κριθή

barley

Definition

Κριθή (krithē) is a Greek noun meaning 'barley,' a type of cereal grain. In the New Testament, it appears only in Revelation 6:6, where it is listed alongside wheat in a prophetic pronouncement about famine and economic scarcity. Barley was generally considered a less valuable, coarser grain compared to wheat, often used as fodder for animals or as a staple food for the poor. Its specific mention in Revelation highlights a context of severe shortage, where even the cheaper barley is rationed and sold at an inflated price.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Revelation 6:6. It appears in the context of the third horseman of the Apocalypse, who announces a severe famine where basic staples like wheat and barley are scarce and exorbitantly priced. The usage is symbolic, contributing to the imagery of divine judgment and widespread hardship during the end times.

Etymology

The word κριθή (krithē) is the native Greek term for 'barley.' It is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *ǵr̥h₂- ('to ripen, grow old'), which is also the source for related words in other languages. It is not a borrowed term and has no direct verbal root in biblical Greek, functioning simply as the standard noun for this specific grain.

Semantic Range

While 'barley' itself is a common agricultural term, its sole biblical appearance in Revelation 6:6 gives it theological significance. It functions as a specific detail in a prophecy of judgment, symbolizing economic collapse and severe famine where even the food of the poor becomes scarce and costly. Understanding that barley was a cheaper, inferior grain underscores the depth of the hardship depicted—a famine so severe it impacts all levels of society. This enriches the reading by highlighting the precision and gravity of the apocalyptic imagery.

In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish world, barley was a fundamental but low-status grain. It was less nutritious and desirable than wheat, often used to make bread for the poor, as animal feed, or in sacrifices (e.g., the barley offering in Leviticus 27:16). Its mention in Revelation 6:6 would immediately signal to an ancient reader a situation of extreme scarcity and poverty, as the cheaper staple becomes prohibitively expensive.

σίτος (sitos, G4621) — The general term for 'grain,' but most often specifically meaning 'wheat,' a superior and more valuable grain compared to barley.

Word Details

Scripture References