שֵׂךְ
a brier (as of a hedge)
Definition
The Hebrew noun שׁיך (sêk) refers specifically to a sharp, thorny plant, best understood as a 'brier' or 'prick'. It denotes a type of thorn or thorn-bush used in constructing hedges or barriers. In its single biblical occurrence in Numbers 33:55, it is used metaphorically to describe the severe and painful consequences that will afflict the Israelites if they fail to drive out the inhabitants of Canaan. The word emphasizes a sharp, irritating, and persistent source of trouble, not merely a physical plant.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the entire Old Testament, in Numbers 33:55. It appears in a prophetic warning from God to Israel. The context is Moses's final instructions before Israel enters the Promised Land. The word is used figuratively: the remaining Canaanites will become 'pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides' (KJV), meaning they will be a constant source of irritation, pain, and danger to the nation's spiritual and physical well-being.
Etymology
The noun שׁיך (sêk) is derived from the root סכך (sākak, H5526), which means 'to cover, screen, or hedge in'. It is closely related to שוך (sūk, H7753), meaning 'to hedge or fence up'. Thus, the word's origin connects the idea of a protective hedge or barrier with the sharp, thorny plants typically used to construct one. Its meaning developed from the physical material (a thorny branch) to the metaphorical concept of a painful hindrance.
Semantic Range
Theologically, this word is significant as it encapsulates the consequence of disobedience and incomplete obedience to God's commands. In Numbers 33:55, failing to fully possess the land (a symbol of God's promise and holiness) results in a lingering, painful problem. It teaches that partial obedience leaves behind 'thorns' that can plