Tow is a term used in the Bible to refer to the short, coarse fibers of flax or hemp, which are separated from the finer fibers during the process of preparing these plants for spinning. In biblical times, tow was a byproduct of the process of making linen, a common fabric in ancient Israel and surrounding regions.

Biblical References

The term "tow" appears in several passages in the Bible, often symbolizing fragility or something easily destroyed. One notable reference is found in the Book of Judges, where the strength of Samson is described in a metaphor involving tow. Judges 16:9 states, "With men hidden in the room, she called to him, 'Samson, the Philistines are upon you!' But he snapped the bowstrings like a strand of yarn snaps when it touches a flame. So the secret of his strength was not discovered." Here, the comparison to tow emphasizes the ease with which Samson broke free, highlighting his God-given strength.

Another reference is found in Isaiah 1:31 , which uses tow metaphorically to describe the fate of the wicked: "The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames." In this context, tow represents something that is easily consumed by fire, illustrating the swift and complete destruction that awaits those who turn away from God.

Symbolism and Interpretation

In biblical symbolism, tow often represents weakness, impermanence, and the ease with which something can be destroyed. This imagery is used to convey spiritual truths about the nature of human strength and the consequences of sin. The fragility of tow serves as a reminder of the transient nature of human endeavors apart from God and the ultimate futility of relying on one's own strength.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Israel, flax was a significant agricultural product, and the process of making linen was well-known. The separation of tow from the finer fibers was a common task, and the imagery would have been familiar to the original audience of the biblical texts. The use of tow in biblical metaphors would have resonated with the people, providing a vivid picture of the concepts being conveyed.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, the use of tow in Scripture underscores the importance of relying on God's strength rather than human abilities. It serves as a caution against pride and self-reliance, reminding believers of the need for humility and dependence on divine power. The imagery of tow being easily consumed by fire also points to the reality of divine judgment and the necessity of repentance and faithfulness to God.

In summary, tow in the Bible is a powerful symbol of fragility and the ease with which human strength can be overcome. It serves as a reminder of the importance of relying on God and the consequences of turning away from His ways.(Judges 16:9). See FLAX. 1. (n.) The coarse and broken part of flax or hemp, separated from the finer part by the hatchel or swingle.

2. (v. t.) To draw or pull through the water, as a vessel of any kind, by means of a rope.

3. (n.) A rope by which anything is towed; a towline, or towrope.

4. (n.) The act of towing, or the state of being towed; --chiefly used in the phrase, to take in tow, that is to tow.

5. (v. t.) That which is towed, or drawn by a towline, as a barge, raft, collection of boats, etc.

TOW

to (ne`oreth (Judges 16:9 Isaiah 1:31)): The coarser part of flax, with short threads, used as an example of easily inflammable material. Also Isaiah 43:17 the King James Version for pishtah, the usual word for "flax" (so the English Revised Version), here as used for a wick (so the American Standard Revised Version, the English Revised Version margin).

5026. taute and tauten and tautes -- her
... taute and tauten and tautes. 5027 . her. Transliteration: taute and tauten and
tautes Phonetic Spelling: (tow'-tay) Short Definition: her. Word Origin dat., acc ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5026.htm - 6k

5025. tautais and tautas -- hence, that, then, these, those.
... hence, that, then, these, those. Transliteration: tautais and tautas Phonetic Spelling:
(tow'-taheece) Short Definition: hence. Word Origin dat. and acc. fem. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5025.htm - 6k

5022. tauros -- a bull
... a bull. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: tauros Phonetic Spelling:
(tow'-ros) Short Definition: a bull, an ox Definition: a bull, an ox. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5022.htm - 6k

4957. sustauroo -- to crucify together with
... to crucify together with. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: sustauroo Phonetic
Spelling: (soos-tow-ro'-o) Short Definition: I crucify together with ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4957.htm - 6k

5024. tauta -- even thus, so.
... 5023, 5024. tauta. 5025 . even thus, so. Transliteration: tauta Phonetic Spelling:
(tow-tah') Short Definition: so. Word Origin variant reading from contr. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5024.htm - 6k

5023. tauta -- this; he, she, it
... 5022, 5023. tauta. 5024 . this; he, she, it. Transliteration: tauta Phonetic
Spelling: (tow'-tah) Short Definition: this. Word Origin nom. or acc. neut. pl ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5023.htm - 6k

388. anastauroo -- to crucify again
... to crucify again. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anastauroo Phonetic Spelling:
(an-as-tow-ro'-o) Short Definition: I crucify again Definition: I impede ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/388.htm - 6k

