סָפִיחַ (sa.phi.ach)
sa.phi.ach
outpouring; aftergrowth
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun saphiach refers to crops that sprout unexpectedly from seeds left behind or spilled during a previous harvest. Rather than being deliberately planted by the farmer, these are "volunteer" plants that emerge on their own, often viewed as a secondary or unintended yield.
This concept appears most frequently in the legal texts of Leviticus, where it is linked to restrictions on harvesting and tithing. The word also surfaces in poetic passages like Job 24:10 and Isaiah 17:5, using the image of this spontaneous growth to illustrate themes of scarcity or sudden relief. Its root suggests a pouring out, capturing the accidental nature of these seeds taking root.
Translators typically render saphiach as "aftergrowth" or "volunteer plants." This distinction matters because it separates intentional agricultural labor from natural, opportunistic growth. The term highlights how life can emerge from remnants of past efforts, whether those remnants are seen as waste or as a source of unexpected provision.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word saphiach describes crops that sprout unexpectedly from seeds left behind or spilled during a previous harvest. These are volunteer plants, not deliberately planted by the farmer but emerging on their own. This concept appears in legal texts like Leviticus, where it is linked to restrictions on harvesting and tithing, highlighting the difference between intentional labor and natural growth.
It also surfaces in poetic passages like Isaiah 37:30, using the image of this spontaneous growth to illustrate themes of scarcity or sudden relief. The root suggests a pouring out, capturing the accidental nature of these seeds taking root. Translators typically render saphiach as aftergrowth or volunteer plants.
This distinction matters because it separates intentional agricultural labor from natural, opportunistic growth. The term highlights how life can emerge from remnants of past efforts, whether those remnants are seen as waste or as a source of unexpected provision. It reminds us that God’s provision often comes in ways we do not plan for, offering hope in times of uncertainty.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- self-sown grain2×
- self-sown grain/ its1×
- overflowings/ its1×
- [the] self-sown grain of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סָפִ֔יחַ2×
- סְפִיחֶ֥י/הָ1×
- סְפִיחֶ֔י/הָ1×
- סְפִ֤יחַ1×
Key Verses
-
Leviticus 25:5
What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap, and you shall not gather the grapes of your undressed vine. It shall be a year of solemn rest for the land.
This verse establishes the legal boundary, forbidding the reaping of aftergrowth to ensure the land rests and God’s provision is acknowledged without human effort.
-
Isaiah 37:30
“‘This shall be the sign to you: You will eat this year that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs from it; and in the third year sow and reap and plant vineyards, and eat their fruit.
Here the word serves as a divine sign of survival during siege, showing that even unplanned growth can be a channel for God’s preservation and hope.
-
II Kings 19:29
“This will be the sign to you: This year, you will eat that which grows of itself, and in the second year that which springs from that; and in the third year sow and reap, and plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
This parallel account reinforces the promise that God will sustain His people through unexpected means, using aftergrowth as a tangible sign of His faithfulness.