(Aramaic) corresponding to קַיִץ; harvest; summer.
Transliteration:qayiṭ
Pronunciation:kah'-yit
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word qayiṭ (`{{H7007}}`) translates primarily as "summer" or "harvest." It is explicitly noted as corresponding to the Hebrew qayiṣ (`{{H7019}}`), which carries the same semantic range, referring to the warm season of the year when fruits ripen and crops are gathered. This term encapsulates both the period of intense heat and the culmination of agricultural labor, leading to the ingathering of produce. Its meaning is rooted in the annual cycle of nature, particularly as it pertains to the agricultural life of the ancient Near East.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word qayiṭ (`{{H7007}}`) appears only once in the biblical text, specifically in the Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel.
* **[[Daniel 2:35]]**: "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."
In this profound prophetic vision, qayiṭ is used in the phrase "chaff of the summer threshing floors." The imagery is one of absolute and complete destruction. After the harvest (which occurs in summer), grains are threshed, and the light, worthless chaff is separated from the valuable grain. During the dry, often windy summer months, this chaff is easily blown away, leaving no trace. The context in Daniel is the divine judgment upon the great statue representing human empires. The stone, cut without human hands, strikes the statue, reducing its components to chaff, which is then utterly dispersed by the wind. This vivid metaphor underscores the complete annihilation and disappearance of worldly kingdoms in the face of God's eternal kingdom.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most direct linguistic parallel to qayiṭ (`{{H7007}}`) is its Hebrew counterpart, qayiṣ (`{{H7019}}`), which also means "summer" or "summer fruit/harvest." This Hebrew term is more frequently used, appearing in contexts such as [[Proverbs 26:1]] (snow in summer), [[Jeremiah 8:20]] (the end of summer signaling a missed opportunity), and [[Amos 8:1]] (a basket of summer fruit symbolizing the ripeness for judgment).
Other related concepts include:
* qatzir (`{{H7105}}`): This Hebrew word specifically refers to "harvest" or "reaping," denoting the act or the product of gathering crops, which is a primary activity of the summer season.
* day (`{{H1755}}`): "Threshing floor." This term is directly linked to qayiṭ in [[Daniel 2:35]], where the "summer threshing floors" are the location of the chaff's dispersal.
* Biblical understanding of seasons: The cycle of seasons (seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night – [[Genesis 8:22]]) is often employed in Scripture to illustrate divine faithfulness, the passage of time, or the appointed times for judgment and blessing.
### Theological Significance
Despite its singular occurrence, the theological weight of qayiṭ (`{{H7007}}`) in [[Daniel 2:35]] is immense. It serves as a pivotal element in a powerful eschatological metaphor. The "chaff of the summer threshing floors" signifies the utter fragility, ephemerality, and ultimate worthlessness of all human power and dominion when confronted by the sovereignty of God.
The imagery conveys several profound theological truths:
1. **Divine Judgment and Sovereignty**: The complete dispersal of the chaff illustrates God's absolute power to dismantle and obliterate human empires. No trace remains, signifying the finality and totality of divine judgment.
2. **The Nature of God's Kingdom**: In stark contrast to the fleeting nature of earthly kingdoms, the stone (representing God's kingdom) grows to fill the entire earth, signifying its eternal, universal, and indestructible nature.
3. **Vindication and Hope**: For the faithful, this imagery offers profound hope. While human history is characterized by the rise and fall of empires, God's kingdom will ultimately prevail, bringing an end to all oppressive earthly powers. The summer, a time of culmination, here symbolizes the definitive end of one era and the inauguration of another.
### Summary
The Aramaic word qayiṭ (`{{H7007}}`), meaning "summer" or "harvest," shares its core semantic range with the Hebrew qayiṣ (`{{H7019}}`). Its sole biblical appearance in [[Daniel 2:35]] is remarkably significant. In the context of the prophet Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, qayiṭ appears in the vivid metaphor of "the chaff of the summer threshing floors." This image powerfully conveys the complete, irreversible, and trace-leaving destruction of all human kingdoms by the sovereign, eternal kingdom of God. Thus, qayiṭ contributes to a profound theological statement about divine judgment, the ephemeral nature of worldly power, and the ultimate, decisive triumph of God's reign.
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