Jewish Grain-field, with the Sheaves in Heaps of various Kinds. With regard to sickles, there appear to have been two kinds, indicated by the different names IBE^rl, chermesh', and ?373, maggal'; and as the former occurs only in the Pentateuch (Deut. xvi, 9 ; xxiii, 20), and the latter only in the Prophets (Jer. ii, 16 ; Joel i, 17), it would seem that the one was the earlier and the other the later instrument. But as we observe two very different kinds of sickles in use among the Egyp- tians, not only at the same time, but in the same field, it may have been so with the Jews also. The figures of i hese Egyptian sickles probably mark the difference between them. One was verv much like our common
reaping-hook, while the other had more resemblance in its shape to g a scythe, and some of the Egyptian examples appear to have been P toothed. This last is probably the same as the Hebrew maggal, which is indeed rendered by scythe in the | margin of Jer. 1, 16. See Sickle. The reapers were the owners and their children, men-servants £j and women-servants, and day-la- borers (Ruth ii, 4, 6, 21, 23 ; John iv, 36; James v, 4). Refresh- ments were provided for them, especially drink, of which the gleaners were allowed to partake (Ruth ii, 9). So in the Egyptian harvest-scenes (as above depicted), wo perceive a provision of water in skins, hung against trees or in jars upon stands, with the reapers drink- ing, and gleaners applying to share the draught. Among the Israelites, gleaning was one of the stated provisions for the poor ; and for their benefit the cor- ners of the field were left unreaped, and the reapers might not return for a forgotten sheaf. The gleaners, however, were to obtain in the first place express per- mission of the proprietor or his steward (Lev. xix, 9, 10 ; Deut. xxiv, 19 ; Ruth ii, 2, 7). See Reaping ; Gleaning.
6. Threshing. — Formerly the sheaves were convey- ed from the field to the threshing-floor in carts ; but now the}' are borne, generally, on the backs of camels and asses. The threshing-floor is a level plot of
Orientals treading out Grain.
ground, of a circular shape, generally about fifty feet in diameter, prepared for use by beating down the earth till a hard floor is formed (Judg. vi, 37). Such floors were probably permanent, and became well- known spots (Gen. 1, 10, 11 ; 2 Sam. xxiv, 16, 18). Sometimes several of these floors are contiguous to each other. The sheaves are spread out upon them ; and the grain is trodden out by oxen, cows, and young
Ancient Egyptian Threshing-floor. The oxen driven round the heap, contrary to the usual custom.
cattle, arranged usually five abreast, and driven in a circle, or rather in all directions, over the floor. This was the common mode in the Bible times ; and Moses forbade that the oxen thus employed should be muz- zled to prevent them from tasting the corn (Deut. xxv, 4 ; Isa. xxviii, 28). See Muzzle.
Flails, or sticks, were only used in threshing small quantities, or for the lighter kinds of grain (Ruth ii, 17 ; Isa. xxviii, 27). There were, however, some kinds of threshing instruments, such as are still used in Egypt and Palestine. One of them is composed of two thick planks, fastened together side by side, and
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AGRIPPA
bent upward in front. Sharp fragments of stone are fixed into holes bored in the bottom. This ma- chine is drawn over the corn by oxen — a man or boy someti.nes sitting on it to increase the weight. It not only separates the grain, but cuts the straw and makes it tit for fodder (2 Kings xiii, 7). This is, most probably, the M1H, eharuts' , or "corn-drag," which is mentioned in Scripture (Isa. xxviii, 27; xli, 15; Amos i, 3; rendered "threshing instrument"), and ■would seem to have been sometimes furnished with iron points instead of stones. The Bible also notices a machine called a jMo, morag' (2 Sam. xxiv, 22 ; 1 Chron. xxi, 23 ; Isa. xli, 15), which is unquestionably
Egyptian Nor
the same which bears in Arabic the name of noreg (Wilkinson, ii, 100). It appears to have been similar to the Roman tribulum and the plostellum Punicum (Varr. de R. R. i, 52). This machine is not now often
seen in Palestine ; but is more used in some parts of Syria, and is common in Egypt. It is a sort of frame of wood, in which are inserted three wooden rollers armed with iron teeth, etc. It bears a sort of seat or chair, in which the driver sits to give the benefit of his weight. It is generally drawn over the corn by two oxen, and separates the grain, and breaks up the straw even more effectually than the drag. In all these processes, the corn is occasionally turned by a fork, and, when sufficiently threshed, is thrown up" by the same fork against the wind to separate the grain, which is then gathered up and winnowed. Barley was sometimes soaked and then parched before treading out, which got rid of the pel-
licle ( f the grain. (See fur-
g =. ._ ther the Antiquitates Triturcu,