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Wheat

Easton's Bible Dictionary

One of the earliest cultivated grains. It bore the Hebrew name hittah, and was extensively cultivated in Palestine. There are various species of wheat. That which Pharaoh saw in his dream was the Triticum compositum, which bears several ears upon one stalk (Gen 41:5). The “fat of the kidneys of wheat” (Deut 32:14), and the “finest of the wheat” (Ps 81:16; 147:14), denote the best of the kind. It was exported from Palestine in great quantities (1 Kgs 5:11; Ezek 27:17; Acts 12:20).

Parched grains of wheat were used for food in Palestine (Ruth 2:14; 1 Sam 17:17; 2 Sam 17:28). The disciples, under the sanction of the Mosaic law (Deut 23:25), plucked ears of corn, and rubbing them in their hands, ate the grain unroasted (Matt 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). Before any of the wheat-harvest, however, could be eaten, the first-fruits had to be presented before the Lord (Lev 23:14).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hwet

((1) chiTTah, the specific word for wheat (Gen 30:14; Exod 34:22, etc.), with puros (Judithh 3:3; Sirach 39:26);

(2) bar, or bar (Jer 23:28; Joel 2:24; Amos 5:11; Amos 8:6); in other passages translated "grain" or "corn";

(3) sitos (Matt 3:12; Matt 13:25; Matt 13:29; Matt 13:30; Luke 3:17; Luke 16:7; Luke 22:31, etc.) (for other words translated occasionally "wheat" in the King James Version see CORN; FOOD)): Wheat, usually the bearded variety, is cultivated all over Palestine, though less so than barley. The great plain of the Hauran is a vast expanse of wheat fields in the spring; considerable quantities are exported via Beirut, Haifa, and Gaza. The "wheat harvest" was in olden times one of the regular divisions of the year (Exod 34:22; Judg 15:1; 1 Sam 12:17); it follows the barley harvest (Exod 9:31; Exod 9:32), occurring in April, May or June, according to the altitude.

E. W. G. Masterman

Kilde: Easton's Bible Dictionary (M.G. Easton, 1897) og International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (red. James Orr, 1915/1939), public domain. Translated into Danish with AI and not yet proofread (fully or partially). Links to people and places: Theographic Bible Metadata (CC BY-SA 4.0).