Word Study for H3698 (כֻּסֶּמֶת)

kuççemeth /koos-seh'-meth/ Ask about this word

Meaningspelt (from its bristliness as if just shorn)

KJV usagefitches, rie.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of kuççemeth — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word kuççemeth, represented by H3698, refers to a type of grain identified as spelt or rie. The name is derived from a root word suggesting bristliness, as if shorn. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, consistently listed among other staple agricultural products.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H3698 is used in distinct agricultural and prophetic contexts. In Egypt, it was one of the crops, along with wheat, that survived the plague of hail because its growth cycle was later than the barley and flax Exodus 9:32. Isaiah uses it in a parable about a farmer's wisdom, where rie is planted in its designated place along with wheat and barley, illustrating God's purposeful order Isaiah 28:25. Prophetically, Ezekiel is commanded to mix fitches with wheat, barley, and other grains to make bread as a sign of the scarcity during the coming siege of Jerusalem Ezekiel 4:9.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related agricultural terms provide context for the use and significance of H3698:

H2406 chiṭṭâh (wheat): This primary grain is mentioned alongside H3698 in all three of its occurrences, establishing them as key crops grown together (Exodus 9:32, Isaiah 28:25, Ezekiel 4:9).
H8184 sᵉʻôrâh (barley): Defined as barley, this grain is also paired with H3698 in passages about planting and provisions, highlighting its role as a fundamental food source (Isaiah 28:25, Ezekiel 4:9).
H7100 qetsach (fitches): This term, for fennelflower, appears in Isaiah's parable of the farmer. While H3698 is sometimes translated as 'fitches', in this passage H7100 is cast abroad while H3698 is planted as rie, demonstrating the variety of crops cultivated Isaiah 28:25.
H3646 kammôn (cummin): A spice scattered by the wise farmer in Isaiah's parable, mentioned in the same breath as the planting of rie H3698, showcasing the detailed and ordered nature of agriculture Isaiah 28:25.

Theological Significance

The significance of H3698 is drawn directly from its agricultural role and symbolic use in Scripture.

Divine Sovereignty: The survival of the rie during the plague of hail demonstrates God's precise control over His judgments, sparing certain parts of creation while striking others based on His timing and purpose Exodus 9:32.
God's Ordered Wisdom: In Isaiah, the proper planting of rie is part of a larger metaphor for God's unerring wisdom. Just as a farmer understands the right method for each seed, God governs the world with perfect knowledge and order Isaiah 28:25.
Sustenance in Judgment: As an ingredient in Ezekiel's siege bread, fitches represent a form of sustenance, however meager, that God provides even in a time of severe judgment and scarcity Ezekiel 4:9.

Summary

In summary, H3698 is a specific grain, either spelt or rie, that plays a quiet but important role in the biblical text. Though mentioned only three times, its appearances are significant, marking it as a staple crop used to illustrate themes of God's sovereignty over nature, His divine wisdom and order, and His provision even in times of judgment. It consistently appears with wheat and barley, grounding its meaning firmly in the agricultural life of ancient Israel.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

כֻּסֶּמֶת
כֻסְּמִים

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus, Isaiah, and Ezekiel (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Exodus

Isaiah

Ezekiel

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.