Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, a barn was a structure used for storing grain and other agricultural produce. The concept of a barn is mentioned several times throughout the Bible, often symbolizing abundance, provision, and sometimes, misplaced trust in material wealth.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament provides several references to barns, primarily in the context of agricultural prosperity. In
Genesis 41:48-49, during the time of Joseph in Egypt, barns were used to store the surplus grain during the seven years of plenty: "Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance and stored it in the cities. In every city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it." This storage was crucial for the survival of Egypt and surrounding nations during the subsequent famine.
Proverbs 3:9-10 highlights the blessing associated with honoring God with one's wealth: "Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine." Here, barns symbolize the reward of faithfulness and generosity towards God.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, barns are mentioned in the teachings of Jesus, often to illustrate spiritual truths. In the Parable of the Rich Fool (
Luke 12:16-21), Jesus warns against placing trust in material wealth. The rich man in the parable decides to build larger barns to store his abundant crops, saying, "I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods" (
Luke 12:18). However, God calls him a fool, as his life is demanded of him that very night, emphasizing the futility of hoarding earthly treasures without being "rich toward God" (
Luke 12:21).
Symbolism and Spiritual LessonsBarns in the Bible often symbolize God's provision and the importance of stewardship. They remind believers of the need to trust in God's provision rather than in material wealth. The imagery of full barns is used to convey the blessings that come from obedience and faithfulness to God, as seen in
Proverbs 3:9-10.
Moreover, the teachings of Jesus regarding barns challenge believers to consider their priorities and the state of their hearts. The Parable of the Rich Fool serves as a caution against greed and self-reliance, urging believers to focus on spiritual riches and eternal values.
Cultural and Historical ContextIn the agrarian society of ancient Israel, barns were essential for storing the harvest and ensuring food security. They were typically simple structures, often made of wood or stone, designed to protect the grain from the elements and pests. The presence of full barns was a sign of God's blessing and favor, while empty barns could indicate famine or divine judgment.
Overall, the concept of barns in the Bible serves as a powerful metaphor for God's provision, the importance of wise stewardship, and the dangers of materialism. Through the imagery of barns, Scripture calls believers to trust in God's sufficiency and to prioritize spiritual wealth over earthly possessions.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
A storehouse (
Deuteronomy 28:8;
Job 39:12;
Haggai 2:19) for grain, which was usually under ground, although also sometimes above ground (
Luke 12:18).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A covered building used chiefly for storing grain, hay, and other productions of a farm. In the United States a part of the barn is often used for stables.
2. (v. t.) To lay up in a barn.
3. (n.) A child. [Obs.] See Bairn.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BARNbarn (meghurah, "a granary," "fear,"Haggai 2:19; acam, "a storehouse,"Proverbs 3:10; mammeghurah, "a repository,"Joel 1:17; apotheke,Matthew 6:26;Matthew 13:30Luke 12:18, 24): A place for the storing of grain, usually a dry cistern in the ground, covered over with a thick layer of earth. "Grain is not stored in the East until it is threshed and winnowed. The apotheke in Roman times was probably a building of some kind. But the immemorial usage of the East has been to conceal the grain, in carefully prepared pits or caves, which, being perfectly dry, will preserve it for years. It thus escaped, as far as possible, the attentions of the tax-gatherer as well as of the robber-not always easily distinguished in the East; compareJeremiah 41:8 " (Temple Dictionary, 215).
Figurative of heaven (Matthew 13:30).
SeeAGRICULTURE;GARNER.
M. O. Evans
Greek
596. apotheke -- a place for putting away, hence a storehouse... of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: apotheke Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-oth-ay'-kay) Short Definition: a repository, granary,
barn, storehouse Definition:
...5009. tameion -- an inner chamber
... Transliteration: tameion Phonetic Spelling: (tam-i'-on) Short Definition: a secret
chamber Definition: a store-chamber, secret chamber, closet; a granary,barn...
