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In the Jewish Bible as well as in the Christian Old Testament books agriculture was the mainstay of the Israelite economy both in villages and cities. Working the land and herding was an anthropological given; nevertheless it was conceived on the one hand as a very positive value, in so far as it was imitation of the Divine work of creation; on the other hand, for its difficulties and risks, it was thought of as a sort of punishment for the transgression of the first human couple. The Books of Moses approach the many fatigues on the fields in a quite pragmatic way, fixing social rules and ethical norms, e.g.: a severe law concerning the payment of the workers' salary, without any delay. Other books such as Psalms, Proverbs, Qohelet, and Ben Sira are full of more traditional sentences and moralistic admonitions about human working; overall, despite of the pessimistic tune of Qohelet, their attitudes remain positive and appreciative regarding the value of human effort, although through pain, to make a living out the struggle with nature.

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