Flax
“Flax, possibly from stripping or separating”
Summary
A plant cultivated from ancient times for its fibers used in making linen, extensively grown in Egypt and Palestine.
☩Cultivation
Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a herbaceous plant with blue flowers and fibrous stalks, cultivated from the dawn of history. Egypt was celebrated for flax culture, producing linen so fine it was called 'woven air.' Flax was also grown in Palestine before the Israelite conquest, as seen when Rahab hid the spies under stalks of flax drying on her roof.
☩Processing and Uses
After harvesting, flax stalks were dried on rooftops, then macerated in water, beaten, and hackled (combed) to separate the fibers. The fine fibers produced linen for clothing, while coarser portions made tow for wicks. Linen was used exclusively for priestly garments and extensively in tabernacle hangings.
☩Spiritual Significance
'A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench' describes Christ's gentle treatment of weak believers. The smoking flax represents a dimly burning wick, someone with only a spark of faith. Christ supplies such with grace as oil, clearing away mists of error and nurturing the faint light rather than extinguishing it.
Related Verses11 mentions
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Flax," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.John McClintock and James Strong, "Flax," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Flax," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).