כֶּרֶם
a garden or vineyard
Definition
כֶּרֶם (kerem) primarily refers to a cultivated plot of land, most often a vineyard for growing grapes, but can also denote an orchard or garden. In the majority of its 82 occurrences, it specifically means a vineyard, as seen when Noah plants a vineyard (Genesis 9:20) or in the laws concerning gleaning (Leviticus 19:10). In some poetic contexts, it can symbolize Israel itself as God's cherished planting (e.g., Isaiah 5:1-7). The word emphasizes intentional cultivation and ownership, distinct from wild or common land.
Biblical Usage
The word is used throughout the Old Testament, especially in legal texts (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers) detailing laws about vineyards, such as Sabbath rest for the land (Exodus 23:11, Leviticus 25:3-4) and restitution for damage (Exodus 22:5). It appears in historical narratives (Numbers 20:17) and wisdom/prophetic literature, where it is a powerful metaphor. For example, in Isaiah 5, Israel is portrayed as God's vineyard that yielded wild grapes, illustrating covenant failure.
Etymology
The noun כֶּרֶם (kerem) derives from an unused Semitic root, likely related to the concept of 'to dig' or 'to cultivate,' as preparing a vineyard required trenching. Cognates appear in other Semitic languages like Ugaritic and Aramaic with similar meanings. The development of meaning from a general cultivated plot to a specialized vineyard reflects the agricultural importance of grape cultivation in ancient Israel.
Semantic Range
The vineyard is a rich theological symbol in Scripture. כֶּרֶם represents God's provision, covenant relationship, and patient care for His people (Psalm 80:8-16, Isaiah 27:2-6). It also symbolizes Israel's spiritual fruitfulness or failure (Isaiah 5:1-7, Jeremiah 2:21). In the New Testament, Jesus uses the vineyard in parables (Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 21:33-46), building on this Hebrew concept to teach about the kingdom of God, inheritance, and judgment.
In ancient Israel, a כֶּרֶם was a vital economic asset and required significant labor—planting, terracing, building walls and watchtowers (Isaiah 5:2). It was a symbol of peace, prosperity, and settled life (1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4). Unlike a simple field, a vineyard implied long-term investment and care. Understanding this cultural backdrop illuminates passages about inheritance, loss (Judges 9:27), and prophetic judgments predicting the vineyard's destruction as a sign of national calamity.
גֶּפֶן (gephen, H1612) — specifically the grape vine plant itself, whereas כֶּרֶם is the entire cultivated vineyard. בָּצָר (batsar, H1210) — the act of gathering grapes or the vintage, the product of the כֶּרֶם. פַּרְדֵּס (pardes, H6508) — a park, orchard, or pleasure garden, often of trees, less specific to grapes.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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