חֶרְמֵשׁ
cher.mesh
sickle
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word חֶרְמֵשׁ, translated as "sickle", has a limited occurrence in the Bible, appearing only twice. As a noun, it refers to an agricultural tool used for harvesting crops, likely grains such as wheat or barley. The use of a sickle in ancient times would have been a vital tool for farmers, allowing them to efficiently cut and gather the ripe portions of a harvested crop. The mention of a sickle in these Bible passages suggests that the authors were drawing on everyday life and the practical needs of those living during that time. Given its limited appearance in the Bible, the significance of the word "sickle" may lie in its connection to themes related to harvest, work, and the agricultural cycle. In these specific contexts, the mention of a sickle could highlight the importance of hard work, careful planning, and timing in order to reap a successful harvest.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences across the text
You shall count for yourselves seven weeks. From the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain you shall begin to count seven weeks.
Deuteronomy 23:25When you come into your neighbor’s standing grain, then you may pluck the ears with your hand; but you shall not use a sickle on your neighbor’s standing grain.