Joel 2:5 Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains;
like the noise of a flame of fire burning up thegrain-stems, like a...
Lined (6 Occurrences)
... Joel 2:5 Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains;
like the noise of a flame of fire burning up thegrain-stems, like a...
Grain-stores (1 Occurrence)
Grain-stores.Grain-stems, Grain-stores. Granaries . Multi-Version Concordance...
(BBE).Grain-stems, Grain-stores. Granaries . Reference Bible.
Gathers (27 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 129:7 He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and
they do not make bands of it for thegrain-stems. (See NIV)....
Stems (31 Occurrences)
... Genesis 37:7 We were in the field, getting thegrainstems together, and my grain
kept upright, and yours came round and went down on the earth before mine....
Gets (122 Occurrences)
... RSV). Psalms 129:7 He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and they do
not make bands of it for thegrain-stems. (BBE). Proverbs...
Grain (413 Occurrences)
... Genesis 37:7 We were in the field, getting thegrainstems together, and my grain
kept upright, and yours came round and went down on the earth before mine....
War-carriages (76 Occurrences)
... Joel 2:5 Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains;
like the noise of a flame of fire burning up thegrain-stems, like a...
Resources
What is a grain offering? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of chaff in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of gleaning in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
