Grain-stems, often referred to in biblical texts, are the stalks or shafts of cereal plants such as wheat, barley, and other grains. These stems play a significant role in the agricultural practices and symbolic imagery found throughout the Bible. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, grain-stems were essential for sustenance and economic stability, serving as a primary source of food and trade.

Biblical References and Symbolism

Grain-stems are frequently mentioned in the context of harvest and agricultural practices. In the Book of Ruth, the process of gleaning is described, where Ruth gathers leftover grain-stems in the fields of Boaz: "So she went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters" (Ruth 2:3). This practice highlights the importance of grain-stems in providing for the needy and reflects the social laws of Israel that ensured care for the poor and the foreigner.

The imagery of grain-stems is also used metaphorically in Scripture. In the prophetic literature, the cutting down of grain-stems often symbolizes judgment and destruction. For instance, in Isaiah 17:5, the prophet describes the judgment upon Damascus: "It will be as when a reaper gathers the standing grain and harvests the ears with his arm, as when one gleans heads of grain in the Valley of Rephaim" . This imagery conveys the thoroughness and inevitability of divine judgment.

Conversely, grain-stems can symbolize abundance and blessing. In Psalm 65:13, the psalmist praises God for His provision: "The meadows are clothed with flocks, and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout for joy and sing" . Here, the flourishing grain-stems represent the prosperity and joy that come from God's favor and provision.

Agricultural Practices

The cultivation and harvesting of grain-stems were central to the livelihood of the Israelites. The process involved sowing seeds, tending the fields, and eventually reaping the mature grain. The grain-stems were then threshed to separate the grain from the chaff, a process often mentioned in the Bible. For example, in Matthew 3:12, John the Baptist uses the imagery of threshing to describe the coming judgment: "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" .

Cultural and Religious Significance

Grain-stems held cultural and religious significance in ancient Israel. The Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, was a harvest festival that celebrated the firstfruits of the wheat harvest. This festival is mentioned in Leviticus 23:15-17, where the Israelites are commanded to bring an offering of new grain to the Lord. The grain-stems, therefore, were not only a source of physical sustenance but also a means of worship and thanksgiving to God.

In the New Testament, Jesus uses the imagery of grain to teach spiritual truths. In John 12:24, He says, "Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" . Here, the grain-stem becomes a metaphor for sacrifice and the potential for new life and growth through death.

Overall, grain-stems in the Bible are rich in agricultural, cultural, and spiritual significance, reflecting the dependence of God's people on His provision and the deeper truths of His kingdom.Grain-stems (2 Occurrences)

Psalms 129:7
He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and they do not make bands of it for the grain-stems.
(BBE)

Joel 2:5
Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains; like the noise of a flame of fire burning up the grain-stems, like a strong people lined up for the fight.
(BBE)

Grain-stems (2 Occurrences)
Grain-stems. Grains, Grain-stems. Grain-stores . Multi-Version
Concordance Grain-stems (2 Occurrences). Psalms 129:7 ...
/g/grain-stems.htm - 7k

Grains (6 Occurrences)

/g/grains.htm - 8k

Jumping (14 Occurrences)
... Joel 2:5 Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains;
like the noise of a flame of fire burning up the grain-stems, like a ...
/j/jumping.htm - 12k

Lined (6 Occurrences)
... Joel 2:5 Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains;
like the noise of a flame of fire burning up the grain-stems, like a ...
/l/lined.htm - 8k

Grain-stores (1 Occurrence)
Grain-stores. Grain-stems, Grain-stores. Granaries . Multi-Version Concordance ...
(BBE). Grain-stems, Grain-stores. Granaries . Reference Bible.
/g/grain-stores.htm - 6k

Gathers (27 Occurrences)
... (WEB NAS RSV NIV). Psalms 129:7 He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and
they do not make bands of it for the grain-stems. (See NIV). ...
/g/gathers.htm - 14k

Stems (31 Occurrences)
... Genesis 37:7 We were in the field, getting the grainstems together, and my grain
kept upright, and yours came round and went down on the earth before mine. ...
/s/stems.htm - 15k

Gets (122 Occurrences)
... RSV). Psalms 129:7 He who gets in the grain has no use for it; and they do
not make bands of it for the grain-stems. (BBE). Proverbs ...
/g/gets.htm - 33k

Grain (413 Occurrences)
... Genesis 37:7 We were in the field, getting the grainstems together, and my grain
kept upright, and yours came round and went down on the earth before mine. ...
/g/grain.htm - 39k

War-carriages (76 Occurrences)
... Joel 2:5 Like the sound of war-carriages they go jumping on the tops of the mountains;
like the noise of a flame of fire burning up the grain-stems, like a ...
/w/war-carriages.htm - 31k

What is a grain offering? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of chaff in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is the meaning of gleaning in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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