H4053 H4053
clods, shovels, implements (meaning uncertain)
A word of uncertain meaning in Joel 1:17, describing agricultural devastation. The MT reads 'the seed shrivels under their clods,' taking this as clods of earth. BDB notes Jewish interpreters favored 'clods,' while the LXX suggests a different reading (cribs or storehouses). Another proposal is 'shovels' from the agricultural context. The exact meaning remains debated, but the context is clearly one of drought and failed crops.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Clods of earth, or possibly shovels (meaning disputed). Joel 1:17 describes agricultural ruin: seeds shrivel 'under their clods/shovels.' BDB presents multiple options: clods (following Jewish tradition and AV/RV), cribs (following LXX), or shovels (from Arabic cognate). The Spanish 'terrones-de-ellos' (their clods) follows the traditional reading. Despite lexical uncertainty, the image is agricultural desolation—whether dry clods, empty cribs, or unused tools. 1×
AR["مَدَرِّها"]·ben["তাদের-মাটির-ঢেলা"]·DE["[מגרפתיהם]"]·EN["their-clods"]·FR["motte"]·heb["מגרפותיהם"]·HI["ढेलों-अपने-के"]·ID["gumpalan-tanah-mereka,"]·IT["[מגרפתיהם]"]·jav["pacu-pacul"]·KO["그들의-흙덩이들"]·PT["torrões-seus"]·RU["комьями-их"]·ES["terrones-de-ellos"]·SW["mabonge-yake"]·TR["küreklerinin"]·urd["اپنے-ڈھیلوں-کے"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מֶגְרָפָה] n.f. shovel (NH id.; Aramaic מַגְרוֹפִיתָא; Arabic مَجْرَفَةٌ (v. Lane)) only pl. מֶגְרְפֹתֵיהֶם Jo 1:17 (Thes clods, after Jewish interpreters, so AV RV, cf. however Me Joel 100 f.; 𝔊 Me ארותיהם their cribs, of cattle; meaning of clause dubious).