Meaning
Barley is a cereal grain cultivated as a food crop and used in bread, offerings, and other agricultural purposes.
Biblical Usage
Barley was an important grain crop in biblical agriculture and ripened before wheat. It appears in descriptions of harvest, food, offerings, and agricultural measurement.
In Ruth, the barley harvest marks the beginning of the harvest season when Ruth and Naomi return to Bethlehem. Ruth subsequently gleans in the fields of Boaz during the barley harvest.
Key References
- Exodus 9:31-32
- Leviticus 27:16
- Ruth 1:22
- Ruth 2:17-23
- Ruth 3:2
- Judges 7:13
- 2 Kings 4:42
- 2 Kings 7:1
- John 6:9-13
Related Terms
- Wheat
- Grain
- Harvest
- Bread
- Gleaning