Plough

Before a farmer could sow, the ground had to be ploughed. Ploughing loosened the earth so that the seed could sink deeper into the ground.

The farmer first removed any large stones from the field. The stones that were removed, were often used to build a low wall around the field. During ploughing, the plough made a furrow in the earth of just under a foot (about 0,3 m) deep. The seeds were scattered in the furrow.

The plough consisted of a metal ploughshare attached to one or two wooden handles with which the farmer could steer the plough. The ploughshare was a flat, triangular blade that was pulled through the earth, tip down. In order to cut through the hard, rocky earth, the ploughshare was made of metal. In ancient times this was bronze; from 1200 BC iron was used.

Sometimes the farmer pushed or pulled the plough himself. However, mostly one or two oxen or donkeys would pull the plough, dragging it through the earth.

The ploughshare or the plough blade is used in the Bible as a symbol of a time of peace. The opposite image is the sword as a symbol of war.

In Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3 it is announced that swords will be hammered into ploughshares, and spears into pruning knives. This indicates that there will be a time of peace and justice. On the other hand, Joel 3:10 is a call to go to war, “Hammer the points of your ploughs into swords and your pruning knives into spears.”

Sometimes the field was ploughed again after sowing. This was done to make sure that the scattered seeds would be worked into the ground. Seeds that stayed on the surface could be eaten by birds and other animals or they could dry out in the bright sun.