### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **gâdîysh**, represented by `{{H1430}}`, refers to a **stack of sheaves** or, by analogy, a **tomb**. Derived from an unused root meaning to heap up, its definition encompasses both a "shock (stack) (of corn)" and a "tomb." It is a rare term, appearing only **4 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The usage of `{{H1430}}` highlights its dual meaning. In agricultural contexts, it refers to the literal **shocks** of harvested grain that Samson burned in the fields of the Philistines [[Judges 15:5]]. It is also listed as valuable property in the law, where one who causes a fire that consumes **stacks of corn** must make restitution [[Exodus 22:6]]. Figuratively, the word is used to describe the end of life. A righteous man is promised to come to his grave "like as a **shock of corn** cometh in in his season" [[Job 5:26]], while another passage states that a man will be brought to the grave and remain in the **tomb** [[Job 21:32]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of **gâdîysh**:
* `{{H7054}}` **qâmâh** (standing corn): This refers to grain as it rises from the ground, representing the state before it is harvested and gathered into a **gâdîysh** [[Exodus 22:6]]. Its definition is "something that rises, i.e. a stalk of grain."
* `{{H6913}}` **qeber** (grave): This word is used in parallel with **gâdîysh** to refer to a burying place or sepulchre, reinforcing the analogical meaning of **gâdîysh** as a tomb ([[Job 5:26]], [[Job 21:32]]).
* `{{H5927}}` **ʻâlâh** (cometh in): This verb, meaning to ascend or bring up, describes the action of gathering the **shock of corn** from the field, illustrating the completion of the harvest cycle [[Job 5:26]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1430}}` is conveyed through its powerful agricultural imagery.
* **Symbol of a Fulfilled Life:** The word is used to paint a picture of a life that concludes at the proper time. Coming to the grave like a **shock of corn** in its season is a metaphor for a blessed, timely death after a full life [[Job 5:26]].
* **The Fruit of Labor:** As a literal stack of grain, **gâdîysh** represents provision and the results of labor. Its destruction by fire is treated as a serious offense requiring restitution, underscoring principles of justice and the value of one's work [[Exodus 22:6]].
* **The Grave as a Final Gathering:** The analogy between a heap of sheaves and a tomb connects the human life cycle to the agricultural process. Just as grain is gathered and stacked, a person is brought to the **tomb** as a final gathering place at the end of their earthly life [[Job 21:32]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1430}}` **gâdîysh** is a specific term that bridges the concepts of agriculture and human mortality. Though used infrequently, it powerfully illustrates the end of a process, whether it is the gathering of a harvest into a stack of sheaves or the bringing of a person to their tomb. The word serves as a poignant biblical metaphor for a life completed and brought to its final rest.
TRV