Easton's Bible Dictionary

AGRICULTURE

Agriculture: translation

Tilling the ground (Gen. 2:15; 4:2, 3, 12) and rearing cattle were the chief employments in ancient times. The Egyptians excelled in agriculture. And after the Israelites entered into the possession of the Promised Land, their circumstances favoured in the highest degree a remarkable development of this art. Agriculture became indeed the basis of the Mosaic commonwealth.
The year in Palestine was divided into six agricultural periods:-
I. SOWING TIME. Tisri, latter half (beginning about the autumnal equinox.) Marchesvan. Kisleu, former half. Early rain due = first showers of autumn.
II. UNRIPE TIME. Kisleu, latter half. Tebet. Sebat, former half.
III. COLD SEASON. Sebat, latter half. Adar. [Veadar.] Nisan, former half. Latter rain due (Deut. 11:14; Jer. 5:24; Hos. 6:3; Zech. 10:1; James 5:7; Job 29:23).
IV. HARVEST TIME. Nisan, latter half. (Beginning about vernal equinox. Barley green. Passover.) Ijar. Sivan, former half., Wheat ripe. Pentecost.
V. SUMMER (total absence of rain) Sivan, latter half. Tammuz. Ab, former half.
VI. SULTRY SEASON Ab, latter half. Elul. Tisri, former half., Ingathering of fruits.
The six months from the middle of Tisri to the middle of Nisan were occupied with the work of cultivation, and the rest of the year mainly with the gathering in of the fruits. The extensive and easily-arranged system of irrigation from the rills and streams from the mountains made the soil in every part of Palestine richly productive (Ps. 1:3; 65:10; Prov. 21:1; Isa. 30:25; 32:2, 20; Hos. 12:11), and the appliances of careful cultivation and of manure increased its fertility to such an extent that in the days of Solomon, when there was an abundant population, "20,000 measures of wheat year by year" were sent to Hiram in exchange for timber (1 Kings 5:11), and in large quantities also wheat was sent to the Tyrians for the merchandise in which they traded (Ezek.27:17). The wheat sometimes produced an hundredfold (Gen. 26:12; Matt. 13:23). Figs and pomegranates were very plentiful (Num. 13:23), and the vine and the olive grew luxuriantly and produced abundant fruit (Deut. 33:24).
Lest the productiveness of the soil should be exhausted, it was enjoined that the whole land should rest every seventh year, when all agricultural labour would entirely cease (Lev. 25:1-7; Deut. 15:1-10).
It was forbidden to sow a field with divers seeds (Deut. 22:9). A passer-by was at liberty to eat any quantity of corn or grapes, but he was not permitted to carry away any (Deut. 23:24, 25; Matt. 12:1). The poor were permitted to claim the corners of the fields and the gleanings. A forgotten sheaf in the field was to be left also for the poor. (See Lev. 19:9, 10; Deut. 24:19.)
Agricultural implements and operations.
The sculptured monuments and painted tombs of Egypt and Assyria throw much light on this subject, and on the general operations of agriculture. Ploughs of a simple construction were known in the time of Moses (Deut. 22:10; comp. Job 1:14). They were very light, and required great attention to keep them in the ground (Luke 9:62). They were drawn by oxen (Job 1:14), cows (1 Sam. 6:7), and asses (Isa. 30:24); but an ox and an ass must not be yoked together in the same plough (Deut. 22:10). Men sometimes followed the plough with a hoe to break the clods (Isa. 28:24). The oxen were urged on by a "goad," or long staff pointed at the end, so that if occasion arose it could be used as a spear also (Judg. 3:31; 1 Sam. 13:21).
When the soil was prepared, the seed was sown broadcast over the field (Matt. 13:3-8). The "harrow" mentioned in Job 39:10 was not used to cover the seeds, but to break the clods, being little more than a thick block of wood. In highly irrigated spots the seed was trampled in by cattle (Isa. 32:20); but doubtless there was some kind of harrow also for covering in the seed scattered in the furrows of the field.
The reaping of the corn was performed either by pulling it up by the roots, or cutting it with a species of sickle, according to circumstances. The corn when cut was generally put up in sheaves (Gen. 37:7; Lev. 23:10-15; Ruth 2:7, 15; Job 24:10; Jer. 9:22; Micah 4:12), which were afterwards gathered to the threshing-floor or stored in barns (Matt. 6:26).
