FOOD POUCH

A bag, usually made of leather, carried over the shoulder by travelers, shepherds, farmers and others. It was used for food, clothing and other provisions, but was not the same as the smaller girdle purse used for gold, silver and copper coins. (Matt. 10:9; Mark 6:8) David’s “shepherds’ bag” was doubtless such a pouch. (1 Sam. 17:40) Jesus Christ, when sending out first the twelve apostles and then the seventy disciples, told them not to carry a food pouch. (Matt. 10:5, 9, 10; Luke 9:3; 10:1, 4; 22:35, 36) Thereby they would be depending upon Jehovah God to care for them in the ministry rather than being anxious for material things, what they would eat or be clothed with tomorrow.—Matt. 6:25-34.

FOOL

Rather than denoting a person who is lacking in mental ability, the word “fool,” as used in the Bible, generally refers to an individual who fails to use his mental faculties properly and follows a course out of harmony with God’s righteous standards. The course of the man Nabal illustrates the way of a fool. (1 Sam. chap. 25) Isaiah said a fool or senseless person will speak “mere senselessness, and his very heart will work at what is hurtful, to work at apostasy and to speak against Jehovah what is wayward, to cause the soul of the hungry one to go empty, and he causes even the thirsty one to go without drink itself.” (Isa. 32:6) The fool despises wisdom and discipline. (Prov. 1:7) In spite of the overwhelming evidence that the Creator exists, the senseless one says in his heart: “There is no Jehovah.” (Ps. 14:1) Others foolishly turn to idol worship. (Rom. 1:20-25) Instead of heeding counsel, the fool continues walking in a way he considers “right in his own eyes.” (Prov. 12:15) He is quick to take offense and bursts out in disputing.—Eccl. 7:9; Prov. 20:3.

Jesus Christ rightly referred to the scribes and Pharisees as “fools and blind ones,” that is, persons lacking wisdom and being morally worthless, for they had distorted the truth by man-made traditions and followed a hypocritical course. Moreover, Jesus backed up the correctness of this designation by illustrating their lack of discernment. (Matt. 23:15-22; 15:3) However, the individual calling a brother a “despicable fool,” judging and condemning his brother, would make himself liable to Gehenna.—Matt. 5:22; Rom. 14:10-12; Matt. 7:1, 2.

The foolish man who built his house upon the sand and the rich man whose land was producing well and who therefore planned to expand his storage facilities and then really enjoy life are examples of Jesus’ fine illustrations from daily life highlighting the foolishness of neglecting spiritual things and thereby missing out on the real blessing. Moreover, failing to “keep on the watch” in a spiritual way is folly, as emphasized by Jesus’ illustration of the five foolish virgins who, in going out to meet the bridegroom, took no oil with them for their lamps.—Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 12:16-21; Matt. 25:1-13.

To become truly wise a person must become a fool in the eyes of the world; “for the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” It is not the worldly-wise whom Jehovah has chosen to represent him, but those looked down upon as persons without knowledge, fools, have been so favored. This has resulted in making the foolishness of this world even more apparent. Furthermore, this removes all reason for boasting on the part of the favored individual. Instead, all glory goes rightfully to the Source of wisdom, Jehovah.—1 Cor. 3:18, 19; 1:18-31.

Answering a fool in harmony with or “according to his foolishness” in the sense of resorting to his degrading methods of argument puts the one so doing in agreement with the fool’s unsound reasonings or ways. So as not to become like the fool in this respect, the proverb counsels: “Do not answer anyone stupid according to his foolishness.” On the other hand, answering him “according to his foolishness” in the sense of analyzing his contentions, exposing them as being ridiculous, and showing that his own arguments lead to entirely different conclusions than he has drawn can be beneficial, as shown at Proverbs 26:4, 5.

FOOT

In ancient times, as in many parts of the earth today, the feet were the main means of transportation. Some of the common people went barefoot, but sandals consisting of little more than a sole were commonly worn. (See SANDAL.) On entering a house the sandals were removed. An essential, virtually obligatory mark of hospitality was to wash the feet of a guest, the service being performed either by the householder or by a servant; or at least water was provided for the purpose.—Gen. 18:4; 24:32; 1 Sam. 25:41; Luke 7:37, 38, 44.

Since the sandals were removed when one was on holy ground, the priests when performing duties in the tabernacle or the temple undoubtedly served barefooted. (Ex. 3:5; Josh. 5:15) No sandals were included in the instructions for making the priests’ garments.—Ex. chap. 28.

