Hosea 3:2 — Word Study
WLCוָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ לִּ֔י בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר כָּ֑סֶף וְחֹ֥מֶר שְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְלֵ֥תֶךְ שְׂעֹרִֽים׃
BSASo I bought herkârâh▸ [acquired, redeemed] for fifteen [shekels]châmêsh [a multiple of five, pieces, units] of silverkeçeph [a precious metal] and a homerchômer [a dry measure, about 65 gallons] and a lethechlethek△ of barleysᵉʻôrâh [a staple food]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ | and I bought her | Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular, suffix |
| לִּ֔י | for myself | Preposition, suffix |
| בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה | for fif- | Preposition |
| עָשָׂ֖ר | teen | |
| כָּ֑סֶף | silver | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| וְחֹ֥מֶר | and a homer of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| שְׂעֹרִ֖ים | barley | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| וְלֵ֥תֶךְ | and a lethech of | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular construct |
| שְׂעֹרִֽים׃ | barley | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley. |
| KJV | So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: |
| ASV | So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley; |
| YLT | And I buy her to me for fifteen silverlings, and a homer and a letech of barley; |
| WEB | So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley. |
| BBE | So I got her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley; |
Translations agree on the meaning of וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ — see How Translations Differ.
One main clause with several phrases providing detail about the purchase.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 9 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Hosea 3:2
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Hosea's Redemption of His Wifegenerated
Hosea 3:2 recounts how Hosea obeyed God's command to love and redeem his wife, who had been unfaithful. This act serves as a metaphor for God's relationship with Israel, illustrating His enduring love despite their infidelity. The surrounding verses highlight the themes of love, redemption, and the consequences of turning away from God.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 31:41 | Thus for twenty years I have served in your household—fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks—and you have changed my wages ten times! |
| 2 | Genesis 34:12 | Demand a high dowry and an expensive gift, and I will give you whatever you ask. Only give me the girl as my wife!” |
| 3 | Exodus 22:17 | If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, the man still must pay an amount comparable to the bridal price of a virgin. |
| 4 | 1 Samuel 18:25 | Saul replied, “Say to David, ‘The king desires no other dowry but a hundred Philistine foreskins as revenge on his enemies.’” But Saul intended to cause David’s death at the hands of the Philistines. |
| 5 | Leviticus 27:16 | If a man consecrates to the LORD a parcel of his land, then your valuation shall be proportional to the seed required for it—fifty shekels of silver for every homer of barley seed. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ, va.'e.ke.Re.hagenerated
The verb כָּרָה (karah) means 'to buy' or 'to acquire', often in the context of trade. In this verse, it indicates a personal and significant act of purchasing, reflecting both a physical transaction and a deeper commitment.
The parsing indicates a first-person singular verb in the imperfect tense, showing that Hosea is actively engaging in this redemption process. The use of the suffix points to a personal connection, emphasizing that this act is for himself, highlighting the intimate nature of the purchase.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
Translations generally agree on the meaning of וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ as 'I bought her.' The BSB, KJV, ASV, YLT, WEB, and BBE all use similar wording.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ governs the entire clause, indicating the action of buying. The structure includes several noun phrases and prepositional phrases that detail the terms of the purchase.
The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the act of buying, followed by the specific amounts of silver and barley, which serve as the objects of the transaction.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ as ἐμισθωσάμην (emisthōsamen), meaning 'I rented' or 'I hired.' This choice reflects a broader interpretation of the act of acquisition, suggesting a temporary or conditional relationship.
This translation may indicate a different understanding of the nature of Hosea's redemption, emphasizing a transactional aspect rather than a permanent commitment.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Hosea 3:2 tells us that Hosea bought his wife back for fifteen shekels of silver and a measure of barley. This act symbolizes God's love and redemption for Israel, despite their unfaithfulness.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Hosea's purchase represents God's redemptive love for Israel, illustrating that even in infidelity, there is a path to restoration.
The specific amounts highlight the cost of redemption, emphasizing the value placed on the relationship and the seriousness of the commitment.
Lethech is an ancient unit of measurement for dry goods, thought to be about half a homer, used here to quantify the barley in the transaction.
This verse encapsulates the themes of love, redemption, and faithfulness that run throughout the book of Hosea, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to His people.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways can I reflect God's love and commitment in my relationships?