The process of threshing was performed generally by spreading the sheaves on the threshing-floor and causing oxen and cattle to tread repeatedly over them (Deut. 25:4; Isa. 28:28). On occasions flails or sticks were used for this purpose (Ruth 2:17; Isa. 28:27). There was also a "threshing instrument" (Isa. 41:15; Amos 1:3) which was drawn over the corn. It was called by the Hebrews a moreg, a threshing roller or sledge (2 Sam. 24:22; 1 Chr. 21:23; Isa. 3:15). It was somewhat like the Roman tribulum, or threshing instrument.
When the grain was threshed, it was winnowed by being thrown up against the wind (Jer. 4:11), and afterwards tossed with wooden scoops (Isa. 30:24). The shovel and the fan for winnowing are mentioned in Ps. 35:5, Job 21:18, Isa. 17:13. The refuse of straw and chaff was burned (Isa. 5:24). Freed from impurities, the grain was then laid up in granaries till used (Deut. 28:8; Prov. 3:10; Matt. 6:26; 13:30; Luke 12:18).

  1. agriculture—Agriculture translation Egypt was an agricultural country in which the bulk of the population were peasant farmers involved in work on the land. The fertility of the land...Ancient Egypt
  2. agriculture—agriculture translation nounADJECTIVE modern intensive organic sustainable conventional traditional largescale smallscale peasant subsistence slashandbur...Collocations dictionary
  3. agriculture—A largescale farming enterprise The practice of cultivating the land or raising stock The federal department that administers programs that provide services to farmers ...Crosswordopener
  4. agriculture—agriculture bersetzungLandwirtschaft fagriculture biologique biologische Landwirtschaft f agriculture [agikylty] Substantif fminin Landwirtschaft fmininem...Dictionnaire Francais-Allemand
  5. agriculture—agriculture bersetzungLandwirtschaft fagriculture biologique biologische Landwirtschaft f agriculture [agikylty] Substantif fminin Landwirtschaft fmininem...Dictionnaire Francais-Allemand
  6. agriculture—agriculture translation agriculturestrong agriculture [grklt r] noun [uncountable] FARMING the practice or science of farming Agriculture accounts for over of net do...Financial and business terms
  7. agriculture—agriculture translation the science art and business of cultivating the soil producing crops and raising livestock farming....Geography glossary
  8. agriculture—Agriculture translation Agriculture most often associated with the kibbutzstrong has occupied a position of prominence in Israel and in Zioniststrong ideology greater tha...Historical Dictionary of Israel
  9. agriculture—AGRICULTURE translation Agriculture formed the basis of the Mesopotamian economy. The first steps toward a managed production of cereals were taken as early as the th mil...Historical Dictionary of Mesopotamia
  10. agriculture—AGRICULTURE translation Great advances have been made in the systematic study of Etruscan agriculture now that direct methods of analysis have substantially augmented the...Historical Dictionary of the Etruscans
  11. agriculture—Agriculture translation Agriculture has been one of the most important means of subsistence since prehistoric times. During the Middle Ages agriculture was mainly organiz...Historical Dictionary of the Netherlands
  12. agriculture—Agriculture translation Due to its geographystrong and climatestrong agriculture in Russia is limited to approximately percent of the countrys territory or . million squ...Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation
  13. agriculture—Agriculture translation Seeem Farmers....Historical dictionary of Weimar Republik
  14. agriculture—agriculture translationSynonyms and related wordsCeres Cora Demeter Dionysos Dionysus Flora Frey Gaea Gaia Kore Persephassa Persephone Pomona Proserpina Proserpine Tripto...Moby Thesaurus
  15. agriculture—[grkl]сельское хозяйство земледелие агрономия...Англо-русский большой универсальный переводческий словарь
  16. agriculture—transcription транскрипция [ rklt ] сельское хозяйство земледелие agriculture and fisheries agriculture and related industries commercial agriculture extensive a...Англо-русский деловой словарь
  17. agriculture—сельское хозяйство...Англо-русский дополнительный словарь
