קָלִי (qa.li)
qa.li
roasted
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 qali refers to parched or roasted grain, serving as a staple food in ancient Israel. It describes kernels that have been dried and heated, likely over fire, to preserve them for travel or storage. This practical preparation made it a portable source of sustenance, essential for soldiers, travelers, and laborers who needed quick energy without the time required to bake bread.
The word appears five times in the Old Testament, prominently in narratives involving military campaigns and rural life. In 1 Samuel 17:17, David’s father sends him roasted grain to bring to his brothers at the front lines, highlighting its role as a ready-to-eat provision for soldiers. Similarly, Ruth gathers it while gleaning in Boaz’s fields (Ruth 2:14), showing its accessibility to workers in the harvest.
Its presence in these texts underscores the everyday reality of ancient diets. Unlike elaborate feasts, qali represents simple, reliable nourishment. The word itself does not carry deep theological symbolism but grounds biblical stories in tangible human experience, reminding readers that faith lived out in daily life often involves basic needs like food and work.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Roasted grain was a simple, portable food in ancient Israel, often eaten by travelers and soldiers who needed quick energy without time to bake bread. When David’s father sent him parched grain to his brothers at the front lines, it was not a grand feast but a practical provision for daily sustenance. This humble meal reminds us that God cares about our basic needs, providing strength for the journey ahead.
In Ruth’s story, she shares this roasted grain with Boaz while gleaning in the fields, showing how everyday food can become a moment of kindness and connection. These scenes ground biblical narratives in real life, where faith is lived out through simple acts of care and provision. We see that God meets us not only in dramatic moments but also in the quiet, ordinary rhythms of work and rest.
As you face your own daily tasks or long journeys, remember that even small provisions can carry great significance. Whether it is a shared meal or a moment of rest, these simple gifts reflect God’s faithfulness to sustain us through every season of life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ roasted grain3×
- roasted grain2×
- <the>/ roasted grain1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קָלִ֔י2×
- וְ/קָלִֽי\׃1×
- וְ/קָלִ֨י1×
- וְ/קָלִ֑י1×
- הַ/קָּלִיא֙1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 17:17
Jesse said to David his son, “Now take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers;
This verse highlights how roasted grain served as a practical, ready-to-eat provision for soldiers on campaign.
-
Ruth 2:14
At meal time Boaz said to her, “Come here, and eat some bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar.” She sat beside the reapers, and they passed her parched grain. She ate, was satisfied, and left some of it.
Here, the roasted grain becomes a shared meal that fosters connection between Ruth and Boaz during harvest work.
-
Leviticus 23:14
You must not eat bread, or roasted grain, or fresh grain, until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God. This is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
The prohibition against eating roasted grain before the offering shows its role in religious observance alongside daily life.