Original Word: פוֹל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: powl
Pronunciation: pah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (pole)
KJV: beans
NASB: beans
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning to be thick]

1. a bean (as plump)

beans

From an unused root meaning to be thick; a bean (as plump) -- beans.

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
beans
NASB Translation
beans (2).

מּוֺל noun [masculine] collective beans (Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; Arabic ; Ethiopic ᵑ9 מּוֺלָא); — 2 Samuel 17:28; Ezekiel 4:9, ᵐ5 κύαμος.

Agricultural Background

The term denotes the broad bean, a hardy legume that thrives in the Mediterranean climate. Sown in late autumn, it enriches the soil through nitrogen fixation and matures by spring, furnishing a dependable protein source when other crops are still developing. Because the pods store well when dried, beans were a strategic staple for travelers, armies, and households facing lean seasons.

Occurrences in Scripture

• 2 Samuel 17:28 records friends of David supplying “beans” during his flight from Absalom. Their generous gift, presented alongside beds, basins, wheat, barley, and lentils, illustrates how God’s people met urgent needs with both comfort items and essential nutrition.
• Ezekiel 4:9 lists beans among six grains and legumes baked into symbolic siege bread: “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a single vessel and make bread from them”. The prophet’s subsistence diet dramatizes the coming scarcity in Jerusalem, yet even in judgment the Lord provides a complete—if austere—meal.

Nutritional and Practical Value

Rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, iron, and folate, these beans complemented cereal grains to form a balanced diet. For a shepherd-king in exile or a prophet under rationing, they offered sustained energy and tissue repair. Their inclusion underscores Israel’s familiarity with diversified agriculture long before modern crop rotation principles were understood.

Theological Themes

Provision in Extremity – Both narratives appear in contexts of pressure: civil war and impending siege. The bean, commonplace yet sustaining, becomes an emblem of the Lord’s care through ordinary means (Psalm 145:15–16).

Judgment Mixed with Mercy – Ezekiel’s composite loaf signals deprivation, but its various ingredients still supply complete amino acids, hinting that discipline is tempered by grace (Lamentations 3:22–23).

Community Generosity – Barzillai’s convoy models practical hospitality that later New Testament writers enjoin (Hebrews 13:16; 3 John 5–8).

Foreshadowing and Christological Insight

Ezekiel’s bread, combining multiple grains and legumes into one loaf, prefigures the unity of diverse believers in the one body of Christ (Ephesians 2:14–16). Moreover, humble beans within that loaf anticipate the Messiah who would be born in obscurity yet become the true bread from heaven (John 6:35).

Ministry Applications

• Relief Work – The example of 2 Samuel motivates churches to couple spiritual encouragement with nutritious food distribution, especially to refugees and persecuted believers.
• Fasting and Identification – Ezekiel’s diet can guide modern fasting practices that identify with the suffering while trusting God’s sustaining hand.
• Creation Care – Recognizing legumes’ soil-enriching properties encourages stewardship in church-run agricultural projects, reflecting Genesis 2:15.

Historical Reception

Rabbinic literature lists the broad bean among seven native legumes of the Land. Early church fathers, reading Ezekiel typologically, emphasized humility in subsisting on such fare. Medieval monastic rules recommended beans for communal meals, aligning with values of simplicity and health.

Conclusion

Though mentioned only twice, פוֹל illuminates divine provision amid crisis, invites practical compassion, and subtly foreshadows the gospel’s promise that the Lord never withholds what is necessary for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3).

וּפ֥וֹל וּפ֨וֹל ופול ū·p̄ō·wl uFol ūp̄ōwlInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts