Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical times, the concept of a "mower" is closely associated with the agricultural practices of ancient Israel and the surrounding regions. While the specific term "mower" as understood in modern contexts does not appear in the Bible, the activity of mowing or cutting grass and grain is implied in various passages. The role of a mower would have been crucial in the agrarian society of the Israelites, where the harvest was a central aspect of life and sustenance.
Biblical ContextThe process of mowing, or cutting down grass and grain, is alluded to in several biblical passages. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, mowing was an essential task for preparing fields for harvest and ensuring that livestock had adequate pasture. The act of mowing is often associated with the broader theme of harvest, which carries significant spiritual and symbolic meaning throughout Scripture.
Scriptural ReferencesOne of the most direct references to the concept of mowing can be found in the Psalms.
Psalm 129:7 states, "which cannot fill the hand of the reaper, or the arms of the binder of sheaves." This verse, while not explicitly mentioning mowing, alludes to the process of harvesting, which would have included mowing as a preliminary step before gathering and binding the sheaves.
In the book of Amos, the prophet speaks of a time when the Lord withheld rain, leading to a lack of growth and harvest.
Amos 4:7 says, "I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another had no rain and dried up." This passage highlights the dependence of the Israelites on favorable conditions for mowing and harvesting their crops.
Symbolic MeaningThe act of mowing and the imagery of harvest are often used symbolically in the Bible to convey spiritual truths. The harvest is frequently depicted as a time of judgment and reward, where the faithful are gathered like a bountiful crop. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the metaphor of the harvest to describe the gathering of believers into the kingdom of God. In
Matthew 9:37-38 , Jesus says to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest."
Cultural and Historical InsightsIn ancient Israel, mowing would have been done manually with tools such as sickles. The process required significant labor and was a communal activity, often involving entire families or communities working together. The timing of mowing was critical, as it needed to be done when the crops were ripe but before adverse weather could damage the yield.
The role of the mower, though not explicitly detailed in Scripture, can be inferred as one of diligence and care, ensuring that the fields were properly tended and the harvest was successfully gathered. This reflects the broader biblical theme of stewardship, where individuals are called to responsibly manage the resources and blessings provided by God.
ConclusionWhile the specific term "mower" is not directly mentioned in the Bible, the concept is integral to the agricultural practices of the time and carries rich symbolic meaning. The imagery of mowing and harvest serves as a powerful reminder of the spiritual truths regarding diligence, stewardship, and the ultimate gathering of God's people.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) One who, or that which, mows; a mowing machine; as, a lawn mower.
Library
Vindication of Christian Women.
... Jerome relates, "You could not go into the field, but you might hear the ploughman's
hallelujahs, themower's hymns, and the vine-dresser's chant of the Psalms...
Sin and Grace
... Its mighty scythe mows men down as themower cuts down the grass of the field; but
death came by sin and after death comes judgment, and, to the ungodly, the...
Massillon -- the Small Number of the Elect
... the vintage, and have escaped the search of the gatherer; as rare as the blades
which remain by chance in the field, and have escaped the scythe of themower....
The Omnipotent Summons.
... It was the first sheaf reaped by themower's sickle anticipatory of the great
Harvest-home of the Final day "when all that are in their graves" shall hear the...
Of Death and Dying. --Psalm Xc.
... We're like an herb that early dies, Or grass in fields that groweth, That
in the morning flourishes, Ere night themower moweth....
Psalm 129
... which fades ere it be grown: ^7Whereof enough to fill his hand. themower cannot
find; Nor can the man his bosom fill,. whose work is sheaves to bind....
Psalm 90:2. 1-5. First Part. CM Man Frail, and God Eternal.
... 8 Like flowery fields the nations stand Pleas'd with the morning light; The flowers
beneath themower's hand Lie withering ere 'tis night.]....
Psalm 90 Part 1 Man Frail, and God Eternal.
... Like flowery fields the nations stand. Pleased with the morning light; The flowers
beneath themower's hand. Lie with'ring ere 'tis night.]....
On his Father'S Silence, Because of the Plague of Hail.
... hearts, sitting as it were beside the grave of their crops, which the gentle rain
nourished, but the wild storm has rooted up, whereof themower filleth not...
Separating the Precious from the Vile
... He is as the beast that is fattened for the slaughter. Is he healthy? He is as the
blooming flower that is ripening for themower's scythe. Does he suffer?...
Thesaurus
Mower (1 Occurrence)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who, or that which, mows; a mowing machine; as,
a lawn
mower. Multi-Version Concordance
Mower (1 Occurrence).
...Mowing (1 Occurrence)
... The term "mower" (qatsar, "to dock off," "shorten") in Psalm 129:7 the King James
Version is rendered "reaper" in the Revised Version (British and American...
Filleth (16 Occurrences)
... countries. (See JPS). Psalms 129:7 Wherewith themower filleth not his hand;
nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)....
Mowed (2 Occurrences)
Mown (2 Occurrences)
... The term "mower" (qatsar, "to dock off," "shorten") in Psalm 129:7 the King James
Version is rendered "reaper" in the Revised Version (British and American...
Bindeth (25 Occurrences)
... (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). Psalms 129:7 Wherewith themower filleth not his hand;
nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)....
Cutter (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which cuts; a machine or part of a machine, or a tool or instrument
used for cutting, as that part of amower which severs the stalk, or as a...
Grass (92 Occurrences)
... The term "mower" (qatsar, "to dock off," "shorten") in Psalm 129:7 the King James
Version is rendered "reaper" in the Revised Version (British and American...
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