A sieve is a tool used for separating wanted elements from unwanted material or for straining liquids. In biblical times, sieves were commonly used in agricultural processes, particularly in the winnowing and sifting of grain. The imagery of a sieve is employed in Scripture to convey themes of judgment, purification, and discernment.

Biblical References and Symbolism

1. Isaiah 30:28 · The prophet Isaiah uses the imagery of a sieve to describe God's judgment: "His breath is like an overflowing torrent that rises to the neck, to sift the nations with a sieve of destruction, and to place on the jaws of the peoples a bridle that leads them astray." Here, the sieve symbolizes God's discerning judgment, separating the righteous from the wicked.

2. Amos 9:9 · The prophet Amos also employs the metaphor of a sieve to illustrate God's purifying process: "For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, and not a pebble will fall to the ground." This passage highlights God's meticulous care in preserving His people while removing impurities.

3. Luke 22:31 · In the New Testament, Jesus uses the concept of sifting to warn Peter of impending trials: "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat." The sifting here represents a test of faith, where the true nature of one's commitment to Christ is revealed.

Cultural and Historical Context

In ancient Israel, sieves were essential tools in the agricultural process. After threshing, grain was sifted to separate the edible kernels from chaff and other debris. This process was crucial for ensuring the purity and quality of the grain. The sieve, therefore, became a powerful symbol of separation and purification, reflecting God's actions in the spiritual realm.

Theological Implications

The use of a sieve in biblical imagery underscores the themes of divine judgment and purification. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty in discerning the hearts of individuals and nations. The sieve metaphor also emphasizes the importance of spiritual readiness and the need for believers to undergo purification to stand firm in their faith.

In the broader biblical narrative, the sieve represents God's commitment to refining His people, ensuring that they are set apart for His purposes. This process, though often challenging, is ultimately for the believer's growth and sanctification, aligning them more closely with God's will.

Practical Application

For believers, the concept of a sieve can serve as a call to self-examination and spiritual vigilance. Just as a sieve separates the valuable from the worthless, Christians are encouraged to discern and remove sin and distractions from their lives, striving for holiness and purity. The sieve also reminds believers of the trials and tests that may come, urging them to rely on God's strength and wisdom to endure and emerge refined.1. (n.) A utensil for separating the finer and coarser parts of a pulverized or granulated substance from each other. It consist of a vessel, usually shallow, with the bottom perforated, or made of hair, wire, or the like, woven in meshes.

2. (n.) A kind of coarse basket.

SIEVE; SIFT

siv.

See AGRICULTURE; THRESHING.

1368. diulizo -- to strain thoroughly, strain out
... strain out. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diulizo Phonetic Spelling:
(dee-oo-lid'-zo) Short Definition: I strain, put through a sieve Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1368.htm - 6k

4617. siniazo -- to sift
... sift. From sinion (a sieve); to riddle (figuratively) -- sift. (siniasai) -- 1
Occurrence. 4616, 4617. siniazo. 4617a . Strong's Numbers.
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4617.htm - 5k

4617a. siniazo -- to sift
... to sift. Transliteration: siniazo Short Definition: sift. Word Origin from sinion
(a sieve) Definition to sift NASB Word Usage sift (1). 4617, 4617a. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4617a.htm - 5k

3531. kebarah -- a sieve
... 3530, 3531. kebarah. 3532 . a sieve. Transliteration: kebarah Phonetic
Spelling: (keb-aw-raw') Short Definition: sieve. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/3531.htm - 6k

5299a. naphah -- a sieve
... naphah. 5299b . a sieve. Transliteration: naphah Short Definition: sieve. Word
Origin from nuph Definition a sieve NASB Word Usage sieve (1). 5299, 5299a. ...
/hebrew/5299a.htm - 5k

5299. naphah -- a sieve
... 5298, 5299. naphah. 5299a . a sieve. Transliteration: naphah Phonetic Spelling:
(naw-faw') Short Definition: border. border, coast, region, sieve ...
/hebrew/5299.htm - 5k

