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of all the land of Egypt is yours.” Thus in Exod. 27:19 the word represents all the
furniture and utensils of the tabernacle (cf. Num. 3:8). Samuel warned Israel that the king
on whom they insisted would organize them into levees (work crews) “to [plow] his
ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of
his chariots” (1 Sam. 8:12). More narrowly,
may be used of oxen harnesses: “…
Behold, here be oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments
of the oxen for wood” (2 Sam. 24:22).
This word may be used of various “implements or tools”: “Simeon and Levi are
brethren instruments of cruelty are in their habitations” (Gen. 49:5). In Jer. 22:7 the word
represents “tools” with which trees may be cut down: “And I will prepare destroyers
against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and
cast them into the fire.” Isaac told Esau to take his gear, his quiver, and his bow, “and go
out to the field, and take me some venison” (Gen. 27:3).
Weapons for war are called “implements”: “And they [the Israelites] went after them
unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had
cast away in their haste” (2 Kings 7:15). A bearer of implements is an armor-bearer
(Judg. 9:54). A house of arms or an armory is referred to in 2 Kings 20:13.
In Amos 6:5 and such passages (2 Chron. 5:13; 7:6; 23:13; cf. Ps. 71:22) “musical
instruments” are called
&
“That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to
themselves instruments of music.…”
stands for various kinds of “precious ornaments”: “And the servant brought forth
jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah …” (Gen.
24:53— the first biblical appearance of the word). Such “precious ornaments” adorned
the typical bride: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God;
for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe
of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a bride
adorneth herself with her jewels” (Isa. 61:10).
In 1 Sam. 21:5
may refer to the “male sex organ.” This certainly makes more
sense than if the word is rendered “vessels,” since the matter under discussion is the
ritualistic purity of David’s men: “Of a truth women have been kept from us about these
three days, since I came out, and the vessels [sex organs] of the young men are holy.…”
VINEYARD
(
, 3754), “vineyard.” This Hebrew word is related to other Semitic
languages (Akkadian,
$;
Arabic,
). The word is evenly distributed throughout
the Old Testament and is used 92 times. The first occurrence is in Gen. 9:20.
Isaiah gives a vivid description of the work involved in the preparation, planting, and
cultivation of a “vineyard” (Isa. 5:1-7). The “vineyard” was located on the slopes of a hill
(Isa. 5:1). The soil was cleared of stones before the tender vines were planted (Isa. 5:2). A
watchtower provided visibility over the “vineyard” (Isa. 5:2), and a winevat and place for
crushing the grapes were hewn out of the rock (Isa. 5:2). When all the preparations were
finished, the “vineyard” was ready and in a few years it was expected to produce crops.
In the meantime the
required regular pruning (Lev. 25:3-4). The time between
planting and the first crop was of sufficient import as to free the owner from military