Fitch

קֶצַח/FICH-ez/

“Black cummin”

Summary

A plant identified as black cummin (Nigella sativa), an annual herb whose aromatic seeds were used as a condiment and were harvested by beating with a rod rather than threshing.

☩Identification

The Hebrew word qetsach, translated 'fitches' in Isaiah 28:25-27, refers to black cummin (Nigella sativa), also called 'nutmeg flower.' This is an annual herb of the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), with black seeds having a warm aromatic flavor used as a condiment. The seeds were sprinkled over bread in Palestine as they were by ancient Greeks and Romans, and have carminative properties aiding digestion.

Key verses:Isaiah 28:25-27

☩Agricultural Method

Isaiah 28:25-27 describes the farmer's wisdom in both planting and harvesting fitches. They are scattered (broadcast) rather than planted in rows. Because the seeds are delicate and readily release from the pods, they are beaten out with rods rather than crushed under a threshing wheel or sledge. The prophet uses this agricultural knowledge to illustrate God's wisdom in proportioning His discipline to human capacity—the contrast between the stouter staff for fitches and the lighter rod for cummin is instructive.

Key verses:Isaiah 28:25Isaiah 28:27

☩Ezekiel's Reference

In Ezekiel 4:9, a different Hebrew word (kuccemim) is translated 'fitches' in some versions, but this likely refers to spelt, a variety of wheat, rather than black cummin. The context there describes bread made from a mixture of grains during the siege, not the aromatic herb of Isaiah.

Key verses:Ezekiel 4:9