Flax
a well-known plant with yellowish stem and bright-blue flowers. Its fibres are employed in the manufacture of linen. The root contains an oil, and after the oil is expressed is sued as a food for cattle. Egypt was celebrated for the culture of flax and the manufacture of linen. The spinning was anciently done by women of noble birth.
It seems probable that the cultivation of flax for the purpose of the manufacture of linen was by no means confined to Egypt, but that, originating in India, it spread over Asia at a very early period of antiquity. That it was grown in Palestine even before the conquest of that country by the Israelites appears from (Joshua 2:6) The various processes employed in preparing the flax for manufacture into cloth are indicated:
The drying process. The peeling of the stalks and separation of the fibres. The hackling. (Isaiah 19:9) That flax was one of the most important crops in Palestine appears from (Hosea 2:5,9)
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Flax
Flax flaks pesheth, also pishtah; linon (Mt 12:20)): The above Hebrew words are applied (1) to the plant: "The flax was in bloom" (the King James Version "bolled"; Ex 9:31); (2) the "stalks of flax," literally, "flax of the tree," put on the roof to dry (Jos 2:6); (3) to the fine fibers used for lighting: the King James Version "tow," "flax," the Revised Version (British and American). "A dimly burning wick will he not quench" (Isa 42:3); "They are quenched as a wick" (Isa 43:17). The thought is perhaps of a scarcely lighted wick just kindled with difficulty from a spark. (4) In Isa 19:9 mention is made of "combed flax," i.e. flax hackled ready for spinning (compare Ho 2:5,9; Pr 31:13). The reference in Jg 15:14 is to flax twisted into cords. (5) In Jg 16:9; Isa 1:31, mention is made of ne`oreth, "tow," literally, something "shaken off"--as the root implies--from flax. (6) The plural form pishtim is used in many passages for linen, or linen garments, e.g. Le 13:47-48,52,59; De 22:11; Jer 13:1 ("linen girdle"); Eze 44:17 f. Linen was in the earliest historic times a favorite material…
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible on Flax
The Heb. and its equivalents in Gr., Lat., and Eng. are used (1) for the growing plant (Ex 9^') ; (2) for the stalks when cut (Jos 2* yjin '£1^5, XivoKaKapnj, stipulm lini ); (3) for a wick made of the fibres (Is 42> 43", AV ' tow,' RV ' flax,' marg. ' a wick '). The root form nyj pesheth, with sullix '.^fs pishti, LXX 6$6vid /lov, is also used for the flax fibres (Hos 2'-"). The plural of the same, c-ks nishtim, is used for the liackled flbres (Pr 31'^ Is 19») ; these are twisted into cords (Jg 15") or woven intostutt(nt 22"). The shorter fibres are called T\->j;i ni'Crcth = tow (Jg 16», Is 1"). The plural pisntim is also used for linen (Lv 13**-"), as well as for linen garments (vv.*'-°', LXX liiarlif imv- icvlvif, Ezk 44" (TToXdj Xifas). Flax, Linum satitnim, L., is a plant of the order Linacere, which has been cultivnted from the earliest periods of the world's history. It is a perennial, with slender stalks, 2 to 3 tt. high, linear-lanceolate leaves, and showy blue flowers. Its stalks produce the strong fibres out of which linen is manufactured. These stalks were dried on the fl…
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Flax
Exo 9:31, "the flax was bolled," i.e. "in blossom"; the boll, related to bowl and ball, being the pod. Marking the time, the end of February or beginning of March. Linen was exclusively used by the priests. Pliny, 19:1, notes four kinds in Egypt, and 24 mentions Tanis (Zoan) as famous for flax. In evenness of threads without knot or break Egyptian linen exceeded modern manufacture. (Wilkinson on Herod., 2:37, p. 54.) Solomon imported it from Egypt (1Ki 10:28; Pro 7:16; Eze 27:7). The processes of manufacture are represented on Egyptian tombs as at Benihassan. The microscope shows the doth on the mummies to be linen. It was grown in Canaan before Joshua's (Jos 2:6) conquest; the stalks were dried on the flat roofs by exposure to the sun's heat; later the drying was done in ovens. The combing is noticed in Isa 19:9, "they that work in combed (so seriguot means) flax." The rich alone wore fine linen (Luk 16:19). Wilkinson mentions Egyptian linen with 540 (or 270 double) threads in one inch in the warp; most modern cambric has but 160 (Barnes). The corslet of Amasis king of Egypt was of…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia