### 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.
TRV