Mowing (גֵּז, gez, Vulg. tonsio, Am 7:1; the Sept. reads Γώγ ὁ βασιλεύς, either from a various reading or a confusion of the letters ז and ג), a word signifying also a shorn fleece, and rendered in Ps 72:6, "mown grass." As the great heat of the climate in Palestine and other similarly situated countries soon dries up the herbage itself, hay-making in our sense of the term is not in use. The term "hay," therefore, in the Prayer-book version of Ps 106:20, for עֵשֶׂב, is incorrect; A.V. "grass." So also Pr 27:25, and Isa 15:6. The corn destined for forage is cut with a sickle. The term קֹצֵר, A.V. "mower," Ps 129:7, is most commonly in A.V. "reaper," and once, Jer 9:22, "harvestman." SEE REAPING.
The "king's mowings," Am 7:1, i.e., mown grass, Ps 72:6, may perhaps refer to some royal right of early pasturage for the use of the cavalry. Comp. 1Ki 18:5. See Shaw, Trav. page 138; Wilkinson, Anc. Eg. abridgm. 2:43, 50; Early Trav. page 305; Pietro d. Valle, Viasgi, 2:237; Chardin, Voy. 3:370; Layard, Nin. cand Bab. page 330; Niebuhr, Descr. de l'Arab. page 139; Harmer, Obs. 4:386; Burckhardt, Notes on Bed. 1:210. SEE GRASS.
The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature was edited by John McClintock and James Strong. It contains nearly 50,000 articles pertaining to Biblical and other religious literature, people, creeds, etc. It is a fantastic research tool for broad Christian study.
John McClintock was born October 27, 1814 in Philadelphia to Irish immigrants, John and Martha McClintock. He began as a clerk in his father's store, and then became a bookkeeper in the Methodist Book Concern in New York. Here he converted to Methodism and considered joining the ministry. McClintock entered the University of Pennsylvania in 1832 and graduated with high honors three years later. Subsequently, he was awarded a doctorate of divinity degree from the same institution in 1848.WikipediaRead More