harvest, reap

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