Biblical Fruits and Grains: Barley

Barley is a food crop used by the poor ( Ezra 13:19), and held a prophetic significance in Scripture (Judges 7:13).

Barley's value with Christ is highly esteemed with the Word of G-D, Faith, and the Prayer of Thanksgiving. (John 6:6,9. Cf. the whole account in John 6:1-14).

Notice in the account how that it is associated with the meat of fish. Notice there are 5 loaves and 2 fish for a value of 7, representing the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets.

Barley is harvested in March to April. It generally preceded a wheat harvest by about a month.

Barley was used as a horse fodder as well as being a bread to the poor. The poor could mix this barley with lentils, beans, millet, and even wheat (Ezekiel 4:9). This mixture you can buy in stores currently: it is called, you guessed it, "Ezekiel Bread".

The notion of this bread was also to be associated with about as poor as you can get. To sell your soul for a piece of bread...meant a handful of barley to make into a very small slice of bread (cf. Eze. 13:19). Think in terms of those orduerve mini-loaves of pumpernicel (et al.) you see in the specialty sections sometimes.

The Old Testament symbolizes the half-shekel offering, given as a requirement 3 times a year by the men of Israel, was also the value of a single measure of Barley (2 Kings 7:1,16,18)in the days of Elisha the prophet.

Barley's value by the time of Revelation 6:6, though then (in the future) valued as 3 times less than that of wheat, it will by then be found in a world economy of starvation, where a day's wages is paid for a measure of wheat, and one-third a day's wages for a measure of barley.


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For the festival of Pentecost / Shavuot, the nation of Israel in New Testament times had special 7 tiered baskets to display the firstfruits.

The fruits were arranged in a specific ascending order, as according to their importance.

From bottom to top:

Basket 7) Contained barley.

Basket 6) Contained wheat

Basket 5) Contained olives

Basket 4) Contained dates

Basket 3) Contained pomegranates

Basket 2) Contained figs

Basket 1) Was inhabited by a dove, and tied by the feet into the top. We do not know what kind of required cloths were underneath to catch the droppings, though.

The Apostles of Jesus themselves, would have in some manner or way have also actively participated in this Festival for many years as Pilgrims: who once a year with their families carried these firstfruit baskets up to and about Jerusalem upon their shoulders or heads as a visible sign of both their fidelity and their offering. Only the very best and unblemished first picks of the fruits and grains were allowed, as they were a Holy Offering to the L-RD.