THRESHING

thresh'-ing (dush; aloao): Dush means literally, "to trample out." In Jeremiah 51:33, darakh, is used of threshing. Fitches and cummin were beaten off with a rod. The distinction between beating and threshing is made in Isaiah 28:27. Gideon, in order to avoid being seen by the Midianites, beat out his wheat in a wine press instead of threshing it on the threshing-floor (Judges 6:11). For a general description of the threshing operations see AGRICULTURE .

Figurative: "Thou shalt thresh the mountains," i.e. thou wilt overcome great difficulties (Isaiah 41:15). Babylon's destruction was foretold poetically in the language of the threshing-floor (Isaiah 21:10; Jeremiah 51:33; Daniel 2:35); Zion's foes would be gathered as sheaves on the threshing-floor (Micah 4:12-13; compare 2 Kings 13:7; Amos 1:3; Habakkuk 3:12); threshing unto the vintage, i.e. throughout the summer, indicated an extra abundant yield (Leviticus 26:5).

James A. Patch

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.