of Bethlehem to reside with his family as an alien in Moab. (Ruth 1:1, 2) Jehovah brought a three-year famine upon the land of Israel in David’s day due to bloodguilt resting on the house of Saul in connection with the Gibeonites. (2 Sam. 21:1-6) A three-and-a-half-year drought resulting in severe famine came upon unfaithful Israel in answer to Elijah’s prayer. (Jas. 5:17; 1 Ki. chap. 17) In addition to general famines in Elisha’s day, there was the famine produced by the Syrian siege of Samaria, during which one case of cannibalism was reported.—2 Ki. 4:38; 8:1; 6:24-29.

Although God’s prophets warned that apostasy would bring death by famine, pestilence and the sword, the unfaithful Judeans preferred to listen to their false prophets, who assured them that no such calamity would come. (Jer. 14:11-18; Ezek. 5:12-17) Yet the words of God’s prophets proved true. So severe was the famine in Jerusalem during the siege by the Babylonians (609-607 B.C.E.) that women boiled and ate their own children.—Lam. 4:1-10; 5:10; 2 Ki. 25:1-3; Jer. 52:4-6; compare Deuteronomy 28:51-53.

Through the prophet Joel, Jehovah forewarned Israel of a tremendous plague of insects that would devastate the land and bring about severe famine prior to the coming of the “day of Jehovah.”—Joel chap. 1.

Centuries later, food shortages were foretold by Jesus as being among the characteristics marking the conclusion of “the system of things.” (Matt. 24:7; compare Revelation 6:5, 6.) As announced in advance by Agabus, a Christian prophet, a great famine did occur in the time of Emperor Claudius (c. 46-49 C.E.). (Acts 11:28) A few years earlier, in the year 42 C.E., a severe famine had hit Egypt, where many Jews resided. And “great necessity” came on the land of Judah and Jerusalem when the Roman armies under General Titus besieged Jerusalem and finally destroyed it in 70 C.E. (Luke 21:23) Josephus recounts the terrible starvation conditions in the city, the eating of leather, grass, hay, and, in one instance, a mother roasting and eating her son. When foretelling such food shortages, Jesus indicated that he had in mind not only events preceding Jerusalem’s destruction but also what would occur when the time arrived for the Son of man to return in the glory of his kingdom.—Luke 21:11, 27, 31.

FREEDOM FROM FAMINE

Christ Jesus gives assurance that the prayer of faithful servants for their daily bread would be answered by God and that those putting God’s kingdom first would be cared for. (Matt. 6:11, 33; compare Psalm 33:19; 37:19, 25.) However, due to opposition and persecution, Jesus showed that his servants might suffer hunger at times. (Matt. 25:35, 37, 40) The apostle Paul in particular recounts his suffering both hunger and thirst many times while engaged in the ministry under difficult circumstances. (1 Cor. 4:11-13; 2 Cor. 11:27; Phil. 4:12) Yet he expressed confidence that physical hunger would never be able to separate God’s faithful servants from the sustaining strength of God’s love.—Rom. 8:35, 38, 39; contrast Luke 6:25.

Those who have a proper hunger and thirst for righteousness and truth will always be spiritually filled. (Matt. 5:6; John 6:35) Those of the great crowd of persons surviving the “great tribulation” are promised that they will “hunger no more nor thirst any more,” under the rule of the Lamb Christ Jesus.—Rev. 7:9, 13-17.

FARMING

See AGRICULTURE.

FARMING IMPLEMENTS

Although the Bible mentions various agricultural operations, the implements that were used to cultivate the land are not described in detail. However, the pictures of farm implements on Egyptian monuments as well as actual specimens found in Egypt and Palestine supplement the Bible record to some extent. Moreover, there is great similarity between the simple farming implements still used in parts of Egypt and Palestine. This, together with the fact that the passing of centuries has seen little change in the agricultural tools used in Egypt, lends weight to the conclusion that the simple farming implements still being used in some parts of Palestine are also much like those employed in ancient times.

Forks used for winnowing (Isa. 30:24; Jer. 15:7), as in more recent times, were probably made of wood and had several curved prongs.

The harrow is not referred to in the Bible, but the agricultural operation of harrowing is mentioned as being distinct from plowing. (Job 39:10; Isa. 28:24; Hos. 10:11) Pulverizing and smoothing the soil constitute the chief function of the modern harrow, though it is also used for mulching, covering seed and removing weeds. Anciently, perhaps a weighted-down board or a rough log was dragged over the plowed soil to break up the clods and level the ground.

Hoes were employed for clearing land of weeds and probably also for breaking up clods of earth. Certain prophetic passages specifically mention the use of hoes in the vineyard.—Isa. 5:5, 6; 7:23-25.

Mattocks were probably used for grubbing and for loosening the soil. They were among the tools that the Israelites in Saul’s day had to take to the Philistines to get sharpened. (1 Sam. 13:20, 21) Bronze and iron mattocks, somewhat resembling the modern grub hoe, have been found.

The simple wooden plow still used in some parts of the Bible lands has undergone little change over the centuries, as a comparison of representations of plows on ancient monuments and even clay tablets clearly shows. The plow was neither equipped with wheels nor designed to turn a furrow; it merely scratched the surface of the soil to a depth of about three or four inches (8 or 10 centimeters). Except for the metal plowshare, it was made of wood. (Compare 1 Samuel 13:20; 1 Kings 19:19, 21; Isaiah 2:4.) A stick, to which the plowshare was attached, constituted the main part of the plow. The copper and bronze plowshares (actually plowpoints) that have been found in Palestinian excavations are generally dented considerably from use.