Topical Bible: Stores

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical times, the concept of stores or storehouses was integral to the economic and social life of the people. These were places where goods, particularly grain and other foodstuffs, were stored for future use. The Bible provides numerous references to the use of stores, both in a literal and metaphorical sense, reflecting the importance of preparation, provision, and divine blessing.

Old Testament References

The earliest mention of storehouses is found in the account of Joseph in Egypt. Pharaoh, guided by Joseph's interpretation of his dreams, appointed Joseph to oversee the collection of grain during the seven years of abundance to prepare for the subsequent seven years of famine. Genesis 41:48-49 states, "During those seven years of abundance, the land brought forth bountifully. So Joseph collected all the excess food in the land of Egypt and stored it in the cities. In every city he put the food grown in the fields around it." This account highlights the wisdom of prudent preparation and the role of divine providence in human affairs.

In Deuteronomy 28, the concept of storehouses is linked to the blessings and curses associated with obedience to God's commandments. Deuteronomy 28:8 promises, "The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in everything to which you put your hand, and He will bless you in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Conversely, disobedience would lead to a lack of blessing, as seen in Deuteronomy 28:17 : "Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed."

The book of Proverbs also speaks to the wisdom of storing provisions. Proverbs 6:6-8 advises, "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways and be wise. Without a commander, without an overseer or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food at harvest." This passage underscores the virtue of diligence and foresight.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, the concept of stores takes on a more spiritual dimension. Jesus, in His teachings, often used the idea of storing treasures as a metaphor for spiritual truths. In Matthew 6:19-21 , He instructs, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Here, the focus shifts from material wealth to spiritual riches, emphasizing the eternal over the temporal.

The parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:16-21 further illustrates this point. The rich man, who stored up goods for himself without regard for God or others, is called a fool because his life was demanded of him that very night. This parable serves as a caution against greed and self-reliance, urging believers to trust in God's provision.

Metaphorical and Spiritual Significance

Throughout Scripture, storehouses are often used metaphorically to describe God's abundant provision and the spiritual blessings available to His people. Malachi 3:10 challenges the Israelites, "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this," says the LORD of Hosts, "and see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing without measure." This passage highlights the principle of giving and the promise of divine abundance.

In a broader spiritual context, the idea of storing up treasures in heaven encourages believers to focus on eternal values and to live lives marked by generosity, faithfulness, and trust in God's provision. The biblical teaching on stores, both physical and spiritual, calls for a balanced approach to material possessions, emphasizing stewardship, preparation, and reliance on God's faithfulness.

Greek

2343. thesaurizo -- to lay up, store up
... Word Origin from thesauros Definition to lay up, store up NASB Word Usage reserved
(1), save (2), store (2), stored up...treasure (1), stores up treasure (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2343.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

4362. mikman -- hidden stores
... 4361, 4362. mikman. 4363 . hidden stores. Transliteration: mikman Phonetic
Spelling: (mik-man') Short Definition: treasures. Word ...
/hebrew/4362.htm - 6k

6845. tsaphan -- to hide, treasure up
... them secretly (1), kept (1), lurk (1), restrain her restrains (1), saved (1), secret
place (1), stealthily watch (1), store (1), stored (5), stores (1), stores ...
/hebrew/6845.htm - 6k

214. otsar -- treasure, store, a treasury, storehouse
... store, a treasury, storehouse NASB Word Usage armory (1), cellars (1), gains (1),
storehouse (3), storehouses (13), storeroom (1), stores (3), treasure (3 ...
/hebrew/214.htm - 6k

4301. matmon -- hidden treasure, treasure
... Word Origin from taman Definition hidden treasure, treasure NASB Word Usage hidden
(1), hidden treasures (2), hidden wealth (1), stores (1), treasure (1). ...
/hebrew/4301.htm - 6k

Library

May the Seventh in the Ways of Obedience
... What shall he find in the ways of obedience? He shall find restoration. "Restoring
the soul." He shall find new stores of food along the way. ...
/.../jowett/my daily meditation for the circling year/may the seventh in the.htm

