עֹ֫מֶר (o.mer)
o.mer
sheaf; omer
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun omer refers to a specific dry measure in ancient Israel, holding approximately one-tenth of an ephah, which equates to roughly two liters. While it functioned as a standard unit for weighing grain, the word carries a strong visual association with sheaves of harvested wheat. This dual meaning connects the physical act of gathering crops with the precise measurement required for religious and civil life.
Its most significant appearance occurs in Exodus 16, where God provides manna from heaven. The Israelites are instructed to gather an omer per person each day, establishing a rhythm of daily dependence rather than hoarding. This usage transforms a simple unit of volume into a symbol of trust; the measure was neither too small to sustain life nor so large as to encourage excess.
The term also appears in Leviticus and Ruth, anchoring agricultural practices within the covenant community. In these contexts, it marks the firstfruits offered to God or the portion of grain harvested by workers. By standardizing this amount, the law ensured that provision was shared equitably while acknowledging that the land’s yield belonged ultimately to the divine.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word omer describes a specific measure of grain, roughly one-tenth of an ephah, but it carries a deeper weight than simple volume. In Exodus 16, God instructed the Israelites to gather exactly one omer of manna per person each day. This instruction was not arbitrary; it created a rhythm of daily dependence. Those who gathered much found they had nothing left over, and those who gathered little found they had enough. The measure itself prevented hoarding and ensured that everyone received what they needed for the day.
This concept extends beyond survival into the realm of trust and community care. In Leviticus, the omer marked the firstfruits offered to God, acknowledging that the land’s yield belonged ultimately to Him. In Ruth, gleaning among the sheaves provided for the vulnerable, showing how agricultural laws protected the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow. The omer reminds us that provision is shared equitably when we trust in divine guidance rather than accumulating excess.
For your faith life, this word invites a posture of contentment. It suggests that what you need for today is sufficient, freeing you from the anxiety of storing up for tomorrow. By focusing on the daily portion, you participate in a pattern of reliance that honors God’s provision and fosters fairness within your community.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ sheaf2×
- the/ omer2×
- a sheaf2×
- the/ sheaves1×
- by the/ omer1×
- and/ the/ omer1×
- an omer1×
- among the/ sheaves1×
- [the] sheaf of1×
- <the>/ omer[s]1×
- <the> sheaf of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֹ֣מֶר2×
- הָ/עֹ֖מֶר2×
- עֹֽמֶר\׃1×
- עֹ֛מֶר1×
- עֹ֖מֶר1×
- וְ/הָ/עֹ֕מֶר1×
- הָֽ/עֳמָרִ֛ים1×
- הָ/עֹ֛מֶר1×
- הָ/עֹ֙מֶר֙1×
- הָ/עֹ֑מֶר1×
- בָֽ/עֳמָרִ֔ים1×
- בָ/עֹ֔מֶר1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 16:18
When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They each gathered according to his eating.
This verse demonstrates the miraculous balance where gathering more or less resulted in the same sufficient amount, highlighting the omer as a measure of divine sufficiency rather than human effort.
-
Exodus 16:32
Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, ‘Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
Here the omer becomes a memorial object, preserving the memory of God’s wilderness provision for future generations to witness His faithfulness.
-
Deuteronomy 24:19
When you reap your harvest in your field, and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go again to get it. It shall be for the foreigner, for the fatherless, and for the widow, that Yahweh your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.
The law regarding forgotten sheaves uses this measure to mandate social justice, ensuring that leftover harvest benefits the marginalized rather than being reclaimed by the owner.
-
Leviticus 23:10
“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When you have come into the land which I give to you, and shall reap its harvest, then you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.
The omer is central to the Feast of Firstfruits, serving as the initial offering that consecrates the entire harvest season to God.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is an omer?
Why was the omer significant in Exodus 16?
How does the omer relate to social justice in the Bible?
Is the omer only about food?
Every Occurrence (14 verses across 5 books)
Exodus 6 verses
This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: ‘Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according…
Exodus 16:18When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They…
Exodus 16:22On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one; and all the rulers of the congregation…
Exodus 16:32Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, ‘Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations,…
Exodus 16:33Moses said to Aaron, “Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept…
Exodus 16:36Now an omer is one tenth of an ephah.