לֶ֫קֶשׁ (le.qesh)
le.qesh
spring crop
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun leqesh refers to the late harvest or spring crop that grows after the initial grain has been cut. It describes a second yield from the land, emerging in the season following the main agricultural cycle. This word appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times within the book of Amos.
In Amos 7:1 and 7:2, the prophet sees a vision of this crop after the king’s mowing. The significance lies in its timing: it is a final, unexpected opportunity for growth before judgment falls. The sources indicate that leqesh represents a remnant harvest, suggesting that even after destruction seems complete, life can still emerge from the earth.
Translators often render leqesh as "aftergrowth" or "spring crop," capturing its sense of renewal. The word highlights God’s patience, offering one last chance for repentance through the provision of food. Its rarity in Scripture underscores the specific historical moment it describes, marking a critical juncture in the prophetic narrative.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word leqesh points to a spring crop that emerges after the main harvest is already gathered. In ancient Israel, this late growth was often seen as a final gift from the land before winter set in. It represents a second chance for sustenance when resources might seem exhausted.
This concept offers profound comfort during seasons of loss or exhaustion. Even when it feels like the primary opportunities have passed, new life can still break through the soil. God’s provision is not limited to the first fruits; He cares for the remnant that remains.
In Amos, this crop appears after a judgment has been withheld, signaling mercy extended to a people who had missed earlier warnings. It reminds us that grace often arrives in unexpected ways, offering renewal when we least expect it. May you find hope in knowing that new beginnings are possible even after difficult seasons.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ spring-crop1×
- a spring-crop1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לֶ֔קֶשׁ1×
- הַ/לָּ֑קֶשׁ1×
Key Verses
-
Amos 7:1
Thus the Lord Yahweh showed me: behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth; and behold, it was the latter growth after the king’s harvest.
This verse highlights the crop as a final provision after the king's harvest, symbolizing God's patience and the opportunity for repentance before judgment.