Papyrus usually refers to a document written on sheets joined together side by side. Papyrus was like thick paper, so that people could write on it. The papyrus sheets came from the inner bark of the papyrus plant. Normally, they would roll these parchments into a scroll. This was the early form of a book. The Greek origins come for this word for papyrus, βύβλος was similar to the Greek word for a book. Thus, the English term ‘paper’ is derived from papyrus.
roll
Harvesting (Isa 28:7-28:29)
“Dill herbs are not threshed
With a threshing sledge.
Nor is a cart wheel rolled over carrot seeds.
But the dill herbs are beaten out with a stick.
The carrot seeds are beaten with a rod.
Grain is crushed for bread.
But one does not thresh it forever.
One drives the cart wheel with horses over it.
But he does not pulverize it.
This also comes from Yahweh of hosts.
He is wonderful in counsel.
He is excellent in wisdom.”
Each crop has a different form of harvesting. The dill herbs and carrot seeds are too fragile to be smashed with a threshing sledge hammer. You do not roll the cart wheels over the herbs and seeds like you do to the wheat and the barley. You beat the herbs and seeds with a stick or a rod that is gentler than the wheel cart. However, the threshing of the wheat and barley requires a heavy horse drawn cart wheel in order to provide grain for bread. However, you do not want to pulverize these grains into nothing. How do these farmers know how to do this? Why, the Lord of hosts, Yahweh has told them how to do it. Yahweh is wonderful in his counsel and excellent in his wisdom, as in the later wisdom tradition.
Watch your tongue (Prov 26:23-26:28)
“Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel
Are smooth lips with an evil heart.
An enemy dissembles in speaking,
While harboring deceit within.
When an enemy speaks graciously,
Do not believe it.
There are seven abominations concealed within.
Their hatred is covered with guile.
Their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
Whoever digs a pit
Will fall into it.
A stone will come back
On the one who starts it rolling.
A lying tongue hates its victims.
A flattering mouth works ruin.”
Watch your lips and the smooth lips of your enemies. Watch what they say. Smooth lips with an evil heart are the glaze that makes a glossy vessel shiny. Watch out for the enemy who has deceit in his heart while speaking to you. When an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe them since they are concealing 7 abominations. They cover their hatred with guile, but it will be exposed in the assembly. Whoever starts to dig a pit, will fall into it. If you start to roll a stone, it will come back on you. Lying tongues hate their victims. Flattery will only bring you to ruin.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 