CHRIST WASHES DISCIPLES’ FEET

Jesus Christ gave his disciples a lesson in humility and service to one another when he, their Master, washed their feet. (John 13:5-14; compare 1 Timothy 5:9, 10.) On this occasion Jesus said: “He that has bathed does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is wholly clean,” doubtless referring to the fact that even if one was bathed, his feet would get dusty even in a short walk and would frequently need washing. In the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry the priests and Levites on guard duty at the temple, after immersing themselves early in the morning, were not required to bathe again that day, except to wash their hands and feet. (See also Exodus 30:19-21.) By saying, “you men are clean, but not all [referring to Judas],” Jesus apparently gave his actions on this occasion an additional spiritual significance. (John 13:10, 11) At Ephesians 5:25, 26 Jesus is shown as cleansing the Christian congregation with the “bath of water by means of the word” of truth. Logically, Jesus’ faithful followers were likewise to show humble concern not only for the physical needs of their brothers but even more so for their spiritual needs. Thereby they would help one another to keep clean from the daily temptations and entanglements that might contaminate a Christian while walking in this world.—Heb. 10:22; Gal. 6:1; Heb. 12:13; see WASHING OF FEET.

“WALKING”

The words “foot” and “feet” are frequently used to denote a person’s inclination or the course he takes, good or bad. (Ps. 119:59, 101; Prov. 1:16; 4:26; 5:5; 19:2; Rom. 3:15) The word “walk” is used with similar significance, as in the statement, “Noah walked with the true God,” meaning that he took a course in harmony with God’s will and commandments. (Gen. 6:9; compare Ephesians 2:1, 2.) God directs the ‘feet’ of his faithful servants in the right path, figuratively, showing them the way to go so as not to stumble to a spiritual fall or be ensnared in evil, and sometimes even safeguarding them against capture by the enemy. (1 Sam. 2:9; Ps. 25:15; 119:105; 121:3; Luke 1:78, 79) On the other hand, he will cause the wicked to lose their footing and go down in defeat. (Deut. 32:35; Ps. 9:15) Jehovah warns against associating in a course with bad persons, or going in a bad path, (Prov. 1:10, 15; 4:27) He advises one to guard his feet when going to the house of God. The person should draw near with a sincere heart to hear and to learn.—Eccl. 5:1.

OTHER FIGURATIVE USES

Other figurative expressions are ‘resting place for the sole of the foot,’ that is, a place of residence or possession (Gen. 8:9; Deut. 28:65); “a footbreadth,” to indicate the smallest parcel of land one could possess (Acts 7:5; Deut. 2:5; compare Joshua 1:3); ‘lift up the foot,’ to take or initiate a course of action (Gen. 41:44); “make your foot rare at the house of your fellow man,” not taking undue advantage of his hospitality (Prov. 25:17); ‘walking barefoot,’ in humiliation or mourning (captives often being led barefoot) (Isa. 20:2); ‘laying [something] at the feet of’ (a person), as a gift or offering (Acts 5:1, 2); ‘falling at one’s feet,’ in obeisance (Mark 5:22); ‘putting under the feet,’ in subjection (1 Cor. 15:27; Heb. 2:8); ‘bruising or treading under feet,’ in victory (Mal. 4:3; Rom. 16:20); ‘putting feet upon the neck of an enemy,’ as a symbol of subduing or conquering him (Josh. 10:24); ‘washing the foot in blood,’ in execution of enemies (Ps. 68:22, 23); ‘covering the feet,’ easing nature (literally, ‘keeping the feet hidden’—Judg. 3:24; 1 Sam. 24:3). The phrase “dipping his foot in oil” was used prophetically in foretelling the fat or abundant portion that the tribe of Asher would have among their brothers of Israel. (Deut. 33:24) Ruth uncovered the feet of Boaz and lay down at his feet as a notification for him to take legal action in the matter of brother-in-law marriage.—Ruth 3:4, 7, 8.

“Comely” feet

Jehovah has special regard for the feet of those proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, calling them “comely.” (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15) The Christian must have his feet shod with the “equipment of the good news of peace” so that he can properly carry the good news. (Eph. 6:15) Jesus instructed his disciples that when those in a house or a city refused to take them in or listen to their words, they should shake the dust off their feet, thereby showing that they left the unreceptive house or city to the consequences that were due to come upon them from a higher source, from heaven.—Matt. 10:14.

‘Cut off your foot’

Jesus used the term “foot” figuratively in saying: “If, then, your hand or your foot is making you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you,” meaning that if something as precious as the hand or foot is causing us to sin, or if something is leading us to sin with the hand or foot, we should get rid of that thing rather than to forfeit integrity and life itself.—Matt. 18:8.

In the Christian “body”

The apostle Paul, likening the Christian congregation to a human body, highlights the interdependence of the members thereof when he says: “If the foot should say: ‘Because I am not a hand, I am no part of the body,’ it is not for this reason no part of the body.”—1 Cor. 12:15.

