Robert Frost

[sirknowalot]

In Frost's poem, "After Apple Picking", he mentions a pane of glass, where in the bible does it mention a pane of glass?

[Clanad]

It doesn't... glass used for windows was first used by the Roman's around 100 A.D., long after either the Old or New Testaments were written... By the way, I'm sure you know that Frost's reference to a pane of glass in his narrative is to a thin sheet of ice he found on the "drinking trough" that morning...

[woofgang]

in the King James version, glass is mentioned, which I agree is kind of strange

http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=glass&qs_version=31

[woofgang]

sorry, wrong version!

http://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=glass&qs_version=9

[woofgang]

just realised where the confusion might lie, sorry for hoggint the thread but its one of my favourite bits

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

Its from St Pauls letter to the Corinthians. I understand that he doesn't mean looking through a pane of glass but to a shadowy image in a mirror. Many mirrors at that time were made from hightly polished metal and the image was indistinct, especially as they got older and maybe a little battered

[Clanad]

You're exactly correct, woofgang... glass, as a decorative and usefull substance has been used for thousands of years.  Glass beads over 5,000 years old have been found.  But the quality of glass necessary for use in windows was unknown until, as I referenced, fairly late Roman times.  Mirrors, as you relate were used for a large part of ancient history as well, but again, of fairly low quality.

By the way, all the references to a "sea of glass" especially in the Book of Revelation (actually Revelation) is an attempt by John, while on the island of Patmos, to describe, in human terms, the vision of God seated in the midst of the 12 on a throne surrounded by what John could only describe as a sea of glass...

[woofgang]

What a poet that guy (or his translator) was!

[sirknowalot]

Thnx guys, it helped alot