Preparations for the Invasion of Greece.
... necessary preparations. There were men to be levied, arms to be manufactured,
ships to be built, and stores of food to be provided. The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter iv preparations for the.htm

Croesus.
... to drive away the population, but to encourage them to remain and cultivate their
lands, so that there might be new flocks and herds, and new stores of corn ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/cyrus the great/chapter iv croesus.htm

The Pride of Amaryllis
... breakfast daily. They will keep," he added presently, "for it is tradition
that stores laid up for siege never decay.". "Obviously ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter xiv the pride of.htm

Introduction.
... So vast and varied have our stores become at length, that an investigator of the
present day can scarcely expect to find a neglected spot where he may enjoy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/arnot/the parables of our lord/introduction.htm

The Worldling. Lk 12:16-21
... 8,6,8,6. The worldling. Lk 12:16-21. "My barns are full, my stores increase,. And
now, for many years,. ... Into a world unknown; And who shall then the stores possess ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 102 the worldling lk.htm

AL Barbauld
... For the blessings of the field,. For the stores the gardens yield; For the vine's
exalted juice,. ... All that liberal Autumn pours. From her rich o'erflowing stores ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/ccxliv a l barbauld.htm

M. Episcopal Coll. Thanksgiving Hymn.
... 2 All the blessings of the fields, All the stores the garden yields, Flocks that
whiten all the plain, Yellow sheaves of ripened grain;" Lord, for these our ...
/.../book of hymns for public and private devotion/468 7s m episcopal coll.htm

Bread from Heaven
... sufficiency. The best preparation of His servants for their work in the
world is the discovery that their own stores are small. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/bread from heaven.htm

Epistle Xliv. To Peter, Subdeacon of Sicily.
... We desire thee to receive no more from the estates of the Church on account of the
store-houses and stores beyond what is customary; but let thine own stores ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xliv to peter subdeacon.htm

Thesaurus

Stores (53 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Stores (53 Occurrences). ... Colossians 2:3 In whom
are all the secret stores of wisdom and knowledge. (BBE). ...
/s/stores.htm - 22k

Grain-stores (1 Occurrence)
Grain-stores. Grain-stems, Grain-stores. Granaries . Multi-Version
Concordance Grain-stores (1 Occurrence). Joel 1:17 ...
/g/grain-stores.htm - 6k

Storehouses (23 Occurrences)
... of wealth, the silver and the gold and the spices and the oil of great price, and
the house of his arms, and everything there was in his stores; there was ...
/s/storehouses.htm - 15k

Weighted (15 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels weighted
down with spices, and stores of gold and jewels: and when she came to ...
/w/weighted.htm - 11k

Treasury (25 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A place or building in which stores of wealth are deposited; especially,
a place where public revenues are deposited and kept, and where money is ...
/t/treasury.htm - 27k

Envoys (16 Occurrences)
... she-lion and the voice of the lion, of the snake and the burning winged snake, they
take their wealth on the backs of young asses, and their stores on camels ...
/e/envoys.htm - 11k

Munition (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Whatever materials are used in war for defense or for annoying an enemy;
ammunition; also, stores and provisions; military stores of all kinds. Int. ...
/m/munition.htm - 7k

Park (2 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A space occupied by the animals, wagons, pontoons, and materials of all
kinds, as ammunition, ordnance stores, hospital stores, provisions, etc., when ...
/p/park.htm - 9k

Cellar (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary. (n.) A room or rooms under a building, and usually below
the surface of the ground, where provisions and other stores are kept. Int. ...
/c/cellar.htm - 8k

Jewels (54 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels weighted
down with spices, and stores of gold and jewels: and when she came to ...
/j/jewels.htm - 23k

Resources

What is the Salvation Army, and what do they believe? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about saving for retirement? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about Sunday school? | GotQuestions.org

Stores: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Stores (53 Occurrences)

Matthew 6:19
"Do not lay up stores of wealth for yourselves on earth, where the moth and wear-and-tear destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
(WEY)

