Bible Dictionary
CORNFLOOR
A cornfloor, or grain floor, was a place where harvested grain was processed. Hosea uses it as a picture of Israel’s pursuit of agricultural reward through idolatry instead of faithfulness to the Lord.
Definition
A cornfloor, or grain floor, is a place where harvested grain is processed. In older English, “corn” means grain generally. The grain floor therefore represents agricultural production and the hoped-for reward of the harvest.
Biblical Usage
Hosea portrays Israel as loving a reward upon every grain floor because the nation had deserted Yahweh for supposed material benefits attributed to heathen gods. The threatened failure of grain and wine answers this unfaithfulness.
Historical Background
The entry belongs to the setting of agricultural harvests and grain processing.
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>korn'-flor (goren daghan): "Thou hast loved a reward upon every cornfloor" (Ho 9:1 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "hire upon every grainfloor"). Israel had deserted Yahweh for supposed material benefits and regarded bounteous crops as the gift of the heathen gods which they worshipped. Yahweh would therefore cause the corn (grain) and wine to fail (Ho 9:2).</p><p>See also THRESHING-FLOOR.</p>