The term "husbandman" in the Bible refers to a farmer or cultivator of the land. This role is significant throughout the Scriptures, symbolizing both physical and spiritual cultivation. The husbandman is responsible for tilling the soil, planting seeds, and nurturing crops to bring forth a harvest. This imagery is used extensively in biblical teachings to illustrate principles of diligence, stewardship, and divine providence.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, the role of the husbandman is foundational to the agrarian society of ancient Israel. Genesis 9:20 introduces Noah as a "man of the soil" who plants a vineyard, highlighting the early importance of agriculture. The land of Canaan, promised to the Israelites, is often described in terms of its agricultural abundance, emphasizing the role of the husbandman in maintaining the land's productivity.

The Mosaic Law contains numerous instructions for husbandmen, including the Sabbatical Year (Leviticus 25:3-4), where the land was to rest every seventh year, and the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:11-12), which underscored the principle of divine ownership of the land. These laws reflect the belief that the land ultimately belongs to God, and the husbandman is a steward of His creation.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the concept of the husbandman is used metaphorically to convey spiritual truths. Jesus frequently employed agricultural imagery in His parables. In the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-41, Mark 12:1-9, Luke 20:9-16), a landowner leases his vineyard to husbandmen who fail to render the fruits at harvest time. This parable serves as an allegory for Israel's leaders, who were entrusted with God's vineyard but failed in their stewardship.

John 15:1-2 presents Jesus as the true vine and God the Father as the husbandman: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, and every branch that does bear fruit, He prunes to make it even more fruitful." This passage emphasizes the divine role in spiritual growth and the necessity of remaining connected to Christ to bear fruit.

Spiritual Implications

The role of the husbandman extends beyond physical agriculture to encompass spiritual cultivation. Believers are called to be diligent in their spiritual lives, sowing seeds of faith and righteousness. James 5:7-8 encourages patience and perseverance, likening believers to husbandmen waiting for the precious fruit of the earth: "Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient for it until it receives the early and late rains."

The husbandman metaphor also underscores the importance of stewardship. Just as a farmer tends to his crops, Christians are called to nurture their spiritual gifts and resources, recognizing that they are accountable to God for their use.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of the husbandman is rich with meaning, illustrating the principles of stewardship, diligence, and divine providence. Through both literal and metaphorical uses, the Scriptures convey the importance of cultivating both the land and one's spiritual life in accordance with God's will.One whose business it is to cultivate the ground. It was one of the first occupations, and was esteemed most honourable (Genesis 9:20; 26:12, 14; 37:7, etc.). All the Hebrews, except those engaged in religious services, were husbandmen. (see AGRICULTURE.) 1. (n.) The master of a family.

2. (n.) A farmer; a cultivator or tiller of the ground.

HUSBANDMAN; HUSBANDRY

huz'-band-man, huz'-band-ri: Husbandman, originally a "householder" or "master of the house," is now limited in its meaning to "farmer" or "tiller of the soil." In this sense it is the correct translation of the various Biblical words: ish 'adahamah, literally, "man of the soil" (Genesis 9:20); 'ikkar, literally, "digger," "a farmer" (2 Chronicles 26:10 Jeremiah 31:24; Jeremiah 51:23 Amos 5:16 Joel 1:11); gubh, "to dig" (2 Kings 25:12); yaghabh, "to dig" (Jeremiah 52:16); georgos, "cultivator" (Matthew 21:33 John 15:1 James 5:7).

See AGRICULTURE.

It is a common practice in Palestine and Syria today for a rich man to own lands in many different parts of the country. He sets farmers over these different tracts who, with the helpers, do the plowing, planting, reaping, etc.; or he lets out his lands to farmers who pay him an annual rental or return to him a certain percentage of the crop. Much of the plain of Esdraelon, for example, was until recently owned by Beirut proprietors and farmed in this way. The writer while riding on the plain near ancient Dan, was surprised to overtake an acquaintance from Beirut (3 days' journey away), who had just dismounted at one of his farms to inspect it and to receive the annual account of his farmer. The pride with which the husbandman pointed out the abundant harvest will not be forgotten. All the difficulties of the owner with his husbandmen described by Jesus are often repeated today.

Figurative: Jesus said "I am the true vine, and my father is the husbandman" (John 15:1). He sows, cultivates, prunes and expects fruits from His church. In the parable of the Householder (Matthew 21:33), the wicked husbandmen were the Jews. The church is referred to as "God's husbandry" in 1 Corinthians 3:9 (m "tilled land").

James A. Patch

1092. georgos -- a husbandman, vinedresser
... a husbandman, vinedresser. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: georgos
Phonetic Spelling: (gheh-ore-gos') Short Definition: a worker of the soil ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1092.htm - 7k406. ikkar -- a plowman, husbandman
... 405, 406. ikkar. 407 . a plowman, husbandman. Transliteration: ikkar Phonetic
Spelling: (ik-kawr') Short Definition: farmer. ... husbandman, ploughman. ...
/hebrew/406.htm - 5k

1461. gub -- husbandman
... gub. 1462 . husbandman. Transliteration: gub Phonetic Spelling: (goob) Short
Definition: husbandman. ... husbandman A primitive root; to dig -- husbandman. ...
/hebrew/1461.htm - 5k

