Lexical Summary kussemeth: Spelt Original Word: כֻּסֶּמֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fitches, rie From kacam; spelt (from its bristliness as if just shorn) -- fitches, rie. see HEBREW kacam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kasam Definition spelt (a kind of wheat) NASB Translation rye (1), spelt (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs כֻּסֶּ֫מֶת noun feminine spelt, triticum spelta (Late Hebrew plural כוּסְמִין, compare ᵑ7 ᵑ6 כונתא,  ; compare Löwp. 104 ff. DiExodus 9:23 NowArch i, 111); — absolute ׳כ Exodus 9:32; Isaiah 28:25 plural כֻּסְּמִים Ezekiel 4:9 (in all distinguished from wheat, barley, etc.) Topical Lexicon Identity of the Grain kussemet denotes spelt, a hulled species of wheat cultivated in Egypt and the Levant from the third millennium B.C. onward. It ripens later than common wheat, possesses a tight husk that protects the kernel, and tolerates poor soils and harsh weather, making it valuable to subsistence farmers. Agronomic Characteristics in the Ancient Near East • Late-season growth: germinates and heads after the early barley harvest, avoiding spring hail and frost. Occurrences in Scripture Exodus 9:32 – Preservation amid Judgment “But the wheat and the spelt were not destroyed, because they are late in coming up.” The seventh plague devastated Egypt’s flax and barley, striking at its economy and religious confidence. Yet spelt survived. The deliverance of this grain highlights: 1. The measured nature of divine judgments—severe yet not indiscriminate. Isaiah 28:25 – Orderly Sowing and Divine Wisdom “When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow the caraway and scatter the cumin? Does he not plant wheat in rows, barley in its place, and spelt in its border?” The prophet compares Yahweh’s dealings with His people to a farmer’s precision. Spelt, sown on field borders where soils are thinner, illustrates divine discernment. The image teaches: Ezekiel 4:9 – Provision in Siege and Symbolism “Take wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt; put them in a single container and make them into bread for yourself.” During Ezekiel’s enacted siege, spelt joins a six-grain mixture eaten by measured weight and water. The inclusion of spelt underscores: Historical and Cultural Significance Archaeology confirms spelt in Middle Kingdom Egyptian granaries and Iron Age Judean silos. It served as a hedge crop against famine, interplanted around wheat plots. In temple economies it could be offered in grain offerings interchangeably with wheat (compare Leviticus 2:1 with rabbinic expansion in Menahot 10:4). Symbolic and Theological Themes • Preservation: spelt’s survival in Exodus models divine mercy amid wrath. Ministry Applications 1. Preaching on God’s measured judgments can draw on spelt surviving the hail. Contemporary Relevance Modern believers rediscovering ancient grains value spelt for its tolerability and nourishment—physical reminders of spiritual truths. Farmers rotating specialty grains can view their vocation through Isaiah’s agrarian parable, reflecting the Creator’s wisdom. Homemakers baking with spelt participate, in a small way, in the redemptive account of a grain that witnessed plague, prophecy, and provision. Forms and Transliterations וְהַכֻּסֶּ֖מֶת וְכֻסְּמִ֗ים וְכֻסֶּ֖מֶת והכסמת וכסמים וכסמת vechusSemet vechusseMim vehakkusSemet wə·hak·kus·se·meṯ wə·ḵus·se·meṯ wə·ḵus·sə·mîm wəhakkussemeṯ wəḵussemeṯ wəḵussəmîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 9:32 HEB: וְהַחִטָּ֥ה וְהַכֻּסֶּ֖מֶת לֹ֣א נֻכּ֑וּ NAS: But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined, KJV: But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: INT: the wheat and the spelt were not ruined Isaiah 28:25 Ezekiel 4:9 3 Occurrences |
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