Lexical Summary melilah: Ear of grain, head of grain Original Word: מְלִילָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ear From mlal (in the sense of cropping (compare muwl)); a head of grain (as cut off) -- ear. see HEBREW mlal see HEBREW muwl NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom malal Definition an ear (of wheat) NASB Translation heads (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְלִילָה] noun feminine ear of wheat, etc. (perhaps as rubbed or scraped, compare Late Hebrew הַמּוֺלֵל מְלִילוֺת); — only plural absolute מְלִילוֺת Deuteronomy 23:26 (compare Di). Topical Lexicon Definition and Imagery The term מְלִילָה (melilah) denotes a mature head of grain ready to be rubbed in the hands so that the edible kernels separate from the chaff. It evokes the simple, tactile act of sustaining life from the produce of the land God provides. Contextual Usage in Deuteronomy 23:25 Deuteronomy 23:25 permits a traveler to satisfy immediate hunger by hand-plucking melilah from a neighbor’s field: “When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not wield a sickle in your neighbor’s standing grain”. The verse safeguards personal property while encouraging generosity and hospitality, balancing individual stewardship with communal care. Agrarian Life and Covenant Law Israel’s covenant life centered on agriculture, and melilah stands at the nexus of labor, harvest, and covenant mercy. Alongside laws on gleaning (Leviticus 19:9-10; Deuteronomy 24:19), the melilah provision promotes a culture in which no one need starve while traveling. It also endorses an ethic of restraint: hands may pluck, yet tools of commerce must stay sheathed, preventing exploitation under the guise of hunger. Spiritual Principles 1. Daily Dependence: The traveler’s handful of melilah mirrors Israel’s manna experience, reminding every generation that “man does not live on bread alone” (Deuteronomy 8:3). Messianic and New Testament Echoes The disciples applied Deuteronomy 23:25 while traveling with Jesus: “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them” (Matthew 12:1). Far from breaking Mosaic Law, they lived within its mercy. Jesus defends them, shifting the debate from legal minutiae to His identity as “Lord of the Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8). Thus melilah becomes a backdrop for proclaiming Christ’s authority and the gospel’s liberating intent. Historical and Cultural Notes • Ancient Near Eastern cultures often forbade trespass; Torah uniquely intertwines property rights with compassion. Practical Ministry Applications • Hospitality: Churches can emulate the open-handed spirit of Deuteronomy 23:25 by stocking food pantries and “open fields” of resources for those in transit or crisis. Theological Reflection Melilah, though appearing only once, testifies to Scripture’s integrated ethic: God’s people trust His provision, honor personal boundaries, and practice active compassion. The single handful of grain becomes a signpost to the Bread of Life, who feeds multitudes and bids His followers “give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37). Forms and Transliterations מְלִילֹ֖ת מלילת mə·lî·lōṯ meliLot məlîlōṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 23:25 HEB: רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְקָטַפְתָּ֥ מְלִילֹ֖ת בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְחֶרְמֵשׁ֙ NAS: then you may pluck the heads with your hand, KJV: then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; INT: your neighbor's may pluck the heads your hand A sickle 1 Occurrence |
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