Lexicon melilah: Ear of grain, head of grain Original Word: מְלִילָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ear From mlal (in the sense of cropping (compare muwl)); a head of grain (as cut off) -- ear. see HEBREW mlal see HEBREW muwl NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom malal Definition an ear (of wheat) NASB Translation heads (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְלִילָה] noun feminine ear of wheat, etc. (perhaps as rubbed or scraped, compare Late Hebrew הַמּוֺלֵל מְלִילוֺת); — only plural absolute מְלִילוֺת Deuteronomy 23:26 (compare Di). Topical Lexicon Word Origin: Derived from the root verb לָלַל (lalal), which means "to speak" or "to utter." The connection to "head of grain" is likely metaphorical, referring to the "speech" or "utterance" of the grain as it is separated or rubbed out.Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The corresponding Greek term is G4719, στάχυς (stachys), which also refers to an ear or head of grain. This term is used in the New Testament in similar contexts, such as in the accounts of Jesus' disciples plucking and eating grain on the Sabbath. The Greek term emphasizes the physical structure of the grain head, aligning with the Hebrew concept of מְלִילָה as the part of the plant that is processed for consumption. Usage: The term מְלִילָה is used in the context of harvesting and processing grain, particularly in the act of rubbing the heads of grain to extract the edible kernels. This practice is mentioned in the context of permissible actions on the Sabbath. Context: מְלִילָה (melilah) appears in the Hebrew Bible in contexts related to agriculture and Sabbath observance. The term is notably used in Deuteronomy 23:25, where it describes the permissible act of plucking heads of grain by hand when passing through a neighbor's field: "When you enter your neighbor’s grainfield, you may pluck the heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain." This reflects the ancient practice of allowing travelers to satisfy their immediate hunger without harvesting the crop for storage or sale. The act of rubbing the heads of grain to eat the kernels is also referenced in the New Testament, where Jesus' disciples are described as performing this action on the Sabbath, leading to discussions about Sabbath laws (Matthew 12:1, Mark 2:23, Luke 6:1). Forms and Transliterations מְלִילֹ֖ת מלילת mə·lî·lōṯ meliLot məlîlōṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 23:25 HEB: רֵעֶ֔ךָ וְקָטַפְתָּ֥ מְלִילֹ֖ת בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְחֶרְמֵשׁ֙ NAS: then you may pluck the heads with your hand, KJV: then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; INT: your neighbor's may pluck the heads your hand A sickle 1 Occurrence |
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