Emmer, כֻּסֶּמֶת, Triticum dicoccum

The common noun כֻּסֶּמֶת occurs twice in the Hebrew Bible in its singular form (Exod 9:32; Isa 28:25) and once in the plural form כֻסְּמִים (Ezek 4:9). As with other plant terms, it seems that the singular form refers to the living plant itself, while the plural form refers to its usable product. It is likely that the noun is related to the qal verb כסם, which occurs twice in Ezek 44:20 in connection to hair; the Biblical Hebrew term for barley, שְּׂעֹרָה, is related to שֵֹֺׂעָר “hair.”

The singular form occurs once in narrative (Exod 9:32) and once in prophecy (Isa 28:25). The sole occurrence of the plural form is in prophecy (Ezek 4:9).

None.

Realistic reference to its relative lateness of growth: the flax (פִּשְׁתָּה) and barley (שְּׂעֹרָה) of Egypt are destroyed in a hailstorm because they are fully formed, while the wheat (חִטָּה) and the כֻּסֶּמֶת survive because they are אֲפִילֹת, “late in the season” (Exod 9:31–32).

Realistic reference to its use as an ingredient in bread (לָחֶם, Ezek 4:9). The geographical setting is “the land of the Chaldeans” (Ezek 1:3), or southern Mesopotamia.

Last in a list of six ingredients to make bread, preceded by wheat, barley, beans, lentils, and millet: חִטִּין וּשְׂעֹרִים וּפוֹל וַעֲדָשִׁים וְדֹחַן וְכֻסְּמִים. The fact that nothing like this list of ingredients appears elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible in relation to bread suggests that this is probably not ordinary bread.

Preceded by nigella, cumin, wheat, and barley as examples of items that can be planted: הֲלוֹא֙ אִם־שִׁוָּ֣ה פָנֶ֔יהָ וְהֵפִ֥יץ קֶ֖צַח וְכַמֹּ֣ן יִזְרֹ֑ק וְשָׂ֨ם חִטָּ֤ה שׂוֹרָה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֣ה נִסְמָ֔ן וְכֻסֶּ֖מֶת גְּבֻלָתֽוֹ (Isa 28:25).