Plants and Foods of the Bible · The Field · Grain

Barley

The simple grain of ordinary people, through which God fed widows and crowds

Key verse
Ruth 1:22
Where we find it
The fields around Bethlehem and the drier plains of the land of Israel
What it reminds us of
Care through simple things
Illustration: Barley

Stories from Scripture

Barley in the stories of the Bible

  1. Ruth and Boaz

    Ruth gathers grain in Boaz’s field

    Ruth and Naomi came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest. Ruth went to glean behind the reapers, and the field belonged to Boaz. She gleaned until evening and gathered about an ephah of barley. God took care of the two widows through the kindness of Boaz.

    Ruth 2:17

  2. The prophet Elisha

    Twenty loaves for a hundred men

    A man brought the prophet Elisha twenty loaves of barley. His servant wondered how they could be enough for a hundred men, but Elisha spoke the word of the Lord: “They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.” And that is just what happened.

    2 Kings 4:42-44

  3. Jesus and a little boy

    A little boy’s five barley loaves

    A hungry crowd had gathered near Jesus, and a little boy had only five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God and had them shared out. About five thousand people ate as much as they wanted.

    John 6:9-11

From the world of the Bible

Did you know?

  • Barley ripens before wheat. The barley harvest began in spring, around the time of the Passover.

  • Barley stands up better than wheat on poor soil and in drier years.

  • Barley bread was cheaper than wheat bread, so it was the usual food of poor families.

From the Holy Scriptures

What do we read in the Bible about barley?

22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

In kids’ words: Ruth and Naomi came to Bethlehem poor and sad, but right at the beginning of the harvest: God had already prepared food for them.

9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

In kids’ words: The disciples thought it was far too little, but in the hands of Jesus a child’s small gift was enough for thousands of people.

Verses are quoted from the King James Version (KJV). Read each passage in the context of its chapter in the Bible.

What barley teaches us

God cares through simple things too

Barley was not the food of the rich, but the bread of ordinary people. Yet God used it to protect Ruth and to feed a crowd through Jesus. What seems small and simple can become a great blessing when it is put in God’s hand.

How we can live this out today

Do not think that your gift is too small! A smile, a shared snack or a prayer for someone can be used by God in wonderful ways.

Mini-Quiz

What did you learn about barley?

In which story does the barley harvest clearly appear?

For parents and children

At home and in Sunday school

A question for parents and children

The little boy in John 6 gave what he had. What small thing could we give as a family this week?

My prayer
“Lord Jesus, I give You my little too. Use it to bless others, just as You used the boy’s barley loaves. Amen.”

Activity at home

Plain bread

Eat a slice of plain bread and give thanks for the food of every day, like Ruth in the barley field.