Harvest

Harvest - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

The season for gathering grain or fruit. On the 16th day of Abib (or April) a handful of ripe ears of corn was offered as a first-fruit before the Lord, and immediately after this the harvest commenced (Lev. 23:9-14; 2 Sam. 21:9, 10; Ruth 2:23). It began with the feast of Passover and ended with Pentecost, thus lasting for seven weeks (Ex. 23:16). The harvest was a season of joy (Ps. 126:1-6; Isa. 9:3). This word is used figuratively Matt. 9:37; 13:30; Luke 10:2; John 4:35. (See [260]AGRICULTURE.)

Harvest - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

H`ARVEST, n. [L. acerbus.]

1. The season of reaping and gathering in corn or other crops. It especially refers to the time of collecting corn or grain, which is the chief food of men, as wheat and rye. In Egypt and Syria, the wheat harvest is in April and May; in the south of Europe and of the United States, in June; in the Northern states of America, in July; and in the north of Europe,in August and September. In the United States,the harvest of maiz is mostly in October.

2. The ripe corn or grain collected and secured in barns or stacks. The harvest this year is abundant.

3. The product of labor; fruit or fruits.

Let us the harvest of our labor eat.

4. Fruit or fruits; effects; consequences.

He that sows iniquity will reap a harvest of woe.

5. In Scripture, harvest signifies figuratively the proper season for business.

He that sleepeth in harvest, is a son that causeth shame. Prov 10.

Also, a people whose sins have ripened them for judgment. Joel 3.

Also, the end of the world. Mat 13.

Also, a seasonable time for instructing men in the gospel. Mat 9.

H`ARVEST, v.t. To reap or gather ripe corn and other fruits for the use of man and beast.

Reap - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

REAP, v.t. [L. rapio, carpo; Gr. a sickle, to reap; Eng. crop.]

1. To cut grain with a sickle; as, to reap wheat or rye.

When ye reap the harvest, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field. Lev 19.

2. To clear of a crop by reaping; as, to reap a field.

3. To gather; to obtain; to receive as a reward, or as the fruit of labor or of works; in a good or bad sense; as, to reap a benefit from exertions.

He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. Gal 6.

Ye have plowed wickedness; ye have reaped iniquity.

Hosea 10.

REAP, v.i.

1. To perform the act or operation of reaping. In New England, farmers reap in July and August.

2. To receive the fruit of labor or works.

They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. Psa 126.

har'-vest (qatsir; therismos): To many of us, harvest time is of little concern, because in our complex life we are far removed from the actual production of our food supplies, but for the Hebrew people, as for those in any agricultural district today, the harvest was a most important season (Ge 8:22; 45:6). Events were reckoned from harvests (Ge 30:14; Jos 3:15; Jud 15:1; Ru 1:22; 2:23; 1Sa 6:13; 2Sa 21:9; 23:13). The three principal feasts of the Jews corresponded to the three harvest seasons (Ex 23:16; 34:21,22);

(1) the feast of the Passover in April at the time of the barley harvest (compare Ru 1:22);

(2) the feast of Pentecost (7 weeks later) at the wheat harvest (Ex 34:22), and

(3) the feast of Tabernacles at the end of the year (October) during the fruit harvest.

The seasons have not changed since that time. Between the reaping of the barley in April and the wheat in June, most of the other cereals are reaped. The grapes begin to ripen in August, but the gathering in for making wine and molasses (dibs), and the storing of the dried figs and raisins, is at the end of September. Between the barley harvest in April and the wheat harvest, only a few showers fall, which are welcomed because they increase the yield of wheat (compare Am 4:7). Samuel made use of the unusual occurrence of rain during the wheat harvest to strike fear into the hearts of the people (1Sa 12:17). Such an unusual storm of excessive violence visited Syria in 1912, and did much damage to the harvests, bringing fear to the superstitious farmers, who thought some greater disaster awaited them. From the wheat harvest until the fruit harvest no rain falls (2Sa 21:10; Jer 5:24; compare Pr 26:1). The harvesters long for cool weather during the reaping season (compare Pr 25:13).

Many definite laws were instituted regarding the harvest. Gleaning was forbidden (Le 19:9; 23:22; De 24:19) (see GLEANING). The first-fruits were required to be presented to Yahweh (Le 23:10). In Syria the Christians still celebrate 'id er-rubb ("feast of the Lord"), at which time the owners of the vineyards bring their first bunches of grapes to the church. The children of Israel were enjoined to reap no harvest for which they had not labored (Le 25:5). In Proverbs the harvesting of ants is mentioned as a lesson for the sluggard (Pr 6:8; 10:5; 20:4).

Figurative: A destroyed harvest typified devastation or affliction (Job 5:5; Isa 16:9; 17:11; Jer 5:17; 50:16). The "time of harvest," in the Old Testament frequently meant the day of destruction (Jer 51:33; Ho 6:11; Joe 3:13). "Joy in harvest" typified great joy (Isa 9:3); "harvest of the Nile," an abundant harvest (Isa 23:3). "The harvest is past" meant that the appointed time was gone (Jer 8:20). Yahweh chose the most promising time to cut off the wicked, namely, "when there is a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest" (Isa 18:4,5). This occurrence of hot misty days just before the ripening of the grapes is still common. They are welcome because they are supposed to hasten the harvest. The Syrian farmers in some districts call it et-tabbakh el'ainib wa tin ("the fireplace of the grapes and figs").

In the Gospels, Jesus frequently refers to the harvest of souls (Mt 9:37,38 bis; Mt13:30,39; Mr 4:29; Joh 4:35). In explaining the parable of the Tares he said, "The harvest is the end of the world" (Mt 13:39; compare Re 14:15).

See also AGRICULTURE.

James A. Patch

Definition

The term “harvest” refers to the gather the ripe fruits, vegetables, seeds, or grains from the plants on which they were growing. The term “reap” means to harvest crops.

• The harvest time normally happens at the end of a growing season.
• The Israelites held a “Festival of Harvest” or “Festival of Ingathering” to celebrate the reaping of the food crops. God commanded them to offer the first fruits of these crops as a sacrifice to him.
• In biblical times, reapers usually harvested crops by hand, either pulling up the plants or cutting them with a sharp cutting tool.

Translation Suggestions

• It is best to translate the concept with the word that is commonly used in the language to refer to the harvesting of crops.
• The event of harvesting could be translated as “time of gathering in” or “crop gathering time” or “fruit picking time.”
• The verb to “harvest” could be translated as to “gather in” or to “pick up” or to “collect.”

(See also: firstfruits, festival, good news)

Bible References

• 1 Corinthians 9:9-11
• 2 Samuel 21:7-9
• Galatians 6:9-10
• Isaiah 17:11
• James 5:7-8
• Leviticus 19:9
• Matthew 9:38
• Ruth 1:22
• Galatians 6:9-10
• Matthew 6:25-26
• Matthew 13:30
• Matthew 13:36-39
• Matthew 25:24

Word Data

• Strong’s: H2758, H4395, H4672 H7105, H7114, H7938, G02700, G23250, G23260, G23270