קָמָה (qa.mah)
qa.mah
standing grain
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qamah refers specifically to standing grain, particularly stalks that are upright and ready for harvest. It appears in six verses across the Old Testament, with notable usage in Judges 15:5, where Samson uses foxes to burn the standing grain of the Philistines, and in Isaiah 17:5, which compares God’s glory to a reaper gathering the standing grain.
This word distinguishes the unharvested crop from cut sheaves or scattered stalks. It evokes an image of abundance and potential yield, representing what is yet to be gathered rather than what has already been processed. The term carries a sense of order and readiness, as the grain stands tall in its field before the work of reaping begins.
Translators typically render qamah as "standing grain" or simply "grain," depending on context. Its limited occurrence highlights specific moments where the state of the harvest matters to the narrative or prophecy. In Isaiah, for instance, it underscores the completeness of divine judgment, likening it to a thorough gathering that leaves nothing behind.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qamah describes crops still rooted in the earth, tall and upright before the harvest begins. It captures a moment of quiet potential, where abundance is present but not yet gathered. This image reminds us that God’s provision often arrives in stages, requiring patience as we wait for what has been planted to reach its fullness.
In Judges 15:5, Samson uses this standing grain as fuel for judgment, showing how the same resource can serve different purposes depending on who holds it. Yet Isaiah 17:5 offers a gentler picture, comparing God’s gathering of His people to a reaper collecting wheat. Here, the standing grain represents order and completeness, suggesting that divine action brings things into their proper place.
For your daily walk, this word invites trust in God’s timing. You may feel like you are waiting in a field, watching crops grow slowly toward maturity. That season is not wasted; it is part of the process. God sees what is standing and knows when the harvest is ready. Rest in the assurance that He tends to every stage of growth.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- standing grain4×
- in the/ standing grain1×
- among/ [the] standing grain<s> of1×
- [the] standing grain1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קָמָֽה\׃2×
- קָמָ֣ה1×
- קָמָ֖ה1×
- קָמָ֔ה1×
- בַּ/קָּמָ֔ה1×
- בְּ/קָמ֣וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Judges 15:5
When he had set the torches on fire, he let them go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up both the shocks and the standing grain, and also the olive groves.
This verse shows qamah as a tangible resource used for judgment, highlighting its physical presence and value in the narrative.
-
Isaiah 17:5
It will be like when the harvester gathers the wheat, and his arm reaps the grain. Yes, it will be like when one gleans grain in the valley of Rephaim.
Here the word illustrates divine completeness, likening God’s gathering of His people to a thorough harvest of standing grain.
-
Deuteronomy 16:9
You shall count for yourselves seven weeks. From the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain you shall begin to count seven weeks.
The term marks the precise start of the Feast of Weeks, anchoring Israel’s worship in the rhythm of agricultural readiness.