נַעֲצוּץ
probably a brier; by implication, a thicket of thorny bushes
Definition
The Hebrew word נַעֲצוּץ (naʻătsûwts) refers to a thorny or prickly plant, most likely a specific type of brier or thornbush. It denotes a wild, undesirable plant that grows in thickets, contrasting with cultivated, useful vegetation. In Isaiah 7:19, it describes the inhospitable, thorn-covered terrain where invaders will settle, symbolizing desolation. In Isaiah 55:13, it is the plant that God promises to replace with the fragrant myrtle tree, representing a transformation from curse to blessing within the redeemed landscape.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in the book of Isaiah. Its usage is consistently metaphorical, representing something undesirable, wild, and cursed that stands in opposition to God's fruitful and peaceful order. In Isaiah 7:19, it depicts the harsh, uncultivated land associated with foreign invasion. In Isaiah 55:13, it is the emblematic plant God removes as part of His cosmic renewal and the establishment of an everlasting covenant sign.
Etymology
Derived from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to prick' or 'to pierce,' which directly informs its meaning as a sharp, thorny plant. It is part of a semantic field of words for thorns and thistles, sharing a conceptual root with other words for pointed or piercing objects. The formation of the noun emphasizes its characteristic of causing puncture wounds.
Semantic Range
נַעֲצוּץ is theologically significant as a symbol of the curse, desolation, and the antithesis of God's fruitful blessing. Its use in Isaiah 55:13 is pivotal, as its promised replacement by the myrtle is a direct reversal of the curse from Genesis 3:18, signaling eschatological redemption and the renewal of creation. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these prophecies by highlighting the concrete botanical imagery God uses to depict spiritual transformation from barrenness to beauty.
In ancient Israelite agriculture, thorny plants like the נַעֲצוּץ were a serious practical problem, invading fields, harming livestock, and representing wasted, uncultivable land. They were not merely minor weeds but symbols of agricultural failure and cursed ground. This cultural reality gives power to its biblical use as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness and divine judgment, a meaning that would be immediately grasped by an agrarian society.
חוֹחַ (chowach, H2336) — a more general term for thorn or bramble; used for the crown of thorns. סִלּוֹן (cillown, H7898) — a thorn or prickle, often implying a hook or barb. שָׂמִיר (samiyr, H8068) — a thorny plant, also translated as 'diamond' for its hardness; denotes something sharp and punishing.
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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