The term "cornfloor" refers to the threshing floor where grain, particularly corn (a term historically used to refer to various cereal grains, including wheat and barley), is processed after harvest. In biblical times, the threshing floor was a significant agricultural site where harvested grain was separated from the chaff. This process was crucial for food production and sustenance in ancient agrarian societies.

Biblical References:

The concept of the threshing floor is mentioned several times in the Bible, often symbolizing abundance, judgment, or a place of divine encounter. One notable reference is found in the book of Ruth, where the threshing floor becomes a setting for a pivotal moment in the narrative. Ruth, a Moabite widow, approaches Boaz at the threshing floor to seek his protection and propose marriage, as per the levirate marriage custom. This event is described in Ruth 3:6-9 : "So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. After Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Then Ruth came in quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. In the middle of the night, something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet. 'Who are you?' he asked. 'I am your servant Ruth,' she replied. 'Spread the corner of your garment over me, for you are a kinsman-redeemer.'"

The threshing floor is also a place of divine encounter and revelation. In 2 Samuel 24:18-25, King David builds an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, following a divine command to stop a plague affecting Israel. This site later becomes the location for Solomon's Temple, as noted in 2 Chronicles 3:1 : "Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the place provided by David."

Symbolism and Significance:

The threshing floor holds rich symbolic meaning in Scripture. It is often associated with judgment and purification, as the process of threshing involves separating the valuable grain from the worthless chaff. This imagery is used in prophetic literature to describe God's judgment and the separation of the righteous from the wicked. For instance, in Matthew 3:12 , John the Baptist speaks of Jesus, saying, "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."

In addition to judgment, the threshing floor symbolizes provision and blessing. It is a place where the fruits of labor are gathered and prepared for sustenance. The abundance of grain on the threshing floor is often seen as a sign of God's blessing and favor, as reflected in passages like Joel 2:24 : "The threshing floors will be full of grain, and the vats will overflow with new wine and oil."

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Israel, the threshing floor was typically located outside the village or town, on a flat, elevated surface to take advantage of the wind for winnowing. The process involved spreading the harvested stalks on the floor and using oxen or other animals to tread over them, loosening the grain. The grain was then tossed into the air with a winnowing fork, allowing the wind to blow away the lighter chaff, leaving the heavier grain to fall back to the ground.

The threshing floor was not only an agricultural site but also a communal space where people gathered during the harvest season. It was a place of hard work, celebration, and social interaction, reflecting the communal nature of ancient agrarian life.(n.) A thrashing floor.CORNFLOOR

korn'-flor (goren daghan): "Thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor" (Hosea 9:1 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "hire upon every grainfloor"). Israel had deserted Yahweh for supposed material benefits and regarded bounteous crops as the gift of the heathen gods which they worshipped. Yahweh would therefore cause the corn (grain) and wine to fail (Hosea 9:2).

See also THRESHING-FLOOR.

Cornfloor (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) A thrashing floor. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
CORNFLOOR. ... Multi-Version Concordance Cornfloor (1 Occurrence). ...
/c/cornfloor.htm - 7k

Corn-fields (2 Occurrences)
Corn-fields. Cornfields, Corn-fields. Cornfloor . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(WBS). Cornfields, Corn-fields. Cornfloor . Reference Bible.
/c/corn-fields.htm - 7k

Corn-floor (1 Occurrence)
Corn-floor. Cornfloor, Corn-floor. Cornices . Multi-Version Concordance ... (DBY
JPS WBS). Cornfloor, Corn-floor. Cornices . Reference Bible.
/c/corn-floor.htm - 6k

Corn (107 Occurrences)
... Hosea 9:1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast gone a
whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor. ...
/c/corn.htm - 41k

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