GOD’S FOOTSTOOL

Jehovah pictures himself in his sovereign position as sitting on a heavenly throne with the earth as his footstool. (Isa. 66:1) He says to Zion that he will beautify the place of his sanctuary, and adds: “I shall glorify the very place of my feet.”—Isa. 60:13, 14; see ATTITUDES AND GESTURES; HEEL; TOE.

FOOTSTOOL

A low stool, designed to serve as a rest or support for the feet when the individual is seated. The Hebrew word keʹvesh appears only once in the Scriptures and is used with reference to the gold footstool of King Solomon’s throne. (2 Chron. 9:18) The Hebrew expression hadhomʹ ragh·laʹyim (literally, “stool of the feet”) occurs six times and is used figuratively to refer to the temple (1 Chron. 28:2; Ps. 99:5; 132:7; Lam. 2:1), the earth (Isa. 66:1) and the enemies as being crushed by Messiah’s rule. (Ps. 110:1) James reproves those practicing class distinctions in the congregation, using the illustration of a poor man being told: “Take that seat there under my footstool.” (Jas. 2:3) All other occurrences of the word footstool in the Christian Greek Scriptures are quotations from or references to the Hebrew Scriptures.—Matt. 5:35; Acts 7:49; “stool for your [or, his] feet” in Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Heb. 1:13; 10:13.

FORCED LABOR

The use of forced labor was evidently quite common in Bible times, with conquered peoples frequently being constituted slaves. (Deut. 20:11; Josh. 16:10; 17:13; Esther 10:1; Isa. 31:8; Lam. 1:1) As slavish forced laborers, the Israelites, under the immediate oversight of Egyptian chiefs who tyrannized over them, engaged in building the storage places of Pithom and Raamses. (Ex. 1:11-14) Then, upon entering the Promised Land, the Israelites, instead of following through on Jehovah’s command to drive out all the Canaanite inhabitants of the land who should have been devoted to destruction, forced them into task work, slavish labor. This had the bad effect of luring Israel into the worship of false gods. (Josh. 16:10; Judg. 1:28; 2:3, 11, 12) King Solomon continued levying the descendants of these Canaanites, that is, of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, for slavish forced labor.—1 Ki. 9:20, 21.

At times, Israelite workers were drafted to meet an emergency or to complete a special project that could not be delayed indefinitely. Issachar, according to the words of his dying father Jacob, was to be subjected as a tribe to this type of forced labor. (Gen. 49:15) Solomon conscripted thirty thousand men of Israel for his temple-building operations. Nevertheless, these were not constituted slaves, for they served in shifts of ten thousand a month in Lebanon and thus were able to spend two months at home and a month at the work. (1 Ki. 5:13, 14) But it appears that considerable resentment built up against the conscripting of Israelites for forced labor. When Rehoboam did not agree to lighten the heavy yoke Israel had had to bear under the rulership of Solomon and subsequently sent Adoram (Hadoram, Adoniram) to conscript workers, the Israelites stoned Adoram, who must have been quite advanced in years then, having begun to serve in David’s time as overseer of those conscripted for work.—2 Sam. 20:24; 1 Ki. 4:6; 5:14; 12:14, 18; 2 Chron. 10:18.

Laziness could easily get an Israelite into debt and in time force him to sell his inheritance and also himself into slavery. Hence the proverb: “The slack hand will come to be for forced labor.”—Prov. 12:24.

FOREHEAD

As a very prominent and readily seen feature of an individual, the forehead was, in ancient times, a place for marking slaves so that all could see to what master they belonged. Also, the devotees of certain pagan gods were thus marked. Even today some follow the practice of putting religious marks on the forehead, so that all others can be aware of their devotion to their religious beliefs.

MARK IN THE FOREHEAD

Bearing a mark in the “forehead” is similarly used in a figurative way in the Bible to signify that one is a slave to the true God or to another. At Revelation 7:2-4, reference is made to angelic sealing of 144,000 persons in their foreheads. The Bible indicates that such seal is a symbol of God’s holy spirit and that the sealing began at Pentecost, 33 C.E., with the last remaining ones being sealed in the “time of the end.” (Eph. 1:13, 14; 4:30) These, by their following Christ Jesus and their activity in preaching and supporting his kingdom, display the seal of the outpoured spirit and thus are clearly identifiable as slaves of Jehovah God. (Rev. 20:4) In another part of the vision of Revelation, the 144,000 are represented as having the name of the Lamb Jesus Christ and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. As the Bride of the Lamb, they would properly take his name. (Rev. 14:1; 22:3, 4) Since the Hebrew language is twice mentioned in the book of Revelation (9:11; 16:16) and since the apostle John was a Hebrew, it may have been the sacred Tetragrammaton that was written on the foreheads of the 144,000, identifying them as Jehovah’s servants and witnesses.