Used in:
- Mosiah 6:12 [9:9]
- III Nephi 8:51 [18:18] (metaphor)
What does the Book of Mormon state?
- It's mentioned only once during the Nephite times
- It is a plant that is planted by seed
At face value - Did wheat exist in the New World?
Statement
- Hebrew
- "chittah" (Strong's 2406) - wheat, whether the grain or the plant
- "bar" (Strong's 1250) - grain of any kind
- "dagan" (Strong's 1715) - corn or wheat
Assessment
- Still under investigation
- Wheat can refer to any grain, just like corn can refer to any grain
Additional Material
- The Nephites took seeds with them
- I Nephi 2:40 [8:1] And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind; both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruits of every kind.
- I Nephi 5:214 [18:24] And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds, yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem.
- The species of seeds taken were not specified, however, the seven primary staples of Jerusalem were:
- Wheat (Strong's 1250 bar, 1715 dagan, 2406 chittah, 2591 chinta', and 7383 riyphah)
- Barley (Stromg's 8184 s'orah and 8188 S'oriym)
- Grapes (Strong's 811 'eshkowl, 891 b'ushiym, 1219 batsar, 1660 gath, 3342 yeqeb, 5955 'olelah, 6333 puwrah, 6778 tsammuwq, 7818 sachat, and 8321 soreq)
- Figs (Strong's 1063 bikkuwrah, 1073 bakkurah, 1790 dak, 4929 mishmar, 4931 mishmereth, 6291 pag, and 8384 t'en)
- Pomegranates (Strong's 1667 Gath-Rimmown, 5884 `Eyn, 7416 rimmown, and 7428 Rimmon)
- Olives (Strong's 2132 zayit, 2133 Zeythan, and 8081 shemen)
- So, if seeds were taken, these would be the primary candidates
