Original Word: גֶּרֶשׂ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: geres
Pronunciation: gheh'-res
Phonetic Spelling: (gheh'-res)
KJV: beaten corn
NASB: grits
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to husk]

1. a kernel (collectively), i.e. grain

beaten corn

From an unused root meaning to husk; a kernel (collectively), i.e. Grain -- beaten corn.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
a crushing
NASB Translation
grits (2).

גֶּ֫רֶשׂ noun [masculine] a crushing, but only concrete of that which is crushed, groats, grits (compare Arabic , Late Hebrew גְּרִיס, Aramaic (rare) גִּרְשָׂא, גְּרוּסְיָא ) — אָבִיב קָלוּי בָּאֵשׁ גֶּרֶשׂ כַּרְמֶל Leviticus 2:14 young ears parched with fire, groats (&) fresh fruit (see Sifra on the passage); מִגִּרְשָׂהּ (וּמִשַּׁמְנָהּׅ Leviticus 2:16.

Agricultural Setting

Geresh refers to freshly harvested grain that has been lightly crushed after being parched over fire. The practice matched early spring harvesting in Israel’s hill country, when the first barley heads were dried by flame to keep them from sprouting. The crushing released aroma and flavor, making the grain suitable for immediate use before the bulk of the crop was processed. Such grain was considered the choicest and most eagerly awaited produce of the year.

Place within the Grain Offering

Leviticus twice specifies geresh in the “grain offering of firstfruits” (Leviticus 2:14, 16). The worshiper brought three elements:

1. Crushed new grain (geresh)
2. Olive oil
3. Frankincense

The priest blended the oil with the grain, added the frankincense, and then burned “the memorial portion of the crushed grain and oil, together with all its frankincense, as an offering made by fire to the LORD” (Leviticus 2:16). The remainder became food for the priests (Leviticus 2:3), symbolizing fellowship between God, priesthood, and giver.

Theological Themes

• First and Best. By requiring the earliest edible kernels, the Law trained Israel to honor God before enjoying personal increase (compare Proverbs 3:9).
• Gratitude and Dependence. The offering acknowledged Yahweh as the Giver of rains, seasons, and harvests (Deuteronomy 11:14–15).
• Holiness. Fire both preserved the grain and consecrated it. In worship, ordinary produce was transformed into a “pleasing aroma” (Leviticus 2:2).
• Memorial Principle. Only a handful ascended in smoke, yet that portion represented the whole harvest, teaching the principle of representation later fulfilled in Christ.

Christological Foreshadowing

Paul calls the risen Jesus “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). As geresh was the earliest grain offered to God, so the resurrected Christ is the guarantee of the coming harvest of believers (James 1:18). Furthermore, the grain was crushed and exposed to fire—images of suffering—before being lifted to God. Isaiah’s Servant is “crushed for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5), and through that affliction He becomes the acceptable offering.

Relation to Broader Firstfruits Theology

Geresh plays a role in Israel’s agricultural calendar that culminated in the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost) when bread from the new wheat was presented (Leviticus 23:15–17). Thus the small handful of roasted barley anticipated the larger harvest ritual fifty days later, embodying the biblical pattern of promise and fulfillment.

Historical Observations

Extra-biblical texts from the ancient Near East record parched grain as a common field ration, confirming its practicality. Archaeobotanical finds at Israelite sites show carbonized kernels consistent with fire-parching methods. These discoveries lend cultural texture to the biblical description without altering its theological thrust.

Ministry and Devotional Applications

• Give promptly. Honor God at the first sign of increase, not after surplus is certain.
• Offer the best. Crushed kernels lose value to the giver yet gain value in worship—a pattern encouraging sacrificial generosity (2 Corinthians 9:6–7).
• Trust through fire. Seasons of testing, like the roasting of grain, prepare believers for greater usefulness and sweeter fellowship (1 Peter 1:6–7).
• Remember Christ. Each act of giving becomes a tangible reminder of the once-for-all Firstfruits who secured the final harvest.

Summary

Geresh, though mentioned only twice, illuminates the heart of biblical worship: presenting the earliest, choice produce to God in faith, gratitude, and anticipation. Its inclusion in Leviticus links everyday agriculture with eternal redemption, directing attention from the first stalks of barley to the risen Lord who guarantees the full harvest of the new creation.

גֶּ֣רֶשׂ גרש מִגִּרְשָׂהּ֙ מגרשה ge·reś Geres gereś mig·gir·śāh miggirSah miggirśāhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts