fitches Summary and Overview

(Isa. 28:25, 27), the rendering of the Hebrew "ketsah", "without doubt the Nigella sativa, a small annual of the order Ranunculacece, which grows wild in the Mediterranean countries, and is cultivated in Egypt and Syria for its seed." It is rendered in margin of the Revised Version "black cummin." The seeds are used as a condiment. In Ezek. 4:9 this word is the rendering of the Hebrew "kussemeth" (incorrectly rendered "rye" in the Authorized Version of Ex. 9:32 and Isa. 28:25, but "spelt" in the Revised Version). The reading "fitches" here is an error; it should be "spelt."

(i.e. VETCHES), without doubt the Nigella sativa, an herbaceous annual plant belonging to the natural order Ranunculaceoe (the buttercup family), which grows in the south of Europe and in the north of Africa. Its black seeds are used like pepper, and have almost as pungent a taste. The Syrians sprinkle these seeds over their flat cakes before they are baked. [SEE RYE]

FITCH'ES , a plant (Nigella sativa) of the buttercup family. Isa 28:25. Some species are cultivated in our Fennel Flower, or Fitches. (Nigella Sativa. After Carruthers.) flower-gardens under such names as "love-in-a-mist." Fitches are grown for their small black, hot-tasting seeds, which are sprinkled over the flat cakes of the Syrians before they are baked These tender seeds are still beaten out with a stout staff, as described in Isa 28:27. "Fitches," in Eze 4:9, should read, as in the margin, "spelt." See Rye.

KJV term for two different plants. The first is black cummin (Isaiah 28:25,Isaiah 28:27). Ezekiel 4:9 refers to either spelt, an inferior type of wheat (NAS, NIV, TEV), or else vetches (REB), a plant of the bean family. See Plants in the Bible.