- What does it mean to me that redemption can come at a cost?
- How can I better understand the concept of faithfulness in my own life?
- What steps can I take to restore broken relationships, following Hosea's example?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early Church Fathers reference this verse to discuss themes of redemption and faith, interpreting Hosea's actions as symbolic of God's relationship with His people.
These then are that seven and eight whereof Hosea says that by that number he purchased to himself, and acquired the fulness of faith, for thus it is written, So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley,Early Church Fathers on Hosea 3 →
"And I dug it for myself for fifteen pieces of silver, and a cor of barley, and half a cor of barley, and I said to her." The LXX reads, "And I brought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a gomor of barley, and a vessel of wine,Early Church Fathers on Hosea 3 →
And how shall I speak of the whore married by the prophet? She is the figure either of the church as gathered in from the Gentiles, or—an interpretation that better suits the passage—of the synagogue.Early Church Fathers on Hosea 3 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Hosea 3:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleSo I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver,.... Or, "fifteen shekels", which was about one pound seventeen shillings and six pence of our money, reckoning a shekel at two shillings and six
Read John Gill on Hosea 3 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentarySo I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: So I bought her.
Read Robert Jamieson on Hosea 3 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSo I bought her; as I was commanded, I procured, or, as we read it, bought her: which exactly answers to the state of the Jews when in Egypt, tainted with Egyptian idolatry, and poor, without a portion; bought or redeemed to be affianced to God. Fifteen pieces of silver; whatever was the exact quantity and value of these pieces we need not here curiously inquire; but note, it was half the value of a slave, , and was some 37s. 6d. An homer: this measure might be about fourteen bushels; so the whole will, for her diet, amount to twenty-one bushels, no great provision for her diet; and it is barley in both places, the meanest kind of provision, and suited to a low condition, ,12: all this the…
Read Matthew Poole on Hosea 3 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsHosea 3:2 So I bought her to me for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and [for] an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:Ver. 2. So I bought her to me.] God is to be obeyed, though it go never so much against the heart and the hair with us. ‘Eπουτω Yεω. Follow God, was a heathen but an honest precept (Epictet.). This he that would do, must first deny himself, and say, with that Dutch divine, Veniat, veniat, verbum Dei, &c., Let a word of command come forth from God, and we will submit thereto, though we had six hundred lives to lose, yea, though we can see no reason for it. Indeed, in human governments, where reason is shut out, there tyranny is thrust in. But where God commandeth, there…
Read John Trapp on Hosea 3 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(2) Pieces of silver.—Shekels. So I bought her.—Gomer was treated as no longer a wife, but requiring to be restored to such a position. The purchase of wives is still a very common practice in the East (See Henderson’s Commentary, and Deut. xxi 14.) Half homer of barley.—Half a homer is the translation given to the Hebrew word lethekh, which occurs only in this passage. This rendering is founded on the interpretation half a cor (cor = homer), which is given in all the Greek versions except the LXX. The latter read “and a nébhel of wine,” the nébhel being probably a skin bottle of a certain liquid capacity. This pre-supposes a different Hebrew text. From 2 Kings 7:1 we may infer that an…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Hosea 3 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 2. Fifteen pieces of silver] If they were shekels, the price of this woman was about two pounds five shillings. A homer of barley] As the homer was about eight bushels, or something more, the homer and half was about twelve or thirteen bushels.
Read AdamClarke on Hosea 3 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleSo I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver - The fifteen shekels were half the price of a common slave Exodus 21:32, and so may denote her worthlessness.
Read Albert Barnes on Hosea 3 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible2. The command is carried out. I bought her — The woman described in Hosea 3:1. Why he had to buy her back is not stated, nor is it quite clear.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Hosea 3 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley.
So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.
So I paid fifteen shekels of silver and about seven bushels of barley to purchase her.
Tyndale line
So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley;
So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a homer of barley, and a half homer of barley:
So I bought her to me for fifteene pieces of siluer, and for an homer of barlie and an halfe homer of barlie.
Strictly literal
So I bought her to me for fifteen silver [pieces], and for a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley.
And I buy her to me for fifteen silverlings, and a homer and a letech of barley;
And I buy her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer and a lethech of barley;
So I bought me such a one for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a chomer of barley, and half a chomer of barley.
So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a lethek of barley.
From the Latin
And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a core of barley, and for half a core of barley.
Simplified
So I bought her back for fifteen shekels of silver and one and half homers of barley.
So I got her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a half of barley;
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint share significant agreement in the wording of this verse, with seven of the nine words matched. However, the Septuagint's wording and structure differ from the Hebrew, indicating a distinct interpretative approach.
וָאֶכְּרֶ֣הָ לִּ֔י בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֖ר כָּ֑סֶף וְחֹ֥מֶר שְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְלֵ֥תֶךְ שְׂעֹרִֽים׃
7 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[ואכר׳ה] [ל׳י] [בחמשה] עשר [כסף] [וחומר] [שעורים] [ולתך] [שעורים]
nothing on the leather here — 1 partly restored, 8 supplied entire by an editor.
[בחמשה] [עשר] [כסף] [וחמר] שערים ולתכ [שערים]
7 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 5 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Hosea 3:2
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
כָּרָה (karah) has meanings related to trade and feasting. It can denote getting something by trade or preparing a feast, with the verb form appearing in contexts of bargaining and celebration. Notably, it is referenced in 2 Kings 6:23. The entries suggest a connection to planning and purchasing, but there is no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[כָּרָה] vb. get by trade, trade
base
[כָּרָה] vb. give a feast;—only Qal 2 K 6:23
ref
H3739a כָּרָה get by trade, trade H3739b כָּרָה give a feast
3739 karah kaw-raw'
usually assigned as a primitive root, but probably only a
special application of 3738 (through the common idea of
planning implied in a bargain); to purchase:--buy, prepare.
see HEBREW for 03738
כָּרָה (ka.rah) — to trade.
(Qal) to get by trade, trade, buy, bargain over
כָּרָה (ka.rah) — to feed.
(Qal) to give a feast, banquet
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-1cs | Suff — Verb qal sequential imperfect first person common singular · suffixHc/Vqw1cs/Sp3fs
נִי (ni) — me.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 1st person singular
HR/Sp1bs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp1bs
חָמֵשׁ (chamesh) means 'five' in Hebrew. It serves as both a cardinal number and can indicate a multiple of five when combined with another number. The word also has an ordinal form, 'fifth.' The entries consistently define this numeral without any noted disagreement.
חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה 342 n.m. and f. five
base
H2568 חָמֵשׁ, חֲמִשָּׁה five
2568 chamesh khaw-maysh'
masculine chamishshah {kham-ish-shaw}; a primitive numeral;
five:--fif(-teen), fifth, five (X apiece).
חָמֵשׁ (cha.mesh) — five.
1) five
1a) five (cardinal number)
1b) a multiple of five (with another number)
1c) fifth (ordinal number)
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Acbsa
עָשָׂר (asar) means 'ten' and is used exclusively in combination with other numbers to form the teen numbers (11-19), both as cardinal and ordinal forms. The entries indicate that it is derived from another Hebrew root, but do not elaborate on its etymology.
עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
base
H6240 עָשָׂר, עֶשְׂרֵה ten, only after units to make num. 11-19, both cardinal and ordinal
6240 `asar aw-sawr'
for 6235; ten (only in combination), i.e. -teen; also
(ordinal) -teenth:--(eigh-, fif-, four-, nine-, seven-,
six-, thir-)teen(-th), + eleven(-th), + sixscore thousand, +
twelve(-th).
see HEBREW for 06235
עָשָׂר (a.sar) — ten.
1) ten, -teen (in combination with other numbers)
1a) used only in combination to make the numbers 11-19
HAcbsa — HAcbsa
כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) refers to silver and money, derived from a root meaning 'to be pale.' It encompasses various aspects of silver, including its use as a metal, ornament, and a measure of wealth or value. The term appears in contexts related to payment and price, indicating its significance in transactions.
כֶּ֫סֶף 402 n.m. silver, money
= silver ore, raw silver
silver as bright, shining
silver, as wealth
silver as spoil of war
silver as merchandise
silver as costly gift
silver as material
silver as measure of weight and value
among vbs. and phr.
base
H3701 כֶּ֫סֶף silver, money
3701 keceph keh'-sef
from 3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication,
money:--money, price, silver(-ling).
see HEBREW for 03700
כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) — silver: money.
: money/payment/silver
1) silver, money
1a) silver
1a1) as metal
1a2) as ornament
1a3) as colour
1b) money, shekels, talents
כֶּ֫סֶף (ke.seph) — silver: price.
