Wheat: 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)