Agrarian Scriptures

A cursory search of the Bible (NASB) for agrarian terms (see the list below) turned up 3095 verses with 5170 specific references. These are not marginally agrarian items. Neither is this an exhaustive list or a list that I have carefully weeded out. It is meant only as a general treatment of a very broad subject. However, I have excluded references to land, lands, and earth (2875 references found in 2475 verses) because these three terms tend to be used generically -- more commonly referring to geography than to agriculture. The word "gather" (and derivatives) is not always used in the agricultural context, so I have only included the instances where it is. I have also chosen to use the NASB translation of the Bible, as it tends to be more literal than some more popular translations and, therefore, more accurate for word searches. If you think I have omitted something that I should include or included something that I should omit, please let me know.

(ground, garden, gardens, gardener, soil, dirt, fertilizer, field, fields, furrow, furrows, pasture, pastures, plant, plants, planted, sow, sows, sowing, sown, sowed, plow, plows, plowed, plowman, plowmen, plowers, harrow, till, tills, tiller, tilled, cultivate, cultivates, cultivated, harvest, harvesting, harvests, reap, reaps, reaping, reaped, reaper, glean, gleaning, gleanings, thresh, threshing, thresher, threshed, chaff, tend, tends, tending, prune, prunes, pruning, graft, grafted, gather, gatherer, gatherers, gathered, seed, seedtime, crop, crops, produce, flock, flocks, herd, herds, herdsman, herdsmen, livestock, ox, oxen, cow, cows, bull, bulls, cattle, calf, calves, heifer, heifers, goat, goats, kid, kids, sheep, lamb, lambs, ewe, ewes, ram, rams, pig, swine, donkey, donkeys, horse, horses, mule, mules, camels, cock, hen, chicks, fruit, vine, vines, vineyard, vineyards, vinedresser, vinedressers, vine-growers, grape, grapes, fig, figs, olive, olives, pomegranate, pomegranates, apple, apples, date, dates, almond, almonds, melons, leeks, onions, garlic, cucumber, cucumbers, lentil, lentils, sheaf, sheaves, grain, wheat, barley, millet, flax, hay, straw, mint, cummin, dill, coriander, mustard, tares, milk, honey, eggs, barn, barns, stall, stalls, manger, farm, farmer, farmers, shepherd, shepherds, sheepfolds, fold, folds, sickle)

The Bible has 31,218 verses (more or less depending on the translation). This means nearly 10% of the Bible refers to agrarian produce, practices, or activities. This is the context underlying a grand portion of biblical truths. It is not the whole context but it is a prevalent influence throughout the Bible. Within this context are principles (such as cultivation, diligence, patience, faith, etc.) essential to Christian maturity. Whether you see it or not, the agrarian context is there, behind every verse. Someone grew the grain that made the flour used for baking bread. Someone grew the grapes that were turned into wine. These were the staples of everyday life so common that they were not considered worth mentioning, but they were there, coloring the understanding of every individual and helping him or her navigate life. My feeling is this, "How could we have missed so much for so long?"

The different books of the Bible have the following number of agrarian verses and references: