Lexical Summary laqat: To gather, to glean, to collect Original Word: לָקַט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gather up, glean A primitive root; properly, to pick up, i.e. (generally) to gather; specifically, to glean -- gather (up), glean. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to pick or gather up, glean NASB Translation gather (15), gathered (8), glean (8), gleaned (4), gleaning (1), picked (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לָקַט] verb pick or gather up, specifically glean ( Late Hebrew id. and נָקַט; Arabic  pick up (as a bird, grains, etc.); Aramaic לְקַט, and נְקַט;  ; Mandean לגט (NöM 54, also on Talmud נקט); compare Assyrian lakâtu DlHWB 385 (but ט = t?)); — Qal Perfect3plural לָֽקְטוּ Exodus 16:22; Numbers 11:8, ׳וְל consecutive Exodus 16:4, לָקָ֑טוּ Exodus 16:18; Imperfect3masculine plural יִלְקְטוּ Exodus 16:5, יִלְקֹט֑וּן Psalm 104:28, וַיִּלְקְטוּ Exodus 16:17,21; 2masculine plural suffix תִּלְקְטֻהוּ Exodus 16:26; Imperative masculine plural לִקְטוּ Genesis 31:46; Exodus 16:16; Infinitive construct לִלְקֹט Exodus 16:27 2t.; — 1 pick up, gather, with accusative, stones Genesis 31:46 (J), lilies Songs 6:2; usually the manna: Exodus 16:4,5,26 (J), Exodus 16:21; Exodus 16:22 (P); followed by מִן partitive Exodus 16:16 (P); so absolute Exodus 16:27; Numbers 11:8 ( both J E ), Exodus 16:17,18 (P); of animals gathering food תִּתֵּן לָהֶם יִלְקֹט֑וּן Psalm 104:28. 2 specifically glean, absolute, Ruth 2:8 (with בְּ local; usually Pi`el in this sense ). Pi`el Perfect3feminine singular וְלִקְּטָה consecutive Ruth 2:16, לִקֵּ֑טָה Ruth 2:17,18; 2feminine singular לִקַּטְתְּ Ruth 2:19; Imperfect וַיְלַקִּט Genesis 47:14 2t.; 3 feminine singular תְּלַקִּט Ruth 2:15, ׳וַתּ Ruth 2:3,17; 2masculine singular תְּלַקִּט Leviticus 19:9 2t.; 1 singular אֲלַקֳּטָה Ruth 2:2,7 (compare BaNB 152, 489); Infinitive construct לְלַקִּט Ruth 2:15 2t.; Participle מְלַקִּט Isaiah 17:5, plural מְלַקְּטִים Judges 1:7; Jeremiah 7:18; — 1 gather, gather up, fallen grapes, Leviticus 19:10 (H), arrows 1 Samuel 20:38, (fire-)wood Jeremiah 7:18; absolute (food from ground) Judges 1:7 (compare GFM); = pick, pick off, 2 Kings 4:39 (twice in verse) (+ מִן of source ). 2 figurative collect (money) Genesis 47:14 (J). 3 specifically glean, after the reapers, usually absolute Ruth 2:3,7 ("" אָסַף), Ruth 2:17 (all with בְּ local), Ruth 2:15 (בֵּין location), Ruth 2:19 (adverb location), also Ruth 2:2 (where בְּ may be local or partitive, compare Be), also Ruth 2:15; Ruth 2:16; Ruth 2:23; with accusative Isaiah 17:5 (שִׁבֳּלִים, simile of devastation of land; "" אָסַף קָצִיר), Ruth 2:17,18; with accusative of congnate meaning with verb לֶקֶט Leviticus 19:9 = Leviticus 23:22 (H). Pu`al Imperfect2masculine plural תְּלֻקְּטוּ Isaiah 27:12 ye shall be picked up (of Israel under figure of grains or berries, after the threshing process of ׳יs judgment). Hithpa`el Imperfect וַיִּתְלַקְּטוּ Judges 11:3 and there collected themselves worthless men unto (אֶל) Jephthah (were raked together GFM). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope לָקַט (laqat, Strong’s 3950) describes the act of picking up, gathering, or gleaning items that are already present on the ground or left behind by others. The term moves easily from literal agriculture to broader spheres of daily provision, judgment, and redemption. Agricultural Practice of Gleaning Leviticus 19:9–10 and 23:22 establish gleaning as an integral feature of Israel’s harvest ethic: fields and vineyards were to be reaped only once, leaving what remained for “the poor and the foreigner.” The gleaner did not sow or own the crop; he merely “picked up” what grace made available. The word therefore embodies the covenantal balance between the landowner’s diligence and the community’s compassion. Ruth—A Narrative Showcase Ruth 2 contains eight uses of לָקַט, portraying the Moabite widow moving from marginalized gleaner to honored bride. “So Ruth went out and began to glean in the fields behind the harvesters” (Ruth 2:3). Boaz’s generous commands (“Let her gather among the sheaves and do not reprimand