Was Israel an agrarian society in the Old Testament?
Yes. The Old Testament presents Israel as a rural or agrarian society. They lived in antiquity, using animals as beasts of burden. There was a strong correlation between the agriculture of the day and spiritual understanding, which is why agricultural illustrations like the yoke appear in Scripture.
Les explains that when reading the Old Testament, you must remember Israel was a rural or agrarian society. They still lived back in the antiquities when animals were used for beasts of burden. Because of this, there is a lot of correlation between the agriculture of the day and even spiritual understanding. When Paul says, "Be not unequally yoked," the word yoke immediately brings to mind the beasts of burden out in the field plowing—two oxen put together so they could pull in unison. Deuteronomy 22:9-10, part of Israel's law, uses this same agricultural imagery.