Topical Encyclopedia
A threshing-sledge is an ancient agricultural implement used in the process of threshing, which is the separation of grain from chaff. This tool is mentioned in several passages of the Bible, reflecting its significance in the agrarian society of ancient Israel and surrounding regions.
Description and Use:The threshing-sledge typically consisted of a wooden platform or frame, often embedded with sharp stones or metal blades on the underside. This design allowed it to cut and crush the stalks of grain as it was dragged over them, usually by oxen or other draft animals. The weight and motion of the sledge would effectively separate the edible grain from the husks and straw.
Biblical References:The use of the threshing-sledge is alluded to in several biblical passages, illustrating both its practical application and its metaphorical significance. In
Isaiah 41:15 , the Lord speaks to Israel, saying, "Behold, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills to chaff." This imagery conveys the power and effectiveness of God's people when empowered by Him, likening them to a tool that can overcome great obstacles.
In
Amos 1:3 , the prophet Amos declares, "This is what the LORD says: 'For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they threshed Gilead with implements of iron.'" Here, the threshing-sledge is used metaphorically to describe the harsh and destructive actions of Damascus against Gilead, emphasizing the severity of their oppression.
Cultural and Symbolic Significance:The threshing-sledge not only served a practical role in agriculture but also held symbolic meaning in biblical literature. It represented judgment and the separation of good from bad, as seen in the process of threshing itself. The imagery of threshing is often used in the Bible to describe divine judgment, where the righteous are separated from the wicked, much like grain from chaff.
In the broader cultural context, the threshing-sledge was a common sight in the ancient Near East, and its mention in Scripture would have resonated with the agrarian communities familiar with its use. The tool's effectiveness in processing grain made it an apt metaphor for strength, judgment, and purification.
Conclusion:The threshing-sledge, as depicted in the Bible, serves as a powerful symbol of God's judgment and the transformative process of separating the valuable from the worthless. Its presence in Scripture underscores the agricultural backdrop of biblical times and provides rich imagery for understanding divine action and human responsibility.
Strong's Hebrew
4173. morag -- a threshing sled... Word Origin of foreign origin Definition a threshing sled NASB Word Usage
threshingsledge (1), threshing sledges (2). threshing instrument.
...2742. charuwts -- sharp, diligent
... of charats; properly, incised or (active) incisive; hence (as noun masculine or
feminine) a trench (as dug), gold (as mined), athreshing-sledge (having sharp...
2757. charits -- a cut, thing cut, sharp instrument
... Or charits {khaw-reets'}; from charats; properly, incisure or (passively) incised
(compare charuwts); hence, athreshing-sledge (with sharp teeth): also a...
2742a. charuts -- sharp, diligent
... Word Origin pass. part. of charats Definition sharp, diligent NASB Word Usage diligence
(1), diligent (4), sharp (2),threshing sledge (2). 2742, 2742a....
Thesaurus
Threshing-sledge (2 Occurrences)Threshing-
sledge. Threshing-place,
Threshing-
sledge. Threshing-sledges .
Multi-Version Concordance
Threshing-
sledge (2 Occurrences).
...Harrow (3 Occurrences)
... (Hebrews harits), a tribulum or sharpthreshingsledge; a frame armed on the under
side with rollers or sharp spikes (2 Samuel 12:31; 1 Chronicles 20:3)....
Undersides (1 Occurrence)
... Undersides (1 Occurrence). Job 41:30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds,
leaving a trail in the mud like athreshingsledge. (WEB NIV)....
Jagged (1 Occurrence)
... Jagged (1 Occurrence). Job 41:30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving
a trail in the mud like athreshingsledge. (See NIV)....
Threshing-place (1 Occurrence)
Threshing-place. Threshingplace, Threshing-place.Threshing-sledge .
Multi-Version Concordance... (WBS). Threshingplace, Threshing-place.Threshing-sledge >...
Tribulation (43 Occurrences)
... distress," "tribulation"; Septuagint for tsar and tsarah; Vulgate (Jerome's Latin
Bible, 390-405 AD) tribulatio pressura (from tribulum, "athreshingsledge")....
Threshing-sledges (1 Occurrence)
Threshing-sledges.Threshing-sledge, Threshing-sledges. Threshing-wain .... (DBY).
Threshing-sledge, Threshing-sledges. Threshing-wain . Reference Bible.
Trail (5 Occurrences)
... later. (See NIV). Job 41:30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving
a trail in the mud like athreshingsledge. (WEB NIV)....
Mud (15 Occurrences)
... I have become like dust and ashes. (See NIV). Job 41:30 His undersides are like
sharp potsherds, leaving a trail in the mud like athreshingsledge. (WEB NIV)....
Potsherds (2 Occurrences)
... Potsherds (2 Occurrences). Job 41:30 His undersides are like sharp potsherds, leaving
a trail in the mud like athreshingsledge. (WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV NIV)....
Resources
Who was Araunah the Jebusite? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of the symbolism in Amos, e.g., sledges with iron teeth (Amos 1:3), murdered pregnant women (Amos 1:13), burning bones (Amos 2:1), destroyed roots (Amos 2:9), and hooks (Amos 4:2)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a threshing floor? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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