(And Last): Homeward Bound
... Moreover, though going to sea in the Shannon was not quite the same 'as going to
sea in a sieve,' our stay-at-home friends were of the same mind as those of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xvii and last homeward.htm

Temptations.
... There is nothing that Satan more desires than to get good men in his sieve to sift
them as wheat, that if possible he may leave them nothing but bran; no grace ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bunyan/the riches of bunyan/xv temptations.htm

Against the Platonists, who Argue from the Physical Weight of the ...
... that is a great one which Varro mentions of a vestal virgin, who, when she was
endangered by a false accusation of unchastity, filled a sieve with water from ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 11 against the platonists who.htm

Gethsemane
... Satan had out-asked,' obtained it - yet not to destroy, nor to cast down, but to
sift,' like as wheat [5825] is shaken in a sieve to cast out of it what is not ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xii gethsemane.htm

The Nuns of the Primitive Church
... One day, Cyrilla accidentally broke a stone sieve which she had borrowed
for the purpose of making the youthful saint some bread. ...
/.../brittain/women of early christianity/vi the nuns of the.htm

Christ is All
... how many are not. I shall make my text a great sieve, and put you in it
to see which is wheat and which is chaff. We must consider ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 61 1915/christ is all.htm

Life from the Dead
... help stopping a minute to know whether it is so with you, my dear hearers, and praying
that what I might have to say act as a kind of sieve, separating between ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 38 1892/life from the dead.htm

The Cross and the Winepress.
... Crucifixion. At the foot of the winepress, in the stone vat, there was a
sort of sieve to stop the skins, which were put on one side. ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter lv the cross and.htm

Usha
... a stone which hath no movers.' They say, that they departed not thence, until they
had fastened three hundred iron darts into him, and had made him like a sieve ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 84 usha.htm

If You Give a Grape to Him when Hungry...
... What, if you go on to ask what a wheel is, or a sledge, [3555] a winnowing-fan,
jar, tub, an oil-mill, ploughshare, or sieve, a mill-stone, ploughtail, or ...
/.../arnobius/the seven books of arnobius against the heathen/23 if you give a.htm

Sieve (2 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SIEVE; SIFT. siv. See AGRICULTURE; THRESHING.
Multi-Version Concordance Sieve (2 Occurrences). ...
/s/sieve.htm - 7k

Sift (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To separate with a sieve, as the fine part of a substance from the coarse;
as, to sift meal or flour; to sift powder; to sift sand or lime. ...SIEVE; SIFT. ...
/s/sift.htm - 8k

Bolt (5 Occurrences)
... 25. (n.) A sieve, esp. a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour
and meal; a bolter. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BOLT. ...
/b/bolt.htm - 11k

Shakes (11 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 30:28 And His breath is as an overflowing stream, that divideth even unto
the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction; and a bridle that ...
/s/shakes.htm - 9k

Siegeworks (8 Occurrences)

/s/siegeworks.htm - 8k

Reach (63 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 30:28 His breath is as an overflowing stream that reaches even to the neck,
to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction; and a bridle that leads ...
/r/reach.htm - 27k

Shake (68 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 30:28 And His breath is as an overflowing stream, that divideth even unto
the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction; and a bridle that ...
/s/shake.htm - 28k

Kernel (4 Occurrences)
... Amos 9:9 "For, behold, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among
all the nations, as grain is sifted in a sieve, yet not the least kernel will ...
/k/kernel.htm - 8k

Jaws (12 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 30:28 His breath is as an overflowing stream that reaches even to the neck,
to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction; and a bridle that leads ...
/j/jaws.htm - 10k

Limp (9 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A halt; the act of limping. 3. (n.) A scraper for removing poor ore
or refuse from the sieve. 4. (a.) Flaccid; flabby, as flesh. ...
/l/limp.htm - 9k

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