Strong's Hebrew
4035. megurah -- a storehouse, granary... 4034, 4035. megurah. 4036 . a storehouse, granary. Transliteration: megurah
Phonetic Spelling: (meg-oo-raw') Short Definition:
barn.
...barn, fear.
...4460. mammegurah -- granary, storehouse
...barn. From magar (in the sense of depositing); a granary --barn. see HEBREW
magar. 4459, 4460. mammegurah. 4461 . Strong's Numbers.
1637. goren -- threshing floor
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition threshing floor NASB Word Usage
threshing floor (34), threshing floors (2).barn, void place....
618. asam -- a storehouse
...barn, storehouse. From an unused root meaning to heap together; a storehouse (only
in the plural) --barn, storehouse. 617, 618. asam. 619 . Strong's Numbers
Library
On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xiii. 19, Etc. , Where the Lord...
... "In the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the
tares, to burn them, but gather the wheat into Mybarn." Why are ye so hasty...
The Death of the Christian
... he is coming across the field to reap his harvest; and then, by-and-bye, it shall
be carried into thebarn and safely housed, no more subject to blight, or...
Answers to Prayer.
... As the purchaser of their old home wanted possession as soon as possible, Mr.
Worthington had time to build only abarn before removing his family....
How Brother Giles Went to St James the Great
... And as he went asking alms, and finding none who would give to him, he came one
evening by chance to abarn, where a few beans lay scattered on the ground....
Perfect Knowledge Cannot be Attained in the Present Life: Many...
... are in His own presence, just as He brings an infant which has been conceived in
the womb into the light of the sun, and lays up wheat in thebarn after He has...
Toplady
... Dublin. While on a visit in Ireland in his sixteenth year he was awakened
and converted at a service held in abarn in Codymain....
Wesley in the Fens
... Here many people had lately been stirred up: they had prepared alargebarn.... A large
barn was ready, in which Mr. Berridge and Mr. Venn used to preach....
Anxious About Earth, or Earnest About the Kingdom
... Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse
norbarn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?...
Conjunctions, 99-111
... Rev.8:1 hotan enoixe. Cp.Barn. Ep.4:14 hotan blepete, 15:5 hotan . . .... Tobit 7:11
hopote ean eiseporeuonto. Cp.Barn. Ep.12:3 hopotan katheilen. 105....
Influence of the Lxx. On Christian Biblical Literature.
... D).Barn.9.8 mathete hoti tous dekaokto protous, kai diastema poiesas legei triakosious;
to dekaokto ( ) echeis Iesoun; hoti de ho stauros en to T emellen...
Thesaurus
Barn (6 Occurrences)... In the United States a part of the
barn is often used for stables. 2. (vt) To lay
up in a
barn. 3. (n.) A child.
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
BARN.
...Barn-floor (1 Occurrence)
Barn-floor. Barnfloor,Barn-floor. Barns . Multi-Version Concordance
Barn-floor (1 Occurrence). 2 Kings 6:27 And he...
Wheat (56 Occurrences)
... He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will burn up with
unquenchable fire." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Mow (1 Occurrence)
... 10. (n.) A heap or mass of hay or of sheaves of grain stowed in abarn. 11. (n.)
The place in abarn where hay or grain in the sheaf is stowed. 12....
Burn (206 Occurrences)
... He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will burn up with
unquenchable fire." (WEB KJV WEY ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Unquenchable (5 Occurrences)
... He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will burn up with
unquenchable fire." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Fork (8 Occurrences)
... threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will
burn up with unquenchable fire." (WEB NAS RSV NIV). Luke...
Floor (69 Occurrences)
... He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will burn up with
unquenchable fire." (WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)....
Threshing (57 Occurrences)
... floor. He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will burn
up with unquenchable fire." (WEB WEY ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)....
Thoroughly (48 Occurrences)
... floor. He will gather his wheat into thebarn, but the chaff he will burn
up with unquenchable fire." (WEB ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS)....
Resources
What is the meaning of the Greek word kairos? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are the seven baptisms mentioned in the Bible, and what do they mean? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about karma? | GotQuestions.orgBarn: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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