Bible Dictionary

Corn

Agriculture & Daily Life • Both

Corn in the Bible is a general term for grain or cereal produce, including wheat, barley, and other crops. Grain was a major food, blessing, commodity, and article of trade in biblical lands.

Definition

Corn in the Bible is a general term for grain or cereal produce. It can include wheat, barley, spelt, vetches, lentils, beans, millet, and other provisions. Depending on context, it may mean grain purified from chaff, growing grain, or food and provisions generally.

Biblical Usage

Grain appears as a blessing, a principal food, a commodity, and an article of trade. Joseph stored it in Egypt, Palestine produced and exported it, and Jesus used a grain of wheat in teaching. The law allowed a traveler to pluck grain from a standing field.

Historical Background

Palestine became a grain-exporting country under settled government, especially from Solomon’s time, and supplied neighboring Tyre. Indian corn was unknown in biblical times; rye and oats were not cultivated in Palestine according to the supplied material.

Scripture References

Genesis 27:28 Genesis 27:37 Numbers 18:27 Deuteronomy 28:51 Lamentations 2:12 John 12:24 Genesis 41:35 Genesis 41:49 Proverbs 11:26 Joel 2:24 Matthew 3:12 Luke 3:17 Acts 7:12 Psalms 65:13 Genesis 42:1 Genesis 42:2 Genesis 42:19 Joshua 9:14 Nehemiah 10:31 Ezekiel 27:17 Amos 8:5 Exodus 9:32 Isaiah 28:25 Ezekiel 4:9 Genesis 41:22 Matthew 12:1 2 Chronicles 2:10 2 Chronicles 2:15

Related Figures

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary

The word so rendered (dagan) in Gen. 27:28, 37, Num. 18:27, Deut. 28:51, Lam. 2:12, is a general term representing all the commodities we usually describe by the words corn, grain, seeds, peas, beans. With this corresponds the use of the word in John 12:24. In Gen. 41:35, 49, Prov. 11:26, Joel 2:24 (“wheat”), the word thus translated (bar; i.e., “winnowed”) means corn purified from chaff. With this corresponds the use of the word in the New Testament (Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17; Acts 7:12). In Ps. 65:13 it means “growing corn.” In Gen. 42:1, 2, 19, Josh. 9:14, Neh. 10:31 (“victuals”), the word (sheber; i.e., “broken,” i.e., grist) denotes generally victuals, provisions, and corn as a principal article of food. From the time of Solomon, corn began to be exported from Palestine (Ezek. 27:17; Amos 8:5). “Plenty of corn” was a part of Issac’s blessing conferred upon Jacob (Gen. 27:28; comp. Ps. 65:13).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The most common kinds were wheat, barley, spelt, Authorized Version, (Exodus 9:32) and Isai 28:25 “Rye;” (Ezekiel 4:9) “fitches” and millet; oats are mentioned only by rabbinical writers. Our Indian corn was unknown in Bible times. Corn-crops are still reckoned at twentyfold what was sown, and were anciently much more. (Genesis 41:22) The Jewish law permitted any one in passing through a filed of standing corn to pluck and eat. (23:25) see also Matt 12:1 From Solomon’s time, (2 Chronicles 2:10,15) as agriculture became developed under a settled government, Palestine was a corn-exporting country, and her grain was largely taken by her commercial neighbor Tyre. (Ezekiel 27:17) comp. Amos 8:5

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)

korn (daghan; sitos): A word used for cereals generally (Ge 27:28,37, etc., the King James Version) much as our English word "corn." the American Standard Revised Version almost invariably substitutes "grain" for "corn." The latter may be taken to include(1) barley,(2) wheat,(3) fitches (vetches),(4) lentils,(5) beans,(6) millet,(7) rye--the wrong translation for vetches,(8) pulse--for all these see separate articles.Rye and oats are not cultivated in Palestine For many references to corn see AGRICULTURE; FOOD. "A corn kokkos, the Revised Version (British and American) "grain" of wheat" is mentioned (Joh 12:24).

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