קַיִץ
harvest (as the crop), whether the product (grain or fruit) or the (dry) season
Definition
קַיִץ (qayits) primarily refers to the 'summer' season, the hot, dry period in Israel following the spring rains. This season is intrinsically linked to the concept of 'harvest,' as it is the time when grain and fruit are gathered (Proverbs 10:5). The word can denote the season itself (Genesis 8:22), the harvested produce (2 Samuel 16:1), or even a storage place for that produce, a 'summer house' (Amos 3:15). In poetic contexts, it symbolizes a time of security and provision, contrasted with the vulnerability of winter.
Biblical Usage
The word appears 20 times, primarily in wisdom literature (Proverbs) and poetic books (Psalms). It is used literally for the agricultural season and its activities (Proverbs 6:8, 10:5). Figuratively, it represents a time of divine judgment or withering heat (Psalm 32:4) and, in contrast, God's sovereign ordering of the seasons as a sign of His faithful covenant (Psalm 74:17). The mention of 'summer fruit' in 2 Samuel 16:1-2 highlights its role in narratives as a specific, seasonal provision.
Etymology
Derived from the root קוּץ (qûts, H6972), meaning 'to be awake' or 'to blossom.' This suggests a connection to the idea of the land 'awakening' to fruitfulness and the culmination of the growth cycle. The semantic development moved from the action of the harvest to the season in which it occurs.
Semantic Range
קַיִץ is theologically significant as it is embedded in God's promise of cosmic order after the Flood (Genesis 8:22), guaranteeing the reliability of seedtime and harvest. This establishes harvest/summer as a sign of God's covenantal faithfulness and provision. The contrast between summer and winter in Psalm 74:17 underscores God's sovereignty over time and nature. Understanding this word enriches reading by connecting agricultural cycles to divine faithfulness and the consequences of human action (Proverbs 10:5).
In ancient Israel, summer was not a vacation period but a critical, labor-intensive season of harvesting and storing essential food for the year. The 'summer fruit' (e.g., figs, grapes) was a vital and celebrated part of the diet. The concept differed from modern understanding, as it was defined by its dry heat and agricultural necessity rather than by a calendar date. A 'summer house' (Amos 3:15) was a seasonal dwelling for overseeing harvests, indicating social stratification.
קָצִיר (qatsir, H7105) — specifically the 'harvest' of grain, the act or the time of reaping. תְּבוּאָה (tevu'ah, H8393) — the general 'produce' or 'yield' of the land, not season-specific. חֹרֶף (choreph, H2779) — 'winter' or the rainy season, its direct seasonal opposite.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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