Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897)
The word so rendered (dagan) in Gen. 27:28, 37, Num. 18:27, Deut. 28:51, Lam. 2:12, is a general term representing all the commodities we usually describe by the words corn, grain, seeds, peas, beans. With this corresponds the use of the word in John 12:24. , “winnowed”) means corn purified from chaff. With this corresponds the use of the word in the New Testament (Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17; Acts 7:12). , grist) denotes generally victuals, provisions, and corn as a principal article of food. From the time of Solomon, corn began to be exported from Palestine (Ezek. 27:17; Amos 8:5).
“Plenty of corn” was a part of Issac’s blessing conferred upon Jacob (Gen. 27:28; comp. Ps. 65:13).
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1863)
The most common kinds were wheat, barley, spelt, Authorized Version, (Exodus 9:32) and Isai 28:25 “Rye;” (Ezekiel 4:9) “fitches” and millet; oats are mentioned only by rabbinical writers. Our Indian corn was unknown in Bible times. Corn-crops are still reckoned at twentyfold what was sown, and were anciently much more. (Genesis 41:22) The Jewish law permitted any one in passing through a filed of standing corn to pluck and eat.
(23:25) see also Matt 12:1 From Solomon’s time, (2 Chronicles 2:10,15) as agriculture became developed under a settled government, Palestine was a corn-exporting country, and her grain was largely taken by her commercial neighbor Tyre. (Ezekiel 27:17) comp.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible (1898) & Schaff's Bible Dictionary
CORN . Mark 4:28. This word is generally applied in the United States to maize or Indian-corn, which it never means in the Bible, for that grain, like the Western continent, was, in scriptural times, as yet undiscovered. The English Bible uses the word as the general name for all sorts of cereals, such as wheat, barley, millet, and fitches, and of such cornfields only must we think. Oats are not known in Palestine, and rye is rarely, if ever, grown. A "corn of wheat" is a kernel of wheat.
The figurative use of the word "corn," usually in connection with wine and oil, is very frequent, as grain and wine and olives were the leading productions of the country. Deut 11:14; Deut 18:4; Deut 28:51; 2 Chr 32:28; Hos 2:22; Joel 2:19. It is probable that grain was commonly used in its crude state in the early ages of the world.
It was sometimes done in later times, Matt 12:1; and even now it is no uncommon thing, in passing a field of wheat, to pluck an ear, and, after rubbing the husk or beard off by rolling it between the hands, to eat the grain, which is very palatable, even in that state. The Jewish law permitted standing corn to be plucked by any one passing through it, Deut 23:25; and this custom, or right, is still respected in some parts of the East. See Mills. " Van Lennep.