מַגָּל
a sickle
Definition
The Hebrew noun מַגָּל (maggâl) refers specifically to a sickle, a curved, handheld agricultural tool used for harvesting grain by cutting stalks. In its two biblical occurrences, it symbolizes the instrument of harvest, both literally and metaphorically. In Jeremiah 50:16, it is part of a prophecy against Babylon, describing the destruction of the nation's agricultural base: 'Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handles the sickle in the time of harvest.' In Joel 3:13, the sickle takes on a vivid metaphorical role in a call for divine judgment: 'Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe,' portraying God's judgment as a harvest of the nations.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both in prophetic books. In Jeremiah 50:16, it is used in a literal, agricultural context within an oracle of judgment. In Joel 3:13, it is used metaphorically as a symbol of God's impending judgment. The pattern shows a tool of everyday life being powerfully repurposed in prophetic speech to illustrate divine action.
Etymology
Derived from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to reap' or 'to cut.' It is related to the verb גָּלַל (galal, H1556), which means 'to roll,' possibly evoking the rolling motion of using a sickle. The word is a straightforward tool name, reflecting its primary function in harvesting.
Semantic Range
While a simple agricultural tool, מַגָּל gains theological weight in its metaphorical use. In Joel 3:13, it becomes a powerful image of God's eschatological judgment, linking the harvest—a common biblical motif for the end of the age—with the execution of divine justice. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these prophecies by connecting the concrete, familiar object of a sickle to the profound concept of God's decisive intervention in human history.
In ancient Israel, the sickle was a crucial tool for survival, used during the grain harvests (barley and wheat) in spring and early summer. Its curved iron blade set into a wooden handle made it efficient for cutting stalks close to the ground. This immediate, tangible reality of the harvest provided a potent and universally understood metaphor for the prophets' messages.
חֶרְמֵשׁ (chermesh, H2770) — another word for sickle or pruning hook, used in contexts of both agriculture (Deuteronomy 16:9) and metaphorically for instruments of war (Isaiah 18:5).
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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