Strong’s Greek 596 speaks of the “storehouse” or “granary,” an enclosure where grain is laid up for future use. In Scripture the image suggests security, stewardship, and judgment—either the safety of God’s provision or the exposure of human self-reliance.

Old Testament Background

The Septuagint often renders Hebrew motsār (“storehouse”) with this noun, linking it to Joseph’s granaries in Egypt (Genesis 41) and the treasuries of the temple (2 Chronicles 31:11). These antecedents shape the New Testament use: a place where harvest is gathered and protected until its appointed purpose is revealed.

Occurrences in the New Testament

1. Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17—John the Baptist contrasts “His barn” with “unquenchable fire,” portraying the Messiah’s separating work at the final harvest.

“He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:12)

2. Matthew 6:26—Jesus points to the birds that “neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns,” exposing anxiety as distrust of the Father’s daily care.

3. Luke 12:18, 24—The parable of the rich fool plans to tear down barns for bigger ones, whereas ravens have no barn yet are fed by God. The juxtaposition rebukes hoarding.

“This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store up all my grain and my goods.” (Luke 12:18)

4. Matthew 13:30—In the parable of the wheat and tares, the barn pictures ultimate safekeeping for the righteous at the consummation of the age.

Historical and Cultural Context

First-century Palestine relied on seasonal rains and limited harvest windows; a secure granary was vital. Typical barns were dug into rock or constructed of mud-brick with thatched roofs. Their vulnerability to pests and thieves heightened the metaphor: only divine protection guarantees true security (cf. Matthew 6:19-20).

Theological Significance

• Divine Provision: Storehouses symbolize God’s faithful supply (Deuteronomy 28:12).
• Eschatological Sorting: The barn stands for the final ingathering of the redeemed.
• Vanity of Self-Security: Earthly barns can be enlarged, but life remains “demanded” by God (Luke 12:20).
• Stewardship: Believers are called to gather spiritual, not merely material, treasure.

Practical Application for Ministry

• Preach contentment grounded in the Father’s care (Matthew 6:26).
• Warn against materialistic expansion without eternal perspective (Luke 12:18-21).
• Offer assurance of ultimate safety for those “in Christ,” whose harvest the Lord secures (Matthew 13:30).
• Encourage congregations to convert surplus into generosity, reflecting heavenly priorities.

Relationship to Eschatology

The imagery aligns with the grain harvest festivals—Firstfruits and Pentecost—that foreshadow the resurrection and the Spirit’s ingathering. The barn motif underlines a twofold destiny: preservation for wheat, destruction for chaff, echoing Revelation’s final separation (Revelation 14:14-20).

Typological and Prophetic Dimensions

Joseph’s granaries prefigure Christ who preserves His people during famine (spiritual and eschatological). The barn therefore becomes a Christological sign of both refuge and reckoning.

Suggested Homiletical Themes

• “Barns Without Eternity: The Folly of Bigger Silos” (Luke 12)
• “A Harvest for the King: Wheat in His Barn” (Matthew 3)
• “Birds Without Barns: Freedom from Anxiety” (Matthew 6)

Strong’s 596 thus gathers diverse strands—provision, warning, and hope—into a single, enduring picture: the Lord of the harvest keeping His grain safe for the age to come.