Hay

Hay as a preserved fodder crop was not in common use among the ancient Hebrews; fresh grass and straw (teben) were the typical feeds for livestock. The Hebrew terms translated "hay" in the KJV refer primarily to fresh grass (hasir) or the aftermath of mowing. Proverbs 27:25 describes the agricultural cycle: "The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered" — a picture of the spring flush of vegetation followed by harvest. Isaiah 15:6 uses withered grass as an image of desolation: "The hay is withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing."

In the New Testament, Paul uses hay alongside wood, gold, and silver as building materials that represent different qualities of spiritual work built on the foundation of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:12). Hay and stubble are combustible materials that will be consumed by the fire of divine testing at the day of judgment, representing superficial or temporally motivated ministry in contrast to the durable work of gold, silver, and precious stones.