: price
1) silver, money
1a) silver
1a1) as metal
1a2) as ornament
1a3) as colour
1b) money, shekels, talents
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
sil'-ver (keceph; argurion, arguros): Silver was known in the earliest historic times. Specimens of early Egyptian and Babylonian silver work testify to the skill of the ancient silversmiths. In Palestine, silver objects have been found antedating the occupation of the land by the Hebrews. This metal was used for making all kinds of ornamental objects. In the mound of Gezer were found bowls, vases, ladles, hairpins, rings and bracelets of silver. The rings and settings for scarabs or seals were commonly of this metal. The first mention of silver in the Bible is in Ge 13:2, where it says that Abraham was rich in cattle, in silver and gold. At that time it was commonly used in exchange in the form of bars or other shapes. Coins of that metal were of a much later date (Ge 20:16…
Silver
Used for a great variety of purposes, as may be judged from the frequent references to it in Scripture. It first appears in commerce in Gen. 13:2; 23:15, 16. It was largely employed for making vessels for the sanctuary in the wilderness (Ex. 26:19; 27:17; Num. 7:13, 19; 10:2). There is no record of its having been found in Syria or Palestine. It was brought in large quantities by foreign merchants from abroad, from Spain and India and other countries probably.
In very early times silver was used for ornaments, (Genesis 24:53) and for vessels of various kinds. Images for idolatrous worship were made of silver or overlaid with it, (Exodus 20:23; Hosea 13:2); Habb 2:19 Bar. 6:39, and the manufacture of silver shrines for Diana was a trade in Ephesus. (Acts 19:24) But its chief use was as a medium of exchange, and throughout the Old Testament we find "silver" used for money, like the French argent . Silver was brought to Solomon from Arabia, (2 Chronicles 9:14) and from Tarshish, (2 Chronicles 9:21) which supplied the markets…
One of the precious metals and the one most commonly used as coin among all nations. It is first mentioned in Scripture in the history of Abraham, Ge 13:2 20:16 23:16, and was used in constricting the tabernacle, Ex 26:19,32, and afterwards the temple, 1Ch 29:4. In employing it as a medium of trade, the ancient Hebrews weighed it out, instead of having coins. In the times of the New Testament there were coins. See SHEKEL, and MONEY.
חֹ֫מֶר (chomer) refers to cement, mortar, clay, and also denotes a heap or a unit of dry measure (homer). It is built from the idea of bubbling up, relating to water or earth. The entries indicate its use in various contexts, including construction and measurement.
חֹ֫מֶר n.m. cement, mortar, clay
base
חֹ֫מֶר n.[m.] heap
base
חֹ֫מֶר n.m. homer, a dry measure
base
H2563a חֹ֫מֶר cement, mortar, clay H2563b חֹ֫מֶר heap H2563c חֹ֫מֶר homer, a dry measure
2563 chomer kho'mer
from 2560; properly, a bubbling up, i.e. of water, a wave; of
earth, mire or clay (cement); also a heap; hence, a chomer or
dry measure:--clay, heap, homer, mire, motion.
see HEBREW for 02560
חֹ֫מֶר (cho.mer) — clay.
1) cement, mortar, clay
1a) mortar, cement
1b) clay
1c) mire
חֹ֫מֶר (cho.mer) — heap.
2) heap
2a) swelling, surging (of water)
חֹ֫מֶר (cho.mer) — homer.
homer-a unit of dry measure about 65 imperial gallons (300 l)
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
שְׂעֹרָה (se'orah) refers to barley, specifically the bearded grain. It can denote both the plant and the grain itself. The word is derived from a root meaning 'roughness,' which relates to the texture of barley. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
שְׂעֹרָה n.f. barley (bearded grain)
base
H8184 שְׂעֹרָה barley (bearded grain)
8184 s`orah seh-o-raw'
or snowrah {seh-o-raw'} (feminine meaning the plant); and
(masculine meaning the grain); also s or {seh-ore'}; or s-owr
{seh-ore'}; from 8175 in the sense of roughness; barley (as
villose):--barley.
see HEBREW for 08175
שְׂעֹרָה (se.o.rah) — barley.
