Lexical Summary chittah: Wheat Original Word: חִטָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wheaten Of uncertain derivation; wheat, whether the grain or the plant -- wheat(-en). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chanat Definition wheat NASB Translation wheat (30). Brown-Driver-Briggs חִטָּה wheat, see below חנט. חטט (√ of following; compare Arabic חִטָּה noun feminine wheat (Late Hebrew id., Aramaic חִנְטִין, חִיטְּתָא, [חִנְטָה] noun feminine wheat (see Biblical Hebrew חִטָּה, √ חָנַט; NöLCB. Nö1896 Nö703 compare Egyptian chnt; Old Aramaic has חטה, plural חטי, Palmyrene חטא Lzb279 SAC51); — plural חִנְטִין Ezra 6:9; Ezra 7:22. Topical Lexicon Overview of usage The noun חִטָּה (wheat) appears about thirty times across narrative, legal, poetic, and prophetic books, marking it as a staple of diet, economy, worship, and symbolism from the patriarchs to the post-exilic community. Botanical and agricultural background Wheat was sown with the early rains (October–November) and reaped in late spring (May–June). “Now during the wheat harvest” (Genesis 30:14) gives a seasonal indicator used repeatedly (Ruth 2:23; 1 Samuel 6:13; 12:17). The grain needed moderate moisture and well-tilled soil; Isaiah notes the farmer “plants wheat in rows” (Isaiah 28:25). Threshing floors such as Ornan’s (1 Chronicles 21:23) or Gideon’s winepress (Judges 6:11) illustrate traditional processing by beating, sledging, and evening winnowing. Economic and social importance Tribute: Jotham received “ten thousand cors of wheat” from the Ammonites (2 Chronicles 27:5). International trade: Solomon promised Hiram “twenty thousand cors of crushed wheat” (2 Chronicles 2:10, 15). Crisis economics: families mortgaged fields “to get grain” (Nehemiah 5:2) and dishonest merchants “sell the chaff of the wheat” (Amos 8:6). Provision for royalty and armies appears in 2 Samuel 17:28 and 1 Kings 5:11. Such texts show wheat as both currency and lifeline. Wheat in covenant blessing and judgment Blessing is promised in “a land of wheat and barley” (Deuteronomy 8:8) and fulfilled when the Lord “fills you with the finest wheat” (Psalm 147:14). Judgment reverses the pattern: “They have sown wheat but reap thorns” (Jeremiah 12:13) and locusts ruin crops (Joel 1:11). Psalm 81:16 links obedience to divine provision: “I would feed you with the finest of wheat.” Wheat in worship and sacrificial system Fine flour for the grain offering (Leviticus 2) was normally ground from wheat. David’s purchase of the future temple site included “wheat for the grain offering” (1 Chronicles 21:23). Darius’ decree ordered daily temple supplies of “wheat, salt, wine, and oil” (Ezra 6:9; 7:22). At Shavuot the firstfruits were two leavened loaves baked from the new wheat harvest (Leviticus 23:17), connecting agricultural bounty to thanksgiving and foreshadowing Pentecost. Prophetic and poetic imagery True versus false: “For what does straw have in common with grain?” (Jeremiah 23:28) contrasts nourishing revelation with worthless deception. Job’s oath (“Let thorns grow instead of wheat,” Job 31:40) and Amos’ marketplace satire expose moral corruption. Song of Solomon 7:2 poetically likens the bride’s waist to “a mound of wheat,” picturing abundance and beauty. Wheat fields symbolize God’s care (Psalm 81:16) or impending judgment (Exodus 9:32; Joel 2:24). Typology and redemptive themes The seed-to-bread cycle prefigures the gospel. Wheat that dies to bear fruit (anticipated in Isaiah 55:10–11) finds explicit fulfillment when Jesus says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone” (John 12:24). The Old-Testament prominence of חִטָּה lays the groundwork for New-Testament images of resurrection, harvest, and evangelistic labor. Ministry applications 1. Dependence: Israel’s yearly reliance on God for wheat encourages believers to trust the Father for “daily bread.” Selected references Genesis 30:14; Exodus 9:32; Deuteronomy 8:8; Judges 6:11; Ruth 2:23; 1 Samuel 6:13; 1 Samuel 12:17; 2 Samuel 17:28; 1 Chronicles 21:23; 2 Chronicles 2:10; 2 Chronicles 27:5; Job 31:40; Psalm 81:16; Psalm 147:14; Song of Solomon 7:2; Isaiah 28:25; Jeremiah 12:13; Jeremiah 23:28; Ezekiel 4:9; Ezekiel 27:17; Joel 1:11; Amos 8:5-6. Forms and Transliterations בְּחִטֵּ֣י בחטי הַֽחִטִּ֑ים הַֽחִטִּ֔ים הַחִטִּ֨ים החטים וְהַחִטִּ֥ים וְהַחִטָּ֥ה וְחִטִּ֥ים והחטה והחטים וחטים חִ֝טִּ֗ים חִטִּ֑ים חִטִּ֔ים חִטִּ֖ים חִטִּ֗ים חִטִּ֡ין חִטִּ֥ים חִטִּ֨ים ׀ חִטִּֽים׃ חִטִּים֙ חִטָּ֑ה חִטָּ֖ה חִטָּ֤ה חִטָּ֨ה ׀ חִטָּה֙ חטה חטים חטים׃ חטין bə·ḥiṭ·ṭê bechitTei bəḥiṭṭê chitTah chitTim chitTin ha·ḥiṭ·ṭîm hachitTim haḥiṭṭîm ḥiṭ·ṭāh ḥiṭ·ṭîm ḥiṭ·ṭîn ḥiṭṭāh ḥiṭṭîm ḥiṭṭîn vechitTim vehachitTah vehachitTim wə·ha·ḥiṭ·ṭāh wə·ha·ḥiṭ·ṭîm wə·ḥiṭ·ṭîm wəhaḥiṭṭāh wəhaḥiṭṭîm wəḥiṭṭîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 30:14 HEB: בִּימֵ֣י קְצִיר־ חִטִּ֗ים וַיִּמְצָ֤א דֽוּדָאִים֙ NAS: Now in the days of wheat harvest KJV: the days of wheat harvest, INT: the days harvest of wheat and found mandrakes Exodus 9:32 Exodus 29:2 Exodus 34:22 Deuteronomy 8:8 Deuteronomy 32:14 Judges 6:11 Judges 15:1 Ruth 2:23 1 Samuel 6:13 1 Samuel 12:17 2 Samuel 4:6 2 Samuel 17:28 1 Kings 5:11 1 Chronicles 21:20 1 Chronicles 21:23 2 Chronicles 2:10 2 Chronicles 2:15 2 Chronicles 27:5 Job 31:40 Psalm 81:16 Psalm 147:14 Songs 7:2 Isaiah 28:25 Jeremiah 12:13 30 Occurrences |
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make lines, marks, 
line, streak, stripe; Aramaic 
, חֲטַט dig, 
furrow, trench). 
; Arabic 
); — absolute ׳ח