  18. agriculture—сельское хозяйство земледелие агрономия...Англо-русский научно-технический словарь
  19. agriculture—сельское хозяйство...Англо-русский онлайн словарь
  20. agriculture—сельское хозяйство...Англо-русский онлайн словарь
  21. agriculture—земледелие сельское хозяйство агрокультура сельскохозяйственная культура сельскохозяйственная культура...Англо-русский словарь биологических терминов
  22. agriculture—a сельскохозяйственный...Англо-русский словарь Лингвистика-98
  23. agriculture—n агрономия земледелие сельское хозяйство...Англо-русский словарь Лингвистика-98
  24. agriculture—agriculture [grklt] nu сельское хозяйство земледелие агрономияMinistry of A. министерство земледелия в Англии...Англо-русский словарь Мюллера
  25. agriculture—сущ. сельское хозяйство земледелие агрономия Board of Agriculture министерство земледелия в Англии Syn farming...Англо-русский словарь общей лексики
  26. agriculture—сельское хозяйство аграрный сектор...Англо-русский словарь по биотехнологиям
  27. agriculture—n sociology of agriculture...Англо-русский словарь по социологии
  28. agriculture—strong сельское хозяйствоstrong земледелие агрономия commercial agriculture continental agriculture crofting agriculture diversified agriculture dry agriculture efficient...Англо-русский словарь по экономике
  29. agriculture—nсельское хозяйство земледелиеto adopt to agriculture приспосабливать к нуждам сельского хозяйстваto reconstruct agriculture перестраивать сельское хозяйство cropgrowin...Англо-русский словарь политической терминологии
  30. agriculture—n. агрокультура сельское хозяйство земледелие агрономия...Англо-русский словарь редакция bed
  31. agriculture—сельское хозяйство земледелие agriculture and fisheries agriculture and related industries commercial agriculture extensive agriculture subsistence agriculture...Англо-русский словарь финансовых терминов
  32. agriculture—rkltсельское хозяйство земледелие агрономия...Англо-русский словарь экономических терминов
  33. agriculture—сущ. sociology of agriculture[m]...Англо-русский социологический словарь
  34. agriculture—сельский хлебопашество...Англо-русский технический словарь
  35. agriculture—сущ.сельское хозяйствоа с.х. одна из отраслей материального производства связанная с возделыванием сельскохозяйственных культур и разведением сельскохозяйственных животны...Англо-русский экономический словарь
  36. agriculture—nсльське господарство землеробство агрономя Board of Agriculture...Англо-украинский словарь
  37. agriculture—землеробство...Англо-український словник
  38. agriculture—n сльське господарство землеробство агрономя Board of Agriculture мнстерство землеробства у Великй Британ обробток земл хлборобство....Англо-український словник Балла М.І.
  39. agriculture—f земледелие полеводство растениеводство сельское хозяйство agriculture collectivise коллективное сельское хозяйствоchambre dagriculture сельскохозяйственная палата пр...Большой французско-русский и русско-французский словарь
  40. agriculture—f земледелие полеводство растениеводство сельское хозяйство agriculture collectivise коллективное сельское хозяйствоchambre dagriculture сельскохозяйственная палата пр...Большой французско-русский и русско-французский словарь
  41. agriculture—[grklt] n сельское хозяйство земледелие агрокультура хлебопашество...Новый большой англо-русский словарь
  42. agriculture—agriculture [grklt] ni сельское хозяйство земледелие агрокультура хлебопашество...Новый большой англо-русский словарь II
  43. agriculture—grklt n сельское хозяйство земледелие агрокультура хлебопашество...Новый большой англо-русский словарь под общим руководством акад. Ю.Д. Апресяна
  44. agriculture—f земледелие полеводство растениеводство сельское хозяйство agriculture collectivise коллективное сельское хозяйство chambre dagriculture сельскохозяйственная палата ...Новый французско-русский словарь
  45. agriculture—f земледелие полеводство растениеводство сельское хозяйство agriculture collectivise коллективное сельское хозяйство chambre dagriculture сельскохозяйственная палата ...Новый французско-русский словарь
  46. agriculture—сельскохозяйственное производство отрасль сельское хозяйство...Французско-русский экономический словарь