### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **lâqash**, represented by `{{H3953}}`, is a primitive root meaning **to gather the after crop** or simply **to gather**. It is a very specific term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible, highlighting a particular action within a specific context.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H3953}}` is in the book of Job, where it describes an act of injustice. The verse states that the wicked "reap every one his corn in the field: and they **gather** the vintage of the wicked" [[Job 24:6]]. Here, **lâqash** depicts the act of gathering a crop—specifically, the vintage—that belongs to someone else, as part of a larger portrait of the wicked prospering at the expense of others.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H3953}}` is illuminated by the words surrounding it in its single occurrence:
* `{{H7114}}` **qâtsar** (to harvest): This word is used in parallel to **lâqash**, describing the reaping of grain from a field, establishing a theme of agricultural activity [[Job 24:6]]. It can also mean to be "shortened," as in the Lord's hand not being shortened [[Isaiah 59:1]].
* `{{H3754}}` **kerem** (a garden or vineyard; vintage): This is the object being gathered by the action of **lâqash**. It often represents a place of blessing and fruitfulness, as when the Lord promises to give Israel her vineyards [[Hosea 2:15]] or when the house of Israel is called the vineyard of the LORD [[Isaiah 5:7]].
* `{{H7563}}` **râshâʻ** (wicked): This term identifies the owner of the vintage being gathered. In [[Job 24:6]], the action of gathering is applied to the "vintage of the **wicked**," framing the entire scene within a context of moral corruption and injustice. The term is consistently used to describe those who are morally wrong and oppose God's ways ([[Psalms 1:1]], [[Isaiah 55:7]]).
* `{{H7704}}` **sâdeh** (field): This word sets the scene, indicating that these actions of reaping and gathering take place in an open field or country, the primary location for agricultural labor ([[Job 24:6]], [[Deuteronomy 24:19]]).
### Theological Significance
Although used only once, the theological weight of `{{H3953}}` stems from its specific context in Job's complaint about injustice.
* **Portrait of Injustice:** **Lâqash** is used to paint a picture of the wicked's oppressive actions. They are not just taking a primary harvest but are gathering even the after crop or vintage, signifying a thorough and ruthless exploitation [[Job 24:6]].
* **The Problem of Unchecked Evil:** The act of gathering described by **lâqash** is part of Job's larger argument questioning why the wicked are allowed to prosper. Their ability to reap and gather with impunity highlights a world where divine judgment seems absent or delayed.
* **Corruption of God-Given Cycles:** Agricultural cycles of sowing, reaping, and gathering are foundational to life and are often depicted as a blessing from God. In [[Job 24:6]], **lâqash** is part of a corrupted cycle, where a rightful harvest is perverted into an act of theft and oppression by the wicked.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3953}}` **lâqash** is a highly specific term for gathering an after crop or vintage. Its single biblical appearance in [[Job 24:6]] firmly associates it with injustice, where it describes the wicked seizing the produce of others. While a minor word in terms of frequency, it contributes a distinct detail to the Bible's complex portrait of evil and the perversion of God's intended order for labor and harvest.
TRV