Definition and Usage in Biblical Times:

Firewood, in biblical times, was an essential resource for daily life, serving as the primary fuel for cooking, heating, and religious sacrifices. The gathering and preparation of firewood were common tasks, often mentioned in the context of daily chores and religious observances.

Biblical References:

1. Gathering Firewood:
The gathering of firewood is depicted as a routine activity, often associated with the preparation of meals and the maintenance of household warmth. In the book of Numbers, a man is found gathering sticks on the Sabbath, which leads to a significant legal decision regarding Sabbath observance: "While the Israelites were in the wilderness, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day" (Numbers 15:32).

2. Firewood in Sacrificial Practices:
Firewood played a crucial role in the sacrificial system of ancient Israel. The wood was used to burn offerings on the altar, a practice central to the worship and atonement rituals. In the account of Abraham's test of faith, firewood is specifically mentioned as he prepares to offer his son Isaac: "Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac" (Genesis 22:6).

3. Symbolic and Prophetic Uses:
Firewood is sometimes used symbolically in prophetic literature. In Ezekiel, the prophet uses the imagery of firewood to convey messages of judgment and purification: "As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I have given up the people of Jerusalem" (Ezekiel 15:6).

4. Practical Aspects:
The practical aspects of firewood collection and use are evident in various biblical narratives. For instance, in the account of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, the widow is found gathering sticks to prepare a final meal during a time of famine: "As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, 'Please bring me a piece of bread.' But she replied, 'As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die'" (1 Kings 17:11-12).

Cultural and Religious Significance:

In the ancient Near East, firewood was a valuable commodity, often requiring significant labor to collect and prepare. Its use in religious sacrifices underscores its importance in the spiritual life of Israel. The act of offering sacrifices with firewood symbolized devotion and obedience to God, as well as the purification and atonement of sins.

Conclusion:

The role of firewood in biblical times extends beyond its practical uses, serving as a symbol of sustenance, sacrifice, and divine judgment. Its presence in various biblical narratives highlights the interconnectedness of daily life and spiritual practice in the ancient world.(n.) Wood for fuel.2404. chatab -- to cut or gather wood
... root Definition to cut or gather wood NASB Word Usage chops your wood (1), cut
(1), fashioned (1), gather firewood (1), hewers of wood (3), woodcutters (1 ...
/hebrew/2404.htm - 6k

'the Angel Adjutant'
... under their foul porches, are worn, broken, and greasy; the doors and windows in
the reeking basements have been smashed up in nearly every case for firewood. ...
/.../carpenter/the angel adjutant of twice born men/x the angel adjutant.htm

Of the Advantage and Use of the World and of the Seasons.
... countries; he uses the earth for receiving a variety of fruits, the hills for planting
vineyards, the mountains for the use of trees and firewood, [1716] the ...
/.../chap xiii of the advantage and.htm

The Downfall, 1616-1621.
... At Klostergrab the church was pulled down, and the wood of which it was built was
used as firewood; and in each case the new King, Matthias, took the Catholic ...
/.../hutton/history of the moravian church/chapter xiv the downfall 1616-1621.htm

The Larger Part of Womankind, However, have had to Fight for ...
... just do for a fur coat, or a tea-cozy just do for a cocked hat; when a toy theater
needs timber and cardboard, and the house has just enough firewood and just ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 19 the larger part.htm

The vineyards
... dry and barren. And if you did not know they were vines, you would think,
that wood is good for nothing but firewood.'. "But in that ...
/.../bevan/three friends of god/chapter xxviii the vineyards.htm

That a Schism must not be Made, Even Although He who Withdraws ...
... In Ecclesiasticus, in Solomon: "He that cleaveth firewood shall be endangered by
it if the iron shall fall off." [4555] Also in Exodus: "In one house shall it ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/86 that a schism must.htm

Christian Furchtegott Gellert
... a very beautiful brow, all rendered his presence agreeable." Nor was his influence
confined to his class-room: a peasant one day laid a load of firewood at his ...
/.../winkworth/christian singers of germany/christian furchtegott gellert.htm

Vineyards in Spring. May 31.
... it as the sacred and miraculous fruit, the special gift of God; not merely the pruning
out of the unfruitful branches, to be burned as firewood"not merely ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /vineyards in spring may 31.htm

"Attracted by the Influence"
... Then another expedition, and in again with three pebbles for hearthstones, a shell
for a cooking pot, bits of straw for firewood, a stick for a match, and sand ...
/.../wilson-carmichael/things as they are/chapter xix attracted by the.htm

National Wealth
... Then, too, sprung up a thousand useful arts and manufactures; while the land, not
being wanted for charcoal and firewood, as of old, could be cleared of wood ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon xvi national wealth.htm

Firewood (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Wood for fuel. Multi-Version Concordance
Firewood (4 Occurrences). Leviticus 6:9 Command Aaron and ...
/f/firewood.htm - 7k

Fire-trays (6 Occurrences)
Fire-trays. Fire-spoon, Fire-trays. Firewood . Multi-Version Concordance
Fire-trays (6 Occurrences). ... (BBE). Fire-spoon, Fire-trays. Firewood . Reference ...
/f/fire-trays.htm - 8k

Botany
... The firewood brought to Jerusalem comes from ever-increasing distances, as the wood
in the neighborhood is consumed, and the destruction has been increasingly ...
/b/botany.htm - 38k

Gog (12 Occurrences)
... Their bodies shall be food for the birds, their weapons shall serve as firewood
for seven years and their bones shall be buried East of the Jordan in Hamon-gog ...
/g/gog.htm - 14k

Firing (3 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) The process of partly vitrifying pottery by exposing it to intense heat
in a kiln. 5. (n.) Fuel; firewood or coal. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/f/firing.htm - 7k

Fire-wood (4 Occurrences)
Fire-wood. Firewood, Fire-wood. Firing . Multi-Version Concordance Fire-wood
(4 Occurrences). ... (BBE). Firewood, Fire-wood. Firing . Reference Bible.
/f/fire-wood.htm - 7k

Dung (27 Occurrences)
... unprofitable. (2.) Used as fuel, a substitute for firewood, which was with
difficulty procured in Syria, Arabia, and Egypt (Ezek. ...
/d/dung.htm - 20k

Buck (23 Occurrences)
... 12. (vt) To throw by bucking. See Buck, vi, 2. 13. (n.) A frame on which firewood
is sawed; a sawhorse; a sawbuck. 14. (n.) The beech tree. ...
/b/buck.htm - 13k

Wanderings (7 Occurrences)
... The Arabs have cut down a good many acacia trees for firewood in recent times, but
the population is too small materially to affect the vegetation. ...
/w/wanderings.htm - 40k

Food (2953 Occurrences)
... sheep and goats. The branches cut off in pruning, as well as the dead trunk,
are used to make charcoal, or for firewood. The failure ...
/f/food.htm - 36k

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