KING JAMES BIBLE DICTIONARY

One of the earliest cultivated grains. It bore the Hebrew name hittah, and was extensively cultivated in Palestine. There are various species of wheat. That which Pharaoh saw in his dream was the Triticum compositum, which bears several ears upon one stalk (Genesis 41:5). The "fat of the kidneys of wheat" (Deuteronomy 32:14), and the "finest of the wheat" (Psalms 81:16; 147:14), denote the best of the kind. It was exported from Palestine in great quantities (1 Kings 5:11; Ezekiel 27:17; Acts 12:20).

Parched grains of wheat were used for food in Palestine (Ruth 2:14; 1 Samuel 17:17; 2 Samuel 17:28). The disciples, under the sanction of the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 23:25), plucked ears of corn, and rubbing them in their hands, ate the grain unroasted (Matthew 12:1; Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1). Before any of the wheat-harvest, however, could be eaten, the first-fruits had to be presented before the Lord (Leviticus 23:14).

General references
Revelation 6:6

Grown in Palestine
1 Kings 5:11; Psalms 81:16; Psalms 147:14

Offerings of
Numbers 18:12

Prophecy of the sale of a measure of, for a penny
Revelation 6:6

Parables of
Matthew 13:25; Luke 16:7

Winnowing of
Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17

Ground in a mortar
Proverbs 27:22

Chaff of
Jeremiah 23:28; Matthew 3:12; Luke 3:17

Figurative:

Of God's mercy
Psalms 81:16; Psalms 147:14

Of self-righteousness
Jeremiah 12:13

Growth of, figurative of vicarious death
John 12:24

the well-known valuable cereal, cultivated from the earliest times, is first mentioned in ((Genesis 30:14) in the account of Jacob's sojourn with Laban in Mesopotamia. Egypt in ancient times was celebrated for the growth of its wheat; the best quality was all bearded; and the same varieties existed in ancient as in modern times, among which may be mentioned the seven-eared quality described in Pharaoh's dream. (Genesis 41:22) Babylonia was also noted for the excellence of its wheat and other cereals. Syria and Palestine produced wheat of fine quality and in large quantities. (Psalms 81:16; 147:14) etc. There appear to be two or three kinds of wheat at present grown in Palestine, the Triticum vulgare , the T. spelta , and another variety of bearded wheat which appears to be the same as the Egyptian kind, the T. compositum . In the parable of the sower our Lord alludes to grains of wheat which in good ground produce a hundred-fold. (Matthew 13:8) The common Triticum vulgare will sometimes produce one hundred grains in the ear. Wheat is reaped to ward the end of April, in May, and in June, according to the differences of soil and position; it was sown either broadcast and then ploughed in or trampled in by cattle, (Isaiah 32:20) or in rows, if we rightly understand (Isaiah 28:25) which seems to imply that the seeds were planted apart in order to insure larger and fuller ears. The wheat was put into the ground in the winter, and some time after the barley; in the Egyptian plague of hail, consequently, the barley suffered, but the wheat had not appeared, and so escaped injury.

WHEAT, noun [G.] A plant of the genus Triticum, and the seed of the plant, which furnishes a white flour for bread, and next to rice, is the grain most generally used by the human race. Of this grain the varieties are numerous, as red wheat white wheat bald wheat bearded wheat winter wheat summer wheat etc.

WHEAT-BIRD, noun A bird that feeds on wheat.

WHEAT-EAR, noun The English name of the Motacilla aenanthe; called also white-tail and fallow-finch.

WHEATEN, adjective Hweetn. Made of wheat; as wheaten bread.

WHEAT-PLUM, noun A sort of plum.