Harvest

The gathering of mature crops from the land. The successful culmination of the agricultural year was evidence of God's goodness and consequently marked with festivity. Harvest is also used widely in a metaphorical sense.

The harvest is evidence of God's goodness

Genesis 8:22; 2 Corinthians 9:10 See also Leviticus 26:5, Leviticus 26:9–10; Psalm 67:6, Psalm 85:12, Psalm 107:37; Isaiah 62:8–9; Jeremiah 5:24

As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your store of seed and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.

Laws relating to the harvest

Exodus 23:10–11, Exodus 34:21; Leviticus 19:9, Leviticus 19:23–25, Leviticus 23:22, Leviticus 25:4–5, Leviticus 25:11–12, Leviticus 25:18–27; Numbers 18:12–13; Deuteronomy 24:19–21

Harvest festivals

Exodus 23:16, Exodus 34:22; Leviticus 23:10–16, Leviticus 23:33–43; Deuteronomy 16:13–15

Harvest marked times of the year

Ruth 1:22 See also Joshua 3:15; Judges 15:1; 1 Samuel 6:13, 1 Samuel 12:17; 2 Samuel 21:9–10, 2 Samuel 23:13; Jeremiah 8:20

So Naomi returned from the land of Moab with her daughter-in-law Ruth the Moabitess. And they arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Characteristics of harvest

Rejoicing

Isaiah 9:3 See also Psalm 126:5–6; Isaiah 16:9

You have enlarged the nation and increased its joy. The people rejoice before You as they rejoice at harvest time, as men rejoice in dividing the plunder.

Hard work

Proverbs 10:5 See also Proverbs 14:4, Proverbs 20:4

He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.

Failed harvests are a sign of God's judgment

Poor harvests

Jeremiah 12:13 See also Isaiah 17:10–11, Isaiah 32:10; Jeremiah 8:13; Joel 1:11; Amos 4:7; Micah 6:15; Haggai 1:6

They have sown wheat but harvested thorns. They have exhausted themselves to no avail. Bear the shame of your harvest because of the fierce anger of the LORD.”

Others eating the harvest

Jeremiah 5:17 See also Nehemiah 9:37; Job 5:5, Job 31:12

They will devour your harvest and food; they will consume your sons and daughters; they will eat up your flocks and herds; they will feed on your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.”

The metaphorical use of harvest

Joel 3:13; Matthew 9:37–38; Galatians 6:9; Revelation 14:15–16 See also Proverbs 18:20, Proverbs 25:13, Proverbs 26:1; Isaiah 17:5, Isaiah 18:4–5, Isaiah 24:13, Isaiah 28:4, Isaiah 33:4; Jeremiah 2:3, Jeremiah 51:33; Hosea 6:11MAT Hosea 13:30, Matthew 13:39 Matthew 25:24; Mark 4:29 the parable of the growing seed; Mark 12:1–9 the parable of the tenants; Luke 10:2; John 4:35–36; Romans 1:13; 1 Corinthians 9:10–11; Hebrews 12:11; James 3:18

Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full; the wine vats overflow because their wickedness is great.

Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.”

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Then another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the One seated on the cloud, “Swing Your sickle and reap, because the time has come to harvest, for the crop of the earth is ripe.” So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.