3009. yagab -- to till, be a husbandman
... yagab. 3010 . to till, be a husbandman. Transliteration: yagab Phonetic Spelling:
(yaw-gab') Short Definition: plowmen. Word Origin a prim. ... husbandman. ...
/hebrew/3009.htm - 5k

127. adamah -- ground, land
... country, earth, ground, husbandman ry, land. From 'adam; soil (from its general
redness) -- country, earth, ground, husband(-man) (-ry), land. see HEBREW 'adam. ...
/hebrew/127.htm - 6k

5647. abad -- to work, serve
... X be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, +
husbandman, keep, labour(-ing man, bring to pass, (cause to, make to ...
/hebrew/5647.htm - 6k

The Husbandman
... THE HUSBANDMAN. And My Father is the Husbandman"John 15..1. A vine must have a
husbandman to plant and watch over it, to receive and rejoice in its fruit. ...
/.../murray/the true vine meditations for a month on john 151-16/the husbandman.htm

The Husbandman and his Operations
... THE HUSBANDMAN AND HIS OPERATIONS. ... The prophet's answer to that question is this
parable of the husbandman, who has to perform a great variety of operations. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the husbandman and his operations.htm

Parable of the Wicked Husbandman. (Matt. , xxi. , 33-44; Mark, xii ...
... CHAPTER I. FROM THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY TO THE LAST SUPPER. Section 256. Parable of
the Wicked Husbandman. (Matt., xxi., 33-44; Mark, xii., 1-12; Luke, xx., 9-18.). ...
/.../section 256 parable of the.htm

M. Sterling. The Husbandman's Hymn.
... VIII. VARIOUS OCCASIONS. 432. 8 & 7s. M. Sterling. The Husbandman's Hymn.
1 Many a power within earth's bosom, Noiseless, hidden ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/432 8 & 7s m.htm

Psalm 65:5. Third Part. CM The Blessing: of the Spring; Or, God ...
... THE Psalms of David, In Metre. Psalm 65:5. Third Part. CM The blessing: of
the spring; or, God gives rain. A psalm for the husbandman. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/watts/the psalms of david/psalm 65 5 0 third part c.htm

The Comparison, Found in the Gospel of St. ...
... The comparison, found in the Gospel of St. John, of the Son to a Vine and the Father
to a husbandman, must be understood with reference to the Incarnation. ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xii the comparison found.htm

Psalm LXVII.
... That is the rain, this the fruit. Therefore there is rendered as it were
fruit to God the Husbandman, raining upon and tilling us. ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxvii.htm

The Fruit
... Fruit."This is the next great word we have: the Vine, the Husbandman, the
branch, the fruit. What has our Lord to say to us of fruit? ...
/.../murray/the true vine meditations for a month on john 151-16/the fruit.htm

Delivered on the Lord's Day, on that which is Written in the ...
... For our cultivation is the labour of the heart, not of the hands. [2843]
He cultivateth us as the husbandman doth his field. In ...
/.../sermon xxxvii delivered on the.htm

John Chapter xv. 1-3.
... [1381]. 2. "I am," He says, "the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, He taketh ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate lxxx john chapter xv.htm

Expect (20 Occurrences)
... Luke 3:15), is not as intense as ekdechomai (Hebrews 10:13), meaning to wait for
that of the realization of which one is assured ("as the husbandman waits for ...
/e/expect.htm - 13k

Husbandry (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The business of a husbandman, comprehending the various branches of agriculture;
farming. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HUSBANDMAN; HUSBANDRY. ...
/h/husbandry.htm - 9k

Husbandman (7 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HUSBANDMAN; HUSBANDRY. ... The pride with which the
husbandman pointed out the abundant harvest will not be forgotten. ...
/h/husbandman.htm - 11k

Husbandmen (21 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) Plural of Husbandman. Multi-Version Concordance
Husbandmen (21 Occurrences). Matthew 21:34 And when ...
/h/husbandmen.htm - 12k

Vinedresser (2 Occurrences)
... down; why doth it also cumber the ground? (ASV DBY RSV). John 15:1 I am the
true vine, and my Father is the husbandman; (See NAS RSV). ...
/v/vinedresser.htm - 7k

Ox (197 Occurrences)
... "The ploughman still carries his goad, a weapon apparently more fitted
for the hand of the soldier than the peaceful husbandman. ...
/o/ox.htm - 43k

Latter (91 Occurrences)
... Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long
patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. ...
/l/latter.htm - 34k

Laboureth (8 Occurrences)
... us, and laboureth. (KJV). 2 Timothy 2:6 The husbandman that laboureth must
be first partaker of the fruits. (KJV). Proverbs 16:26 ...
/l/laboureth.htm - 8k

Labouring (18 Occurrences)
... and teaching; (DBY YLT). 2 Timothy 2:6 the labouring husbandman it behoveth
first of the fruits to partake; (YLT). 1 Kings 9:23 These ...
/l/labouring.htm - 11k

Genneseret
... The land is almost entirely cleared, and it rewards the toil of the husbandman
with all its ancient generosity. W. Ewing. GENNESARET, LAKE OF. ...
/g/genneseret.htm - 9k

What is a husbandman in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Topical: Biblical Culture ' Article Index | GotQuestions.org

Topical: Analogies ' Article Index | GotQuestions.org

Husbandman: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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