2916. krithinos
Lexical Summary
krithinos: barley

Original Word: κριθήνινος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: krithinos
Pronunciation: kree-THEE-nos
Phonetic Spelling: (kree'-thee-nos)
KJV: barley
NASB: barley
Word Origin: [from G2915 (κριθή - barley)]

1. consisting of barley

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
made of barley flour

From krithe; consisting of barley -- barley.

see GREEK krithe

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2916 kríthinos (an adjective) – made of barley (barley loaves); "an inferior bread. Pliny and some of the Jewish writers describe barley as food fit for beasts. Suetonius speaks of a turgid rhetorician as a 'barley orator,' inflated like barley in moisture: and Livy relates how cohorts which had lost their standards were ordered barley for food" (WS, 439).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
adjective from krithé
Definition
of barley
NASB Translation
barley (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 2916: κρίθινος

κρίθινος, κριθινη, κρίθινον (κριθή), of barley, made of barley: ἄρτοι (2 Kings 4:42, cf. Judges 7:13), John 6:9, 13. ((Hippon., others.))

Topical Lexicon
Occurrences in the New Testament

Strong’s 2916 surfaces only in John 6:9 and John 6:13, both embedded in the account of the feeding of the five thousand. John alone supplies the descriptive note that the five loaves were “barley” rather than wheat, marking an eyewitness precision that corroborates the historicity of the event recorded by all four Gospels.

Barley in First-Century Life

Barley ripened several weeks earlier than wheat and was therefore the first grain harvested in the spring. It was common fare for the poor and for livestock (1 Kings 4:28). Because it grew in harsher soil and matured quickly, barley symbolized provision in lean conditions. A denarius would buy “three quarts of barley” during famine conditions (Revelation 6:6), underscoring its lesser market value.

Old Testament Background

Barley bread plays a role in Gideon’s dream that foretold Midian’s defeat (Judges 7:13) and in Elisha’s feeding of one hundred men (2 Kings 4:42–44). Barley also furnished the first-fruits wave offering on the day after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:10–14). These precedents foreshadow divine multiplication and victory, preparing the theological backdrop for Jesus’ miracle in John 6.

Theological Emphases in John 6

1. Humility of Provision: A “small boy” (John 6:9) possessed what was regarded as humble food. That God incarnate multiplied common barley rather than refined wheat highlights His identification with the lowly.
2. Superabundance: Twelve baskets of fragments remained (John 6:13), mirroring the tribal fullness of Israel and prefiguring the inclusive sufficiency of the gospel.
3. Messianic Revelation: The miracle sets the stage for Jesus’ Bread of Life discourse (John 6:35), where He declares, “I am the bread of life.” As barley was the first grain offered at first-fruits, so Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

Ministry Principles

• God employs ordinary means for extraordinary ends; modest resources committed to Christ can meet expansive needs.
• Serving others flows from gratitude for Christ’s provision; disciples first distributed before gathering leftovers, modeling stewardship.
• Ministry effectiveness arises from obedience, not supply—Philip’s calculations failed, but Andrew’s willingness to present what was available enabled the miracle.

Liturgical and Festal Resonances

The miracle occurred near Passover (John 6:4), the season when the first-fruits sheaf of barley was waved before the LORD. By multiplying barley loaves at this exact time, Jesus implicitly claims to be the true offering that guarantees the coming harvest of redeemed humanity.

Apologetic Significance

John’s barley detail aligns with agrarian realities of Galilee in early spring and serves as an undesigned coincidence supporting Johannine authenticity. The term’s rarity (appearing only twice) argues against later liturgical embellishment and for original eyewitness memory.

Devotional Application

Believers today may see in 2916 a summons to bring whatever seems small—time, talents, resources—to Christ, trusting Him to multiply it for kingdom purposes. The leftover fragments urge Christians not to waste grace but to preserve and share the abundance they receive.

Summary

Strong’s 2916, while linguistically simple, anchors a profound narrative thread: the God who once accepted the first sheaf of barley now, in Jesus Christ, feeds multitudes and offers Himself as the true Bread. The word’s twin appearances frame a miracle that discloses divine compassion, validates Scriptural coherence, and instructs the Church in humble, expectant service.

Forms and Transliterations
κριθινον κρίθινον κριθίνου κριθινους κριθίνους κριθινων κριθίνων κρικοι κρίκοι κρίκοις κρίκον κρίκους krithinon krithinōn krithínon krithínōn krithinous krithínous
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
John 6:9 Adj-AMP
GRK: πέντε ἄρτους κριθίνους καὶ δύο
NAS: has five barley loaves and two
KJV: hath five barley loaves, and
INT: five loaves barley and two

John 6:13 Adj-GMP
GRK: ἄρτων τῶν κριθίνων ἃ ἐπερίσσευσαν
NAS: from the five barley loaves
KJV: of the five barley loaves, which
INT: loaves barley which were over and above

Strong's Greek 2916
2 Occurrences


κριθίνων — 1 Occ.
κριθίνους — 1 Occ.

2915
Top of Page
Top of Page