אָסִיף (a.siph)
a.siph
ingathering
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun a.siph refers to the act or event of gathering in crops, specifically the final harvest at the end of the agricultural season. It denotes the collection of produce into storage, marking the completion of the farming cycle. This term is distinct from words for sowing or growing; it focuses entirely on the result: the gathered yield.
In Scripture, this word appears only twice, both in Exodus 23:16 and 34:22, where it describes one of the three major pilgrimage festivals. The text calls this time the "Feast of Ingathering," linking the physical harvest to communal worship. This usage highlights how ancient Israelites viewed their economic survival as a gift from God, celebrated collectively rather than kept private.
The root verb implies bringing something home or into one’s possession. By naming the festival after this action, the biblical text emphasizes gratitude for provision. The word itself carries no abstract spiritual meaning; its power lies in its concrete reference to food security and divine blessing realized through labor and rain.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word asiph points to the final stage of the farming cycle: the ingathering of crops. In ancient Israel, this was not merely a business transaction but a moment of communal celebration and gratitude. It marked the completion of labor and the secure storage of food for the coming months.
When Scripture links this harvest to a festival, it reminds us that our daily bread is a gift from God. The act of bringing in the yield was an opportunity to acknowledge divine provision before the winter rains. This concrete reality grounds our faith in the physical world, showing that spiritual thanksgiving often begins with practical appreciation for what we have received.
For your life today, this concept invites you to pause and recognize the end of a season. Whether you have completed a project or weathered a difficult period, there is value in acknowledging the harvest of your efforts. It encourages a posture of trust, knowing that provision comes from above and is meant to be shared.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ ingathering2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הָֽ/אָסִף֙1×
- הָֽ/אָסִ֔יף1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 23:16
And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field.
This verse explicitly names the 'feast of ingathering' as a time to gather in labors at year's end, linking agricultural completion to worship.
-
Exodus 34:22
“You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year’s end.
Here the term reinforces the timing of the festival at the year’s conclusion, emphasizing the cyclical nature of God's provision and the community's response.