קָצִיר (qa.tsir)
qa.tsir
harvest; foliage
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 46 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qatsir primarily denotes the harvest, covering both the agricultural process and the resulting crop. It appears frequently in the Torah, particularly in Leviticus, where it marks specific times for offerings and festivals, anchoring Israel’s religious calendar to the rhythms of the land. The word captures the tangible reality of gathered grain or fruit, serving as a concrete symbol of provision and divine blessing.
Beyond its literal sense, qatsir carries a secondary meaning referring to foliage or boughs, likely drawing on the imagery of branches ready for gathering. This dual usage allows the term to function in poetry and prophecy with rich metaphorical weight. In Isaiah, for instance, the harvest becomes a powerful image for judgment or the end of an era, transforming a routine farming activity into a moment of divine reckoning.
Translators typically render qatsir as "harvest" or "time of harvest," preserving its connection to seasonal cycles. The word’s prevalence in Proverbs and historical books underscores its cultural importance; it represents not just food, but the culmination of labor and trust in God’s provision. By linking physical sustenance with spiritual timing, qatsir reminds readers that seasons of gathering are as significant as seasons of sowing.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qatsir anchors Israel’s life to the rhythm of the land, marking the tangible result of sowing and waiting. It reminds us that seasons of gathering are as significant as seasons of planting. In Leviticus, this term defined when first fruits were offered, linking physical sustenance with spiritual timing. The harvest was not just food; it was a moment to acknowledge God’s provision in the work of hands.
Yet qatsir also carries weight beyond agriculture. In Isaiah, the harvest becomes an image of divine reckoning, transforming routine farming into a moment of judgment or new beginning. This duality invites us to see our own lives as having seasons of preparation and seasons of result. Whether we are waiting for growth or gathering what has been sown, the word points to a God who orders time.
Even in poetry, qatsir evokes vitality through its secondary sense of foliage. It suggests that life persists even when roots seem dry. This imagery offers comfort during times of uncertainty, reminding us that renewal is part of the created order. We can trust that our efforts are seen and that our seasons have purpose.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 46 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [the] harvest of11×
- harvest9×
- harvest/ your7×
- at the/ harvest4×
- the/ harvest3×
- harvest/ his2×
- and/ harvest2×
- a harvest2×
- shoot[s]1×
- on/ branch[es]/ my1×
- harvest/ its1×
- branch[es]/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קְצִיר\־4×
- קְצִ֥יר4×
- קָצִיר֙3×
- קָצִ֖יר3×
- קְצִ֣יר3×
- קָצִֽיר\׃2×
- קָצִ֣יר2×
- הַ/קָּצִ֖יר2×
- קָצִ֛יר1×
- קָצִ֗יר1×
- קָצִ֔יר1×
- קָצִ֑יר1×
Key Verses
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Exodus 23:16
And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labors, which you sow in the field; and the feast of ingathering, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labors out of the field.
This verse establishes qatsir as the feast of first fruits, linking the word directly to the celebration of God's initial provision.
-
Leviticus 19:9
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest.
Here the harvest commands social responsibility, requiring landowners to leave corners for the poor and foreigner.
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Ruth 2:23
So she stayed close to the maidens of Boaz, to glean to the end of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she lived with her mother-in-law.
The text uses qatsir to mark the duration of Ruth’s loyalty, spanning both barley and wheat harvests as a period of faithful provision.
-
I Samuel 12:17
Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in Yahweh’s sight, in asking for a king.”
Samuel calls for thunder during wheat harvest to prove God’s authority, using the timing of qatsir as evidence of divine judgment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does qatsir mean in the Bible?
How is qatsir different from other Hebrew words for crop?
Where does qatsir appear most often?
Every Occurrence (46 verses across 16 books)
Genesis 3 verses
While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night will not…
Genesis 30:14Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother, Leah. Then…
Genesis 45:6For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are yet five years, in which there will be no plowing…