Grains hold significant importance in the biblical narrative, serving as a staple food source and a symbol of sustenance, provision, and divine blessing. Throughout the Scriptures, grains such as wheat, barley, and millet are frequently mentioned, reflecting their central role in the agrarian society of ancient Israel and the surrounding regions.

Wheat and Barley

Wheat and barley are the most frequently mentioned grains in the Bible. Wheat, often considered the superior grain, symbolizes abundance and prosperity. In Genesis 41:49, during the time of Joseph, Egypt stored up grain "like the sand of the sea," highlighting the importance of grain in sustaining life during famine. Barley, while less esteemed than wheat, was a common grain for the poorer classes and is mentioned in the context of offerings and miracles. In John 6:9, Jesus uses five barley loaves to feed five thousand people, demonstrating God's provision through what was considered a humble grain.

Harvest and Festivals

The harvest of grains was a critical time for the Israelites, marked by festivals and offerings. The Feast of Weeks, or Shavuot, celebrated the wheat harvest and is described in Exodus 34:22: "And you are to celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest." This festival was a time of thanksgiving for God's provision and a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and His people.

Symbolism and Parables

Grains also carry rich symbolic meaning in biblical teachings. In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3-9), Jesus uses the imagery of seeds sown on different types of soil to illustrate the reception of God's word in the hearts of people. The grain that falls on good soil and yields a bountiful harvest represents those who hear the word and understand it, producing spiritual fruit.

In another parable, the Wheat and the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30), Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a field where wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest. This parable underscores the coexistence of good and evil in the world and the ultimate judgment that will separate the righteous from the wicked.

Offerings and Sacrifices

Grains were integral to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. The grain offering, or "minchah," was a voluntary act of worship, often consisting of fine flour, oil, and frankincense (Leviticus 2:1). This offering symbolized dedication and gratitude to God, acknowledging His provision and sovereignty.

Economic and Social Aspects

Grains were not only a food source but also a measure of wealth and economic stability. In the account of Ruth, gleaning in the fields of Boaz (Ruth 2:2-3) reflects the social laws that provided for the poor and the foreigner, allowing them to gather leftover grains during the harvest. This practice demonstrated God's concern for justice and care for the marginalized.

Prophetic Imagery

Prophets often used grain imagery to convey messages of judgment and restoration. In Joel 1:10-12, the devastation of the grain fields symbolizes the dire consequences of Israel's disobedience. Conversely, the promise of abundant grain in Joel 2:24 signifies God's restoration and blessing upon His repentant people.

Grains, therefore, are woven throughout the biblical narrative as a testament to God's provision, a symbol of spiritual truths, and a reflection of the social and economic realities of ancient times.1. (n. pl.) See Grain.

2. (n.) Pigeon's dung used in tanning. See Grainer. n., 1.

4579. maah -- a grain (of sand)
... 4578, 4579. maah. 4580 . a grain (of sand). Transliteration: maah Phonetic
Spelling: (may-aw') Short Definition: grains. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/4579.htm - 6k

8188. Seorim -- an Israelite priest
... priest NASB Word Usage Seorim (1). Seorim. Masculine plural of s'orah; barley grains;
Seorim, an Israelite -- Seorim. see HEBREW s'orah. 8187, 8188. ...
/hebrew/8188.htm - 6k

Bread and Wine
... Grains of wheat are put in the ground by the farmer, and these grains give up their
lives in order that other grains may grow on the stalk at harvest-time. ...
/.../chidley/fifty-two story talks to boys and girls/bread and wine.htm

Psalm LXVII.
... He hath not imitated the ant, he hath not gathered to himself grains, while it
was summer. [2652] What have I meant by, while it was summer? ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxvii.htm

section 2
... Up till then the grains fall off unheeded; but now it develops a surface, glutinous
in some cases, velvety in others, that can clasp and keep them fast. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/trotter/parables of the christ-life/section 2.htm

John Chapter vi. 14-Jan
... For who even now feeds the whole world, but He who creates the cornfield
from a few grains? He therefore created as God creates. ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate xxiv john chapter vi.htm

Epistle Xliv. To Peter, Subdeacon of Sicily.
... payment, and, so far as the powers of the peasants go, let them make a payment in
gross amounting to seventy-two [1349] : and let neither grains [1350] beyond ...
/.../the epistles of saint gregory the great/epistle xliv to peter subdeacon.htm

Petilianus Said: "But if These are the Parties...
... are said to be few in comparison with the multitude of the unrighteous, just as,
in comparison with the chaff, there may be said to be few grains of corn in ...
/.../chapter 45 105 petilianus.htm

Whether Wheaten Bread is Required for the Matter of this Sacrament ...
... from such grain can be the matter of this sacrament: and this does not obtain either
in barley, or in spelt, or even in maize, which is of all grains the one ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether wheaten bread is required.htm

The Soul Winner
... Within a short time a few grains of wheat would suffice to seed the whole world,
and a few true saints might suffice for the conversion of all nations. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the soul winner.htm

Whether Christ Worked Miracles Fittingly on Irrational Creatures?
... creation, but by an addition of extraneous matter transformed into loaves; hence
Augustine says on Jn.6:1-14: "Whence He multiplieth a few grains into harvests ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christ worked miracles fittingly 2.htm

1 Cor. x. 13
... For as the bread consisting of many grains is made one, so that the grains no where
appear; they exist indeed, but their difference is not seen by reason of ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily xxiv 1 cor x.htm

Grains (6 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Grains (6 Occurrences). Matthew 13:4 and as he sowed,
some grains fell along the way, and the birds came and devoured them; (DBY). ...
/g/grains.htm - 8k

Weights (14 Occurrences)
... It was the twentieth part of a shekel, and equal to 12 grains. (2.) Bekah (Exodus
38:26), meaning "a half" ie, "half a shekel," equal to 5 pennyweight. ...
/w/weights.htm - 21k

Measures (50 Occurrences)
... 3. Weights: Weights were probably based by the ancients upon grains of wheat or
barley, but the Egyptians and Babylonians early adopted a more scientific method ...
/m/measures.htm - 35k

Grain (413 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) The unit of the English system of weights; -- so called because considered
equal to the average of grains taken from the middle of the ears of wheat. ...
/g/grain.htm - 39k

Shekel (37 Occurrences)
... Weight, the common standard both of weight and value among the Hebrews. It is estimated
at 220 English grains, or a little more than half an ounce avoirdupois. ...
/s/shekel.htm - 23k

Dram
... 1. (n.) A weight; in Apothecaries' weight, one eighth part of an ounce, or sixty
grains; in Avoirdupois weight, one sixteenth part of an ounce, or 27.34375 ...
/d/dram.htm - 8k

Daric
... Persian domination. It weighed about 128 grains troy, and was of the value
of about one guinea or rather more of our money. It is ...
/d/daric.htm - 8k

Corn (107 Occurrences)
... a grain. 3. (n.) The various farinaceous grains of the cereal grasses used
for food, as wheat, rye, barley, maize, oats. 4. (n.) The ...
/c/corn.htm - 41k

Wheat (56 Occurrences)
... One of the earliest cultivated grains. ... 27:17; Acts 12:20). Parched grains of wheat
were used for food in Palestine (Ruth 2:14; 1 Samuel 17:17; 2 Samuel 17:28). ...
/w/wheat.htm - 28k

Drachma (2 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Among the ancient Greeks, a weight of about 66.5 grains; among the modern
Greeks, a weight equal to a gram. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ...
/d/drachma.htm - 8k

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