אִכָּר
a farmer
Definition
The Hebrew noun אִכָּר (ʼikkâr) refers to a farmer or husbandman, specifically one who works the soil. It denotes a person engaged in agriculture, from tilling and planting to tending crops. In its biblical usage, it often appears in contexts of agricultural labor, blessing, or judgment, such as the farmers who benefit from God's provision of rain (Jeremiah 14:4) or those who suffer under divine chastisement when crops fail (Joel 1:11). The term can also represent a broader social class of rural laborers, as seen when paired with vinedressers in 2 Chronicles 26:10.
Biblical Usage
This word is used seven times in the Old Testament, primarily in prophetic and historical books. It appears in contexts of agricultural prosperity (2 Chronicles 26:10; Jeremiah 31:24), divine judgment affecting food supplies (Jeremiah 14:4; Joel 1:11; Amos 5:16), and in metaphorical descriptions of societal roles (Isaiah 61:5). In Jeremiah 51:23, it is used figuratively in a list of those whom God will use as instruments of judgment against Babylon. The usage consistently ties the farmer to the land's fertility and the community's economic stability.
Etymology
The word אִכָּר derives from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to dig' or 'to till,' which is also related to the Akkadian word 'ikkaru,' meaning 'farmer.' This connection highlights its fundamental association with working the soil. The root idea emphasizes the manual labor of agriculture, distinguishing the farmer as one who prepares and cultivates the ground for planting.
Semantic Range
The אִכָּר represents humanity's God-given vocation to steward the earth (Genesis 2:15) and is integral to the biblical theme of land and covenant. Farmers depend on God for rain and harvest (Jeremiah 14:4), illustrating divine providence and the consequences of obedience or rebellion in the covenant relationship. In prophetic literature, the farmer's plight often signals God's judgment or restoration, tying agricultural success to spiritual faithfulness. Understanding this term enriches readings of passages about God's care for creation and human responsibility.
In ancient Israel, the אִכָּר was a vital member of an agrarian society, responsible for growing staple crops like grain. Unlike modern specialized farming, this role often involved subsistence agriculture, where families worked their own plots. The farmer's work was tied to the liturgical calendar through festivals like Passover and Sukkot, which celebrated harvests. Socially, farmers could be landowners or laborers, and their well-being directly reflected the nation's economic and spiritual health, as seen when crop failures led to widespread lament (Amos 5:16).
אִישׁ־אֲדָמָה (ʼîsh-ʼădâmâ, H127) — a man of the soil, emphasizing connection to the ground; יֹגֵב (yōgēv, H3009) — a plowman or tiller, focusing on the action of plowing; כֹּרֵם (kōrēm, H3755) — a vinedresser, specific to vineyard work.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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