Mower
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In biblical times, the concept of a "mower" is closely associated with the agricultural practices of ancient Israel and the surrounding regions. While the specific term "mower" as understood in modern contexts does not appear in the Bible, the activity of mowing or cutting grass and grain is implied in various passages. The role of a mower would have been crucial in the agrarian society of the Israelites, where the harvest was a central aspect of life and sustenance.

Biblical Context

The process of mowing, or cutting down grass and grain, is alluded to in several biblical passages. In the agrarian society of ancient Israel, mowing was an essential task for preparing fields for harvest and ensuring that livestock had adequate pasture. The act of mowing is often associated with the broader theme of harvest, which carries significant spiritual and symbolic meaning throughout Scripture.

Scriptural References

One of the most direct references to the concept of mowing can be found in the Psalms. Psalm 129:7 states, "which cannot fill the hand of the reaper, or the arms of the binder of sheaves." This verse, while not explicitly mentioning mowing, alludes to the process of harvesting, which would have included mowing as a preliminary step before gathering and binding the sheaves.

In the book of Amos, the prophet speaks of a time when the Lord withheld rain, leading to a lack of growth and harvest. Amos 4:7 says, "I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one city but withheld it from another. One field received rain; another had no rain and dried up." This passage highlights the dependence of the Israelites on favorable conditions for mowing and harvesting their crops.

Symbolic Meaning

The act of mowing and the imagery of harvest are often used symbolically in the Bible to convey spiritual truths. The harvest is frequently depicted as a time of judgment and reward, where the faithful are gathered like a bountiful crop. In the New Testament, Jesus uses the metaphor of the harvest to describe the gathering of believers into the kingdom of God. In Matthew 9:37-38 , Jesus says to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest."

Cultural and Historical Insights

In ancient Israel, mowing would have been done manually with tools such as sickles. The process required significant labor and was a communal activity, often involving entire families or communities working together. The timing of mowing was critical, as it needed to be done when the crops were ripe but before adverse weather could damage the yield.

The role of the mower, though not explicitly detailed in Scripture, can be inferred as one of diligence and care, ensuring that the fields were properly tended and the harvest was successfully gathered. This reflects the broader biblical theme of stewardship, where individuals are called to responsibly manage the resources and blessings provided by God.

Conclusion

While the specific term "mower" is not directly mentioned in the Bible, the concept is integral to the agricultural practices of the time and carries rich symbolic meaning. The imagery of mowing and harvest serves as a powerful reminder of the spiritual truths regarding diligence, stewardship, and the ultimate gathering of God's people.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(n.) One who, or that which, mows; a mowing machine; as, a lawn mower.
Library

Vindication of Christian Women.
... Jerome relates, "You could not go into the field, but you might hear the ploughman's
hallelujahs, the mower's hymns, and the vine-dresser's chant of the Psalms ...
/.../tatians address to the greeks/chapter xxxiii vindication of christian women.htm

Sin and Grace
... Its mighty scythe mows men down as the mower cuts down the grass of the field; but
death came by sin and after death comes judgment, and, to the ungodly, the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 54 1908/sin and grace.htm

Massillon -- the Small Number of the Elect
... the vintage, and have escaped the search of the gatherer; as rare as the blades
which remain by chance in the field, and have escaped the scythe of the mower. ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 3/massillon the small number.htm

The Omnipotent Summons.
... It was the first sheaf reaped by the mower's sickle anticipatory of the great
Harvest-home of the Final day "when all that are in their graves" shall hear the ...
/.../macduff/memories of bethany/xvi the omnipotent summons.htm

Of Death and Dying. --Psalm Xc.
... We're like an herb that early dies, Or grass in fields that groweth, That
in the morning flourishes, Ere night the mower moweth. ...
/.../gerhardt/paul gerhardts spiritual songs/of death and dying psalm xc.htm

Psalm 129
... which fades ere it be grown: ^7Whereof enough to fill his hand. the mower cannot
find; Nor can the man his bosom fill,. whose work is sheaves to bind. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 129.htm

Psalm 90:2. 1-5. First Part. CM Man Frail, and God Eternal.
... 8 Like flowery fields the nations stand Pleas'd with the morning light; The flowers
beneath the mower's hand Lie withering ere 'tis night.]. ...
/.../watts/the psalms of david/psalm 90 2 0 1-5 first part.htm

Psalm 90 Part 1 Man Frail, and God Eternal.
... Like flowery fields the nations stand. Pleased with the morning light; The flowers
beneath the mower's hand. Lie with'ring ere 'tis night.]. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/psalm 90 part 1 man.htm

On his Father'S Silence, Because of the Plague of Hail.
... hearts, sitting as it were beside the grave of their crops, which the gentle rain
nourished, but the wild storm has rooted up, whereof the mower filleth not ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xvi on his fathers.htm

Separating the Precious from the Vile
... He is as the beast that is fattened for the slaughter. Is he healthy? He is as the
blooming flower that is ripening for the mower's scythe. Does he suffer? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/separating the precious from the.htm

Thesaurus
Mower (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who, or that which, mows; a mowing machine; as,
a lawn mower. Multi-Version Concordance Mower (1 Occurrence). ...
/m/mower.htm - 6k

Mowing (1 Occurrence)
... The term "mower" (qatsar, "to dock off," "shorten") in Psalm 129:7 the King James
Version is rendered "reaper" in the Revised Version (British and American ...
/m/mowing.htm - 8k

Filleth (16 Occurrences)
... countries. (See JPS). Psalms 129:7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand;
nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). ...
/f/filleth.htm - 10k

Mowed (2 Occurrences)

/m/mowed.htm - 7k

Mown (2 Occurrences)
... The term "mower" (qatsar, "to dock off," "shorten") in Psalm 129:7 the King James
Version is rendered "reaper" in the Revised Version (British and American ...
/m/mown.htm - 8k

Bindeth (25 Occurrences)
... (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). Psalms 129:7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand;
nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom. (KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS). ...
/b/bindeth.htm - 13k

Cutter (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which cuts; a machine or part of a machine, or a tool or instrument
used for cutting, as that part of a mower which severs the stalk, or as a ...
/c/cutter.htm - 8k

Grass (92 Occurrences)
... The term "mower" (qatsar, "to dock off," "shorten") in Psalm 129:7 the King James
Version is rendered "reaper" in the Revised Version (British and American ...
/g/grass.htm - 43k

Resources
Mower: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Mower (1 Occurrence)

Psalms 129:7
Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth sheaves his bosom.
(KJV DBY WBS)

Subtopics

Mower

Related Terms

Mown (2 Occurrences)

Grass (92 Occurrences)

Mower (1 Occurrence)

Tore (59 Occurrences)

Mow (1 Occurrence)

Mowings (1 Occurrence)

Mowed
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