her,” Ruth 2:15–16) reveal how gleaning protected the vulnerable and provided a platform for redemptive relationships that ultimately led to the Davidic line. Provision from Heaven: Gathering the Manna Exodus 16 anchors לָקַט in daily dependence. “Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day” (Exodus 16:4). Seven distinct gathers punctuate the chapter, underscoring rhythms of work and rest (verses 26–27). The verb highlights both obedience (daily limits) and faith (trusting God for tomorrow). Numbers 11:8,32 extends the idea to quail, linking indulgence and judgment when gathering exceeds grateful reception. Sabbath and Holiness Numbers 15:32 records a man “gathering sticks on the Sabbath day.” The identical root that once denoted lawful gleaning here exposes willful disregard for divine rest. Similarly, the ashes of the red heifer had to be “gathered” by a ceremonially clean person (Numbers 19:9–10), showing that holy worship depends not only on action but also on consecrated hands. Warfare, Judgment, and Rescue Joshua 8:29: Israel “raised a large pile of rocks” by gathering stones—tokens of victory following covenant renewal. Judges 20:45,48 use לָקַט figuratively for Israel “gleaning” Benjaminites in punitive warfare, echoing the reaper-gleaner image for judgment. Conversely, Isaiah 27:12 promises, “you, O Israelites, will be gathered one by one,” turning the verb into a forecast of gracious restoration. Wisdom and Everyday Diligence Proverbs employs the ant as a model: it “gathers its food at harvest” (Proverbs 6:8; 30:25). The root therefore commends foresight and labor while implicitly warning against sloth that expects provision without effort. Prophetic and Poetic Imagery Micah 7:1 laments moral barrenness: “Like one who gathers summer fruit at the gleaning of the vineyard—there is no cluster of grapes to eat.” The same act that once meant abundance now accentuates emptiness, sharpening the prophet’s call to repentance. Ministry Implications 1. Relief to the Poor: Fields, finances, and time should contain “edges” intentionally left for those in need. Thus לָקַט weaves through Scripture as a quiet but vivid witness to providence, mercy, accountability, and ultimate restoration. Forms and Transliterations אֲלַקֳטָה־ אלקטה־ וְלִלְקֹ֖ט וְלִקְּטָ֖ה וְלָֽקְט֜וּ וְלָֽקְטוּ֙ וַֽיִּלְקְט֔וּ וַאֲלַקֳטָ֣ה וַיְלַקֵּ֞ט וַיְלַקֵּ֣ט וַיְלַקֵּ֥ט וַיִּֽתְלַקְּט֤וּ וַיִּלְקְט֤וּ וַתְּלַקֵּ֣ט וַתְּלַקֵּ֥ט ואלקטה וילקט וילקטו ויתלקטו וללקט ולקטה ולקטו ותלקט יִלְקְט֖וּ יִלְקֹט֑וּן ילקטו ילקטון כִּמְלַקֵּ֥ט כמלקט לְלַקֵּ֑ט לְלַקֵּ֔ט לְלַקֵּ֣ט לִלְקֹ֑ט לִלְקֹט֙ לִקְט֣וּ לִקֵּ֑טָה לִקֵּ֔טָה לִקַּ֤טְתְּ לָֽקְט֥וּ לָקָֽטוּ׃ ללקט לקטה לקטו לקטו׃ לקטת מְלַקְּטִ֣ים מְלַקְּטִים֙ מלקטים תְּלַקֵּ֖ט תְּלֻקְּט֛וּ תְלַקֵּ֑ט תְלַקֵּֽט׃ תִּלְקְטֻ֑הוּ תלקט תלקט׃ תלקטהו תלקטו ’ă·la·qo·ṭāh- ’ălaqoṭāh- alakotah kim·laq·qêṭ kimlakKet kimlaqqêṭ lā·qā·ṭū lā·qə·ṭū laKatu lakeTu lāqāṭū lāqəṭū lə·laq·qêṭ lelakKet ləlaqqêṭ likKatt likKetah likTu lil·qōṭ lilKot lilqōṭ liq·qaṭt liq·qê·ṭāh liq·ṭū liqqaṭt liqqêṭāh liqṭū mə·laq·qə·ṭîm melakkeTim məlaqqəṭîm tə·laq·qêṭ ṯə·laq·qêṭ tə·luq·qə·ṭū telakKet təlaqqêṭ ṯəlaqqêṭ telukkeTu təluqqəṭū til·qə·ṭu·hū tilkeTuhu tilqəṭuhū vaalakoTah vaiyilkeTu vaiyitlakkeTu vattelakKet vaylakKet velakeTu velikkeTah velilKot wa’ălaqoṭāh wa·’ă·la·qo·ṭāh wat·tə·laq·qêṭ wattəlaqqêṭ way·laq·qêṭ way·yil·qə·ṭū way·yiṯ·laq·qə·ṭū waylaqqêṭ wayyilqəṭū wayyiṯlaqqəṭū wə·lā·qə·ṭū wə·lil·qōṭ wə·liq·qə·ṭāh wəlāqəṭū wəlilqōṭ wəliqqəṭāh yil·qə·ṭū yil·qō·ṭūn yilkeTu yilkoTun yilqəṭū yilqōṭūnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 31:46 HEB: יַעֲקֹ֤ב לְאֶחָיו֙ לִקְט֣וּ אֲבָנִ֔ים וַיִּקְח֥וּ NAS: to his kinsmen, Gather stones. KJV: unto his brethren, Gather stones; INT: Jacob to his kinsmen Gather stones took Genesis 47:14 Exodus 16:4 Exodus 16:5 Exodus 16:16 Exodus 16:17 Exodus 16:18 Exodus 16:21 Exodus 16:22 Exodus 16:26 Exodus 16:27 Leviticus 19:9 Leviticus 19:10 Leviticus 23:22 Numbers 11:8 Judges 1:7 Judges 11:3 Ruth 2:2 Ruth 2:3 Ruth 2:7 Ruth 2:8 Ruth 2:15 Ruth 2:15 Ruth 2:16 Ruth 2:17 37 Occurrences |
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