5296. neoreth -- tow (for making thread)
... 5295, 5296. neoreth. 5297 . tow (for making thread). Transliteration: neoreth
Phonetic Spelling: (neh-o'-reth) Short Definition: tinder. ... tow. ...
/hebrew/5296.htm - 6k

6594. pishtah -- flax
... flax, tow. Feminine of pishteh; flax; by implication, a wick -- flax, tow. see HEBREW
pishteh. 6593, 6594. pishtah. 6595 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6594.htm - 6k

8305. sariq -- carded or combed
... fine. From the same as soreq in the original sense of piercing; hetchelling (or
combing flax), ie (concretely) tow (by extension, linen cloth) -- fine. ...
/hebrew/8305.htm - 6k

Tow Smeared with Pitch.
... Book IX. Chapter X."Tow Smeared with Pitch. "But what, it is said, of
the fact that some who in their childhood are free from ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter x tow smeared with pitch.htm

What Sin Does to Men
... And the strong shall be as tow, and His work as a spark; and they shall both burn
together, and none shall quench them.'"Isaiah 1:30-31. ... 'As tow' or tinder. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/what sin does to men.htm

Two Young Men.
... are His. The Little Tow-Headed Norwegian. I remember ... young men. Well, in that
meeting a little tow-headed Norwegian boy stood up. He could ...
/.../moody/moodys anecdotes and illustrations/two young men.htm

The Burning ??sculapius; Tricks with Fire.
... the magician pours out [252] a libation, by having lime instead of ashes burning
underneath, and refined frankincense and a large quantity of tow, [253] and a ...
/.../chapter xxxiii the burning aesculapius tricks.htm

The Last Exile
... Tide and wind were against them; the monks had to land and tow the boat; progress
was slow, and the soldiers of Julian were not far off. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/forbes/saint athanasius/chapter 10 the last exile.htm

Essay iv. The Generous Spirit, Who, when Brought among the Tasks ...
... Captain Ball, however, brought his vessel at length to Nelson's assistance, took
his ship in tow, and used his best endeavours to bring her and his own vessel ...
/.../confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay iv the generous spirit.htm

He Careth for Thee.
... It gnaws at the very vitals of the soul. A strong cable made of many fine wires
was stretched across the river and was used to tow a heavy scow back and forth. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/orr/how to live a holy life/he careth for thee.htm

Cast Your Eye Round the Room in which You Sit...
... them might even be practical. He could tow a boat or lasso a horse. He could
play cat's-cradle, or pick oakum. He could construct a ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 17 cast your eye.htm

Isaiah's Discourse
... no water. And the strong shall be as tow, and his work as a spark; and
they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them. ...
/.../various/select masterpieces of biblical literature/iii isaiahs discourse.htm

The Voyage and Shipwreck
... The lifeboat, their only means of escape in case the ship should founder,
was in tow and liable to be dashed in pieces any moment. ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 42 the voyage and.htm

Tow (3 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) The act of towing, or the state of being towed; --chiefly used in the phrase,
to take in tow, that is to tow. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. TOW. ...
/t/tow.htm - 8k

Flax (11 Occurrences)
... flax," literally, "flax of the tree," put on the roof to dry (Joshua 2:6); (3) to
the fine fibers used for lighting: the King James Version "tow," "flax," the ...
/f/flax.htm - 13k

Taw (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) Tow. 2. (vt) To push; to tug; to tow. 3. (vt)
To prepare or dress, as hemp, by beating; to tew; hence, to beat; to scourge. ...
/t/taw.htm - 7k

Boats (11 Occurrences)
... The calkers were those who filled up seams or cracks in the timbers with tow and
covered them over with tar or wax, after the manner of the instruction given ...
/b/boats.htm - 40k

Ships (46 Occurrences)
... The calkers were those who filled up seams or cracks in the timbers with tow and
covered them over with tar or wax, after the manner of the instruction given ...
/s/ships.htm - 53k

Quenching (4 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 1:31 And the strong hath been for tow, And his work for a spark, And burned
have both of them together, And there is none quenching! (YLT). ...
/q/quenching.htm - 7k

Link (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A torch made of tow and pitch, or the
like. 2. (n.) A single ring or division of a chain. 3. (n ...
/l/link.htm - 8k

Liers-in-wait (10 Occurrences)
... And she said unto him, The Philistines are upon thee, Samson. And he brake the
withes, as a string of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. ...
/l/liers-in-wait.htm - 10k

Withes (3 Occurrences)
... And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he brake the
withes, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the fire. ...
/w/withes.htm - 8k

Warp (9 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To weave; to fabricate. 5. (vt) To tow or move, as a vessel, with a line,
or warp, attached to a buoy, anchor, or other fixed object. ...
/w/warp.htm - 12k

Tow: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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