Plow
Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words [1]
A. Verb.
Chârash ( חָרֵשׁ , Strong'S #2790), “to plow, engrave, work in metals.” This word occurs in ancient Ugaritic, as well as in modern Hebrew where it has the primary sense of “to plow.” It is found approximately 50 times in the Hebrew Old Testament. A fitting word for the agricultural nature of Israelite culture, chârash is frequently used of “plowing” a field, usually with animals such as oxen (1 Kings 19:19). The imagery of cutting up or tearing up a field with a plow easily lent itself to the figurative use of the word to mean mistreatment by others: “The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows” (Ps. 129:3). The word is used to express the plotting of evil against a friend in Prov. 3:29: “Devise not evil against thy neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee [literally, “do not plow evil”].”
The use of chârash in the sense of “working or engraving” metals is not used in the Old Testament as much as it might have been if Israel had been as given to such craftsmanship as her neighbors, or perhaps because of the commandment against images (Exod. 20:4). The word is used in 1 Kings 7:14: “… His father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass [literally, “a man who works in brass”].…” The first occurrence of chârash is in Gen. 4:22 where it is used of the “artificer in brass and iron.” The figurative use of “engraving” is vividly seen in the expression describing the extent of Israel’s sin: “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart …” (Jer. 17:1). An updating or correction of the KJV is called for in 1 Sam. 8:12 where chârâsh is translated by the old English term, “to ear the ground”!
B. Noun.
Chârâsh ( חָרָשׁ , Strong'S #2796), “engraver; artificer.” The prophets denounced the craftsmanship of these workers in metals when they made images (Isa. 40:20; Hos. 8:6). A more positive approach to the word is conveyed in 1 Chron. 29:5: “The gold for things of gold … and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?”
King James Dictionary [2]
PLOW, n.
1. In agriculture, an instrument for turning up, breaking and preparing the ground for receiving the seed. It is drawn by oxen or horses and saves the labor of digging it is therefore the most useful instrument in agriculture.
The emperor lays hold of the plow and turns up several furrows.
When fern succeeds, ungrateful to the plow.
2. Figuratively, tillage culture of the earth agriculture. 3. A joiner's instrument for grooving.
PLOW, To trench and turn up with a plow as, to plow the ground for wheat to plow it into ridges.
1. To furrow to divide to run through in sailing.
With speed we plow the watery wave.
2. To tear to furrow. 3. In Scripture, to labor in any calling.
He that ploweth should plow in hope. 1 Corinthians 9
To plow on the back, to scourge to mangle, or to persecute and torment. Psalms 129
To plow with one's heifer, to deal with the wife to obtain something from the husband. Judges 14 .
To plow iniquity or wickedness, and reap it, to devise and practice it, and at last suffer the punishment of it. Job 14Hos 10
To plow in, to cover by plowing as, to plow in wheat.
To plow up or out, to turn out of the ground by plowing.
To put one's hand to the plow and look back, is to enter on the service of Christ and afterwards abandon it. Luke 9 .
This difference of orthography often made between the noun and verb is wholly unwarrantable, and contrary to settled analogy in our language. Such a difference is never made in changing into verbs, plot, harrow, notice, question, and most other words. See Practice.
Holman Bible Dictionary [3]
Proverbs 21:4 Hosea 10:13 Jeremiah 4:3 Hosea 10:11 Psalm 129:3 Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12 1 Corinthians 9:10 Judges 14:18 Luke 9:62
Webster's Dictionary [4]
(1): ( v. t.) Alt. of Plough
(2): ( n.) Alt. of Plough
(3): ( v. i.) Alt. of Plough
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
plou ( חרשׁ , ḥārash ; ἀροτριόω , arotrióō ): No implement of the Bible is more frequently illustrated today than the plow. This is partly because there is every reason to believe that the plows still used throughout Egypt, Palestine, and Syria are counterparts of the ancient ones. The first plows were probably an adaptation of the ancient Egyptian hoe, where the handle was lengthened in order that animals might be hitched to it. To make it easier to break up the ground, it was pointed, and handles were added by which it could be guided. The ancient plow probably varied in type in different sections of the country, as it does today. In one form a young tree Of oak or other strong wood of a diameter of 3 or 4 inches is cut off just below a good-sized branch and again 15 or 20 inches above. The upper end of the severed trunk is pointed and forms the share . Between this and the side branch is fitted a brace. The branch is cut off 10 or 12 ft. from the trunk and forms the pole. A lighter stick, about 3 ft. long, projects upward from the share and forms the handle. The plow used in Syria is of slightly different construction. The handle and share are one continuous piece, so cut that there is a slight bend at the middle. The share is pointed and is used bare in the plains, or in more stony regions is shod with iron. The pole is of 2 pieces joined end to end. The thicker end of the pole is notched, so that it may be attached firmly to the share. The whole plow is so light that it can be easily carried on a man's shoulder. These plows literally scratch the soil, as the Hebrew word implies. They do not turn over the ground as the modern implement does. The plowman guides the plow with one hand, and with the other sometimes goads the oxen, and at other times with the chisel end of his goad breaks away the lumps of earth or other material which impedes the progress of his plow. See Yoke .
In addition to the words which are found above, the following terms occur: עבד , ‛ābhadh (literally, "to serve"), "worked" or "plowed" ( Deuteronomy 21:4 ); פּלח , pālaḥ (literally, "to break open," Psalm 141:7 ).
One special law is mentioned in connection with plowing, namely that an ox and an ass should not be yoked together ( Deuteronomy 22:10 ), a prohibition which is utterly disregarded today. Oxen were principally used for plowing ( Job 1:14 ). Often several yokes of oxen followed each other plowing parallel furrows across the field, a sight still common on the plains of Syria ( 1 Kings 19:19 ). Plowing was done by bond servants ( Luke 17:7; compare ‛ābhadh , Deuteronomy 21:4 ). Plowing cannot be done before the rains ( Jeremiah 14:4 ); on the other hand the soil is too sticky to plow in the winter time ( Proverbs 20:4 ). The law requiring one day of rest in every seven days included plowing time ( Exodus 34:21 ).
Figurative: "The plowers plowed upon my back" typified deep affliction ( Psalm 129:3; compare Psalm 141:7 ). "Plow iniquity" is urged in the sense of "plant iniquity." Doing evil was sure to bring evil consequences ( Job 4:8; compare Micah 3:12 ). As surely as planting comes after plowing, so surely will Yahweh carry out His decree of destruction ( Isaiah 28:23-25 ). "Judah shall plow," i.e. become enslaved ( Hosea 10:11 ); compare "Foreigners shall be your plowmen" ( Isaiah 61:5 ). "Will one plow there with oxen?" ( Amos 6:12 ), "neither plowing nor harvest" ( Genesis 45:6 ) are figures of desolation. Zion plowed as a field, i.e. utterly destroyed ( Jeremiah 26:18 ). The plowman shall overtake the reaper, i.e. the soil shall be so fertile as to require no rest - typical of great abundance ( Amos 9:13 ). No opportunity to plow because of lack of rain is a desolate picture of drought ( Jeremiah 14:4 ). As the plowman expects to share in the fruits of the harvest, so might an apostle expect his temporal needs to be provided for ( 1 Corinthians 9:10 ). "If ye had not plowed with my heifer," i.e. used my wife, was Samson's reply to those who had secured the answer to his riddle from her ( Judges 14:18 ). "Beat their swords into plowshares" (or hoes) ( Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3 ) typified peace; "beat your plowshares into swords" - war ( Joel 3:10 ). "Having put his hand to the plow, and looking back," i.e. longing for evil things when one has set his face toward doing what is right, unfits a man for the kingdom of God ( Luke 9:62; compare Genesis 19:26; Philippians 3:13 ).