1) barley
1a) barley (of the plant)
1b) barley (of the meal or grain)
N-fp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
bar'-li (se`orah):
(1) In the Bible, as in modern times, barley was a characteristic product of Palestine--"a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees," etc. (De 8:8), the failure of whose crop was a national disaster (Joe 1:11). It was, and is, grown chiefly as provender for horses and asses (1Ki 4:28), oats being practically unknown, but it was, as it now is, to some extent, the food of the poor in country districts (Ru 2:17; 2Ki 4:42; Joh 6:9,13). Probably this is the meaning of the dream of the Midianite concerning Gideon: "Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, lo…
Barley
A grain much cultivated in Egypt (Ex. 9:31) and in Palestine (Lev. 27:16; Deut. 8:8). It was usually the food of horses (1 Kings 4:28). Barley bread was used by the poorer people (Judg. 7:13; 2 Kings 4:42). Barley of the first crop was ready for the harvest by the time of the Passover, in the middle of April (Ruth 1:22; 2 Sam. 21:9). Mention is made of barley-meal (Num. 5:15). Our Lord fed five thousand…
is one of the most important of the cereal grains, and the most hardy of them all. It was grown by the Hebrews, (Leviticus 27:16; 8:8; Ruth 2:17) etc., who used it for baking into bread chiefly among the poor, (Judges 7:13; 2 Kings 4:42; John 6:9,13) and as fodder for horses. (1 Kings 4:28) The barley harvest, (Ruth 1:22; 2:23; 2 Samuel 21:9;10) takes place in Palestine in March and April, and in the hilly district as late as May. It always precedes the wheat…
לֶ֫תֶךְ (lethek) refers to a barley-measure, specifically thought to be half an homer, which equals five ephahs. This term appears only in Hosea 3:2 and is derived from an unused root of uncertain meaning.
לֶ֫תֶךְ n.[m.] a barley-measure; only in Ho 3:2
ref
H3963 לֶ֫תֶךְ
3963 lethek leh'-thek
from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a measure for
things dry:--half homer.
לֶ֫תֶךְ (le.tekh) — lethek.
1) barley-measure
1a) uncertain measurement but thought to be half an homer-5 ephahs
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular constructHC/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
שְׂעֹרָה (se'orah) refers to barley, specifically the bearded grain. It can denote both the plant and the grain itself. The word is derived from a root meaning 'roughness,' which relates to the texture of barley. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
שְׂעֹרָה n.f. barley (bearded grain)
base
H8184 שְׂעֹרָה barley (bearded grain)
8184 s`orah seh-o-raw'
or snowrah {seh-o-raw'} (feminine meaning the plant); and
(masculine meaning the grain); also s or {seh-ore'}; or s-owr
{seh-ore'}; from 8175 in the sense of roughness; barley (as
villose):--barley.
see HEBREW for 08175
שְׂעֹרָה (se.o.rah) — barley.
1) barley
1a) barley (of the plant)
1b) barley (of the meal or grain)
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
bar'-li (se`orah):
(1) In the Bible, as in modern times, barley was a characteristic product of Palestine--"a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees," etc. (De 8:8), the failure of whose crop was a national disaster (Joe 1:11). It was, and is, grown chiefly as provender for horses and asses (1Ki 4:28), oats being practically unknown, but it was, as it now is, to some extent, the food of the poor in country districts (Ru 2:17; 2Ki 4:42; Joh 6:9,13). Probably this is the meaning of the dream of the Midianite concerning Gideon: "Behold, I dreamed a dream; and, lo…
Barley
A grain much cultivated in Egypt (Ex. 9:31) and in Palestine (Lev. 27:16; Deut. 8:8). It was usually the food of horses (1 Kings 4:28). Barley bread was used by the poorer people (Judg. 7:13; 2 Kings 4:42). Barley of the first crop was ready for the harvest by the time of the Passover, in the middle of April (Ruth 1:22; 2 Sam. 21:9). Mention is made of barley-meal (Num. 5:15). Our Lord fed five thousand…
is one of the most important of the cereal grains, and the most hardy of them all. It was grown by the Hebrews, (Leviticus 27:16; 8:8; Ruth 2:17) etc., who used it for baking into bread chiefly among the poor, (Judges 7:13; 2 Kings 4:42; John 6:9,13) and as fodder for horses. (1 Kings 4:28) The barley harvest, (Ruth 1:22; 2:23; 2 Samuel 21:9;10) takes place in Palestine in March and April, and in the hilly district as late as May. It always precedes the wheat…