Bolled

Bolled is an archaic English term found only in Exodus 9:31 (King James Version), describing the state of the flax and barley crops at the time of the seventh plague of Egypt: “the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled”—that is, the flax had formed its seed pods and was approaching harvest. The Hebrew gibh'ol means “the calyx of flowers,” indicating blossoming or budding. Modern translations render it “in bloom” or “in bud.”

The agricultural detail is significant for dating the plagues within the Egyptian agricultural year: barley ripens in Egypt around March and flax somewhat earlier, placing the plague of hail in late winter. The wheat and spelt, not yet “bolled,” survived the hail and were harvested later. This precision reflects the narrative's interest in historical plausibility and provides incidental data about Egyptian agricultural practices that modern archaeology has confirmed.