Ears of Corn

Ears of Corn (מלַילָה, melilah', so called from being cut of, De 23:25; שַׁבֹּלֶת shibbo'leth, from its growth, Ge 41:5 sq.; Ru 2:2; Job 24:24; Isa 17:5; כִּרמֶל, karsuel', prop. a cultivated field, as often; hence produce or ears therefrom, i.e., grits, Le 2:14; Le 23:14; 2Ki 4:42; אָבַיב, abib', green ears, Ex 9:31; Le 2:14; στάχυς, Mt 12:1; Mr 2:23; Mr 4:28; Lu 6:1). The remarkable productiveness of the cereals in Egypt has been proverbial from the days of Joseph (Ge 41:47) to the present time. Jowett states, in his Christian Researches, that when in Egypt he plucked up at random a few stalks out of the thick grain-fields. " We counted the number of stalks which sprouted from single grains of seed, carefully pulling to pieces each root in order to see that it was one plant. The first had seven stalks, the next three, then eighteen, then fourteen. Each stalk would bear an ear." Even greater numbers than these are mentioned by Dr. Shaw, and still more by Pliny. It also often happens that one of the stalks will bear two ears, while each of these ears will shoot out into a number of lesser ears, affording a most plentiful increase. SEE CORN.