Luke 12:21
So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
(See NAS NIV)

Colossians 2:3
In whom are all the secret stores of wisdom and knowledge.
(BBE)

Revelation 18:19
And they put dust on their heads, and were sad, weeping and crying, and saying, Sorrow, sorrow for the great town, in which was increased the wealth of all who had their ships on the sea because of her great stores! for in one hour she is made waste.
(BBE)

Leviticus 25:22
And in the eighth year you will put in your seed, and get your food from the old stores, till the fruit of the ninth year is ready.
(BBE)

Leviticus 26:10
And old stores long kept will be your food, and you will take out the old because of the new;
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 8:13
And when your herds and your flocks are increased, and your stores of silver and gold, and you have wealth of every sort;
(BBE)

1 Samuel 17:22
And David gave his parcels into the hands of the keeper of the army stores, and went running to the army and came to his brothers to get knowledge about them.
(BBE)

1 Kings 4:7
And Solomon put twelve overseers over all Israel, to be responsible for the stores needed for the king and those of his house; every man was responsible for one month in the year.
(BBE)

1 Kings 9:19
and all the cities of stores that king Solomon hath, and the cities of the chariots, and the cities of the horsemen, and the desire of Solomon that he desired to build in Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.
(YLT)

1 Kings 10:2
And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels weighted down with spices, and stores of gold and jewels: and when she came to Solomon she had talk with him of everything in her mind.
(BBE)

2 Kings 20:13
And Hezekiah was glad at their coming and let them see all his store of wealth, the silver and the gold and the spices and the oil of great price, and the house of his arms, and everything there was in his stores; there was nothing in all his house or his kingdom which Hezekiah did not let them see.
(BBE)

2 Kings 20:15
And he said, What have they seen in your house? And Hezekiah said in answer, They saw everything in my house: there is nothing among my stores which I did not let them see.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 22:3
And he got together a great store of iron, for the nails for the doors and for the joins; and brass, more in weight than might be measured;
(See RSV)

1 Chronicles 26:20
And the Levites their brothers were responsible for the stores of the house of God and the holy things.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 26:22
The sons of Jehieli: Zetham and Joel, his brother, had the care of the stores of the house of the Lord.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 26:24
And Shebuel, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was controller of the stores.
(BBE)

1 Chronicles 27:27
Shimei the Ramathite was responsible for the vine-gardens; Zabdi the Shiphmite was responsible for the produce of the vine-gardens and for all the stores of wine;
(BBE DBY)

1 Chronicles 27:28
Baal-hanan the Gederite was responsible for the olive-trees and the sycamore-trees in the lowlands; and Joash for the stores of oil;
(BBE NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 8:15
All the orders given by the king to the priests and Levites, in connection with any business or stores, were done with care.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 9:1
Now the queen of Sheba, hearing great things of Solomon, came to Jerusalem to put his wisdom to the test with hard questions; and with her came a very great train, and camels weighted down with spices, and great stores of gold and jewels: and when she came to Solomon she had talk with him of everything in her mind.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 11:11
He fortified the strongholds, and put captains in them, and stores of food, and oil and wine.
(WEB ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV)

2 Chronicles 11:12
And in every town he put stores of body-covers and spears, and made them very strong. And Judah and Benjamin were his.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 14:14
And they overcame all the towns round Gerar, because the Lord sent fear on them; and they took away their goods from the towns, for there were stores of wealth in them.
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 16:2
Then Asa took silver and gold out of the stores of the Lord's house and of the king's store-house, and sent to Ben-hadad, king of Aram, at Damascus, saying,
(BBE)

2 Chronicles 16:4
And Ben-Hadad hearkeneth unto king Asa, and sendeth the heads of the forces that he hath unto cities of Israel, and they smite Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-Maim, and all the stores, cities of Naphtali.
(YLT)

2 Chronicles 17:13
He had many works in the cities of Judah; and men of war, mighty men of valor, in Jerusalem.
(See RSV)

Nehemiah 12:44
And on that day certain men were put over the rooms where the things which had been given were stored, for the lifted offerings and the first-fruits and the tenths, and to take into them the amounts, from the fields of every town, fixed by the law for the priests and the Levites: for Judah was glad on account of the priests and the Levites who were in their places.
(See NAS RSV)

Job 21:19
You say, God keeps punishment stored up for his children. Let him send it on the man himself, so that he may have the punishment of it!
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Job 27:16
Though he may get silver together like dust, and make ready great stores of clothing;
(BBE)

Psalms 49:6
Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.
(BBE)

Psalms 72:10
Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands come back with offerings; let the kings of Sheba and Seba give of their stores.
(BBE)

Psalms 147:14
He gives peace in all your land, making your stores full of fat grain.
(BBE)

Proverbs 2:7
He has salvation stored up for the upright, he is a breastplate to those in whom there is no evil;
(See NAS RSV)

Proverbs 6:8
She gets her meat in the summer, storing up food at the time of the grain-cutting.
(See NIV)

Proverbs 21:6
He who gets stores of wealth by a false tongue, is going after what is only breath, and searching for death.
(BBE)

Proverbs 21:20
There is a store of great value in the house of the wise, but it is wasted by the foolish man.
(See NIV)

Ecclesiastes 5:10
Whoso is loving silver is not satisfied 'with' silver, nor he who is in love with stores 'with' increase. Even this 'is' vanity.
(YLT)

Isaiah 2:7
And their land is full of silver and gold, and there is no end to their stores; their land is full of horses, and there is no end to their carriages.
(BBE)

Isaiah 10:13
For he has said, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my knowledge, for I am wise: and I have taken away the limits of the peoples' lands, and the stores of their wealth have become mine; and I have made towns low in the dust, sending destruction on those living in them;
(BBE)

Isaiah 10:28
He has come to Aiath. He has passed through Migron. At Michmash he stores his baggage.
(WEB RSV)

Isaiah 15:7
For this cause they will take away their wealth, and the stores they have got together, over the stream of the water-plants.
(BBE)

Isaiah 30:6
The word about the Beasts of the South. Through the land of trouble and grief, the land of the she-lion and the voice of the lion, of the snake and the burning winged snake, they take their wealth on the backs of young asses, and their stores on camels, to a people in whom is no profit.
(BBE)

Isaiah 39:2
And Hezekiah was glad at their coming, and let them see all his store of wealth, the silver and the gold and the spices and the oil, and all the house of his arms, and everything there was in his stores: there was nothing in all his house or his kingdom which he did not let them see.
(BBE)

Isaiah 39:4
And he said, What have they seen in your house? And Hezekiah said in answer, They saw everything in my house: there is nothing among my stores which I did not let them see.
(BBE)

Isaiah 45:3
And I will give you the stores of the dark, and the wealth of secret places, so that you may be certain that I am the Lord, who gave you your name, even the God of Israel.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 15:13
I will give your wealth and your stores to your attackers, without a price, because of all your sins, even in every part of your land.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 17:3
I will give your wealth and all your stores to be taken away in war without a price, because of your sins in every part of your land.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 41:8
But ten men were found among those who said to Ishmael, Don't kill us; for we have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he stopped, and didn't kill them among their brothers.
(WEB JPS ASV BBE DBY NAS RSV)

Jeremiah 51:13
O you whose living-place is by the wide waters, whose stores are great, your end is come, your evil profit is ended.
(BBE)

Daniel 11:43
But he will have power over the stores of gold and silver, and over all the valued things of the south: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps.
(BBE)

Obadiah 1:6
How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his secret stores looked for!
(BBE)

Micah 6:10
Am I to let the stores of the evil-doer go out of my memory, and the short measure, which is cursed?
(BBE)

Subtopics

Stores

Related Terms

Ruled (84 Occurrences)

Stories (30 Occurrences)

Stores (53 Occurrences)

Overseers (47 Occurrences)

Forced (84 Occurrences)

Towers (38 Occurrences)

Buildings (28 Occurrences)