Original Word: תֶּלֶם
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: telem
Pronunciation: TEH-lem
Phonetic Spelling: (teh'-lem)
KJV: furrow, ridge
NASB: furrows, furrow
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to accumulate]

1. a bank or terrace

furrow, ridge

From an unused root meaning to accumulate; a bank or terrace -- furrow, ridge.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a furrow
NASB Translation
furrow (1), furrows (4).

תֶּ֫לֶם noun masculine^{Job 31:38} furrow; — absolute ׳ת Job 39:10 (other conjectures Du Perles^{Anal. 53}); plural construct תַּלְמֵי שָׂדָ֑י Hosea 10:4; Hosea 12:12; suffix תְּלָמֶיהָ Job 31:38; Psalm 65:11. — On ploughing in Palestine see Hogg^{Ency. Bib. AGRICULTURE} Vogelst^{Landwirthsch. 25 ff.}, on depth of furrow (not more than 8-10 centimeters) Id^ib.36 Anderlind^{ZPV ix. 25, 29}; also Benz Archaeology under the word — תִּלָּם see תֵּל above

Imagery and Concept

Telem designates the “furrow” or ridge made by a plow. In the agrarian economy of Israel, the sight of furrowed soil signaled hope: seed would follow, harvest would come, and covenant blessings would be confirmed (Deuteronomy 28:1–12). Thus, the word naturally carries connotations of preparation, stewardship, and expectancy before God.

Agricultural Context in Ancient Israel

1. Subsistence farming: Most households depended on small plots. Careful plowing ensured maximum yield in thin Levantine soils.
2. Seasonal rhythm: Early rains softened ground for the first plowing; late rains filled the furrows (Psalm 65:10), underscoring divine provision.
3. Animal labor: Oxen or donkeys pulled the plow (Job 39:10), illustrating cooperation between humankind and creation in fulfilling the mandate to “work and keep” the earth (Genesis 2:15).

Occurrences in Job—The Ethics of Land and Labor

Job 31:38 invokes furrows as silent witnesses to justice: “If my land cries out against me and its furrows weep together.” The patriarch stakes his innocence on righteous land use. Abuse of field or worker would provoke God’s judgment. Here, telem embodies moral accountability: every ridge cut by a plowblade records either integrity or exploitation. Believers are reminded that all labor, even the most mundane, lies open before the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).

Job 39:10 contrasts the untamed wild ox with the domesticated beast bound “in the furrow of the valley.” The image magnifies divine sovereignty: only God can master creation. Humanity’s reliance on obedient animals for plowing highlights dependence on providence, not self-sufficiency.

Psalm 65:10—Celebration of Covenant Blessing

“You drench its furrows and level its ridges; You soften it with showers and bless its growth.” Here telem depicts land already prepared by human hands yet utterly reliant on God’s rain. The verse frames agriculture as cooperative grace: people plow, God waters. The psalmist thus establishes a theology of gratitude that rebukes pride and encourages worship amid ordinary work.

Prophetic Usage in Hosea—Indictment and Invitation

Hosea 10:4 warns that Israel’s empty oaths yield only “poisonous weeds in the furrows of their fields.” Telem becomes a metaphor for corrupt outcomes of covenant unfaithfulness. Despite diligent outward effort, sin turns furrows into seedbeds of judgment. Hosea 12:11 (Hebrew 12:12) laments similar futility: “Is Gilead wicked? Surely they are worthless! In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls, and their altars will be like heaps of stones on the furrows of the field.” Idolatry piles up useless stones where grain should grow. The prophet calls for repentance—“Break up your fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12)—so that furrows once cursed may again receive righteous seed.

Theological Themes

• Stewardship: Telem underscores humanity’s delegated authority over earth. Faithful cultivation mirrors spiritual cultivation (Matthew 13:3-23).
• Dependence: Rain that fills the furrows illustrates reliance on divine grace (Zechariah 10:1).
• Judgment and Renewal: Crops ruined in the furrow portray consequences of sin, yet plowed ground also signals readiness for revival when hearts turn back to God.

Christological and Ministry Reflections

Jesus’ parable of the sower situates gospel proclamation in plowed furrows of the heart. The steadfast plowman who “puts his hand to the plow and looks back” is unfit for the kingdom (Luke 9:62), echoing the irrevocable commitment modeled in Psalm 65:10 and Job 31:38. Ministers today, like ancient farmers, prepare the soil—teaching, discipling, praying for rain—while trusting God to grant increase (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).

Practical Application for Believers

1. Examine stewardship: Do our “furrows” (resources, relationships, callings) testify to justice or selfishness?
2. Cultivate expectancy: Pray for the Spirit’s rain upon prepared hearts, families, and congregations.
3. Embrace perseverance: Hosea’s warnings urge continual plowing of spiritual disciplines, refusing idolatrous shortcuts.
4. Celebrate provision: Integrate thanksgiving into daily work, recognizing every ridge filled with water as a personal gift from the Lord.

Cross-References for Further Study

Deuteronomy 28:12; Proverbs 13:23; Isaiah 28:24; Jeremiah 4:3; Matthew 13:18-23; 2 Corinthians 9:10.

בְּתֶ֣לֶם בתלם תְּלָמֶ֣יהָ תְּלָמֶ֥יהָ תַּלְמֵ֥י תלמי תלמיה bə·ṯe·lem beTelem bəṯelem tal·mê talmê talMei tə·lā·me·hā təlāmehā telaMeihaInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts