THRESHING (דּוּשׁ, H1889; ἀλοάω, G262, to tread, to trample out, to beat out; hence, to lay open, to search for. Heb. is akin to דָּרַכְ, H2005, to tramp, to walk over, to tread a threshing floor, Jer 51:33). It is distinguished from beating with a rod as applied to garden plants—dill, cummin, flax (Isa 28:27f.). For concealment from the Midianites, Gideon resorted to beating out wheat (Judg 6:11) in the winepress rather than on the threshing floor. Implements used in threshing were sledges, forks, and shovels. Sledges (Isa 41:15; Amos 1:3) were built of heavy wood, studded underneath with sharp stones, potsherds, or iron spikes. The cart was built with studded rollers (Isa 28:27f.). Benches with backrests were built on top for drivers. Sledges were drawn by teams of oxen, donkeys, or horses, and encircled the pile of grain heaped in the center of the threshing floor. Women and men drove the teams while others with forks raked loose sheaves into the sledge path and raked away the threshed straw. The “winnowing fork” (Luke 3:17) and the shovel were also used for tossing to allow the wind to blow the chaff away. It was customary for the whole family to camp near the threshing floor at harvest and share in the work. Prophets made fig. use of threshing, at times with judicial implications (Jer 51:33; Dan 2:35, Mic 4:12; Matt 3:12). A full threshing floor was indicative of God’s blessings (Joel 2:24).