Topical Bible: Commerce: Articles of Wheat

◄ Commerce: Articles of Wheat ►

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the ancient Near East, wheat was a staple grain and a critical component of commerce and daily life. The Bible frequently references wheat, highlighting its importance in both economic and spiritual contexts. Wheat served as a primary food source and a significant trade commodity, reflecting its value in biblical times.

Biblical References and Economic Significance

Wheat is mentioned numerous times throughout the Scriptures, often symbolizing sustenance and prosperity. In Genesis 41:49, during the time of Joseph, Egypt stored vast quantities of grain, including wheat, as a safeguard against famine: "Joseph stored up grain in great abundance, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped keeping track, because it was beyond measure" . This account underscores the strategic importance of wheat in ensuring food security and economic stability.

The trade of wheat is also evident in Ezekiel 27:17, where Judah and Israel are described as trading wheat with Tyre: "Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat from Minnith, meal, honey, oil, and balm for your merchandise" . This passage illustrates the role of wheat as a valuable trade article, facilitating economic relationships between nations.

Wheat in Religious and Cultural Contexts

Wheat holds significant religious symbolism in the Bible, often representing God's provision and blessing. In the parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30), Jesus uses wheat to symbolize the righteous, contrasting it with the tares, which represent the wicked. This parable emphasizes the eventual separation of good and evil at the end of the age.

The offering of firstfruits, as described in Leviticus 23:17, involved presenting loaves made from the first wheat harvest to the Lord: "From wherever you live, bring two loaves of bread as a wave offering, made of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour, baked with yeast, as firstfruits to the LORD" . This act of worship acknowledged God's provision and sovereignty over the harvest.

Wheat in Daily Life and Commerce

In daily life, wheat was a fundamental food source, used to make bread, a staple in the diet of ancient Israelites. The process of threshing, winnowing, and grinding wheat into flour was labor-intensive, reflecting the agrarian lifestyle of the time. The importance of wheat in commerce is further highlighted in Proverbs 11:26: "The people will curse the hoarder of grain, but blessing will crown the one who sells it" . This proverb underscores the ethical considerations in the trade of wheat, advocating for fair commerce and generosity.

Conclusion

Throughout the Bible, wheat is depicted as a vital element of commerce, sustenance, and spiritual symbolism. Its role in trade, religious practices, and daily life underscores its significance in the ancient world and its enduring legacy in biblical teachings.

Nave's Topical Index

Revelation 18:13
And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Commerce
... But no sketch of commerce among the early Jews ... exception of wood and metals, chiefly
articles of luxury ... Palestine consisted of such produce as wheat, oil, balsam ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 12 commerce.htm

Ripe for Gathering
... what fell through the sieve when wheat was winnowed ... held up as shining lights of
commerce, who have the faculty of turning everything into saleable articles? ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/ripe for gathering.htm

The Destruction of Babylon.
... and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts ... And these articles of traffic are
symbolized by the ... The commerce of this ecclesiastical city, has been immense ...
/.../bliss/a brief commentary on the apocalypse/the destruction of babylon.htm

Whether Men are Bound to Pay Tithes of all Things?
... OF TITHES (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether men are bound to pay ... by one's own act, for instance
by commerce or soldiering. ... If he sell wheat that has not been tithed, the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether men are bound to 3.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... CHAPTER III"CHALDAEAN CIVILIZATION. CHALDAEAN CIVILIZATION"ROYALTY"THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE FAMILY AND ITS PROPERTY"CHALMAN COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY. ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm

A Bottle in the Smoke
... The peasantry of Asia keep many articles, both dry and ... and sudden turn in the tide
of commerce should sweep ... His rods are not made of wheat straw, they are made ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/a bottle in the smoke.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... they were accustomed to pass*: no one dared beat out wheat or barley ... on account of
its strategic position and its favourable situation for commerce, but this ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Temples and the Gods of Chaldaea
... The interior was panelled with cedar or cypress"rare woods procured as articles
of commerce from the peoples of the North and West; this woodwork was inlaid ...
/.../chapter iithe temples and the.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... and comprehensive term, but the voyages of the Phoenicians and the travels of the
"Royal Messengers," as well as, probably, the maritime commerce of the ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

Index i. Of Subjects
... site, history, and commerce of, ii.349, 351; Christ stays with Zacch??us in,
352-355; ... wines and articles of diet at, 208, 209; ... Wheat, price of, ii.269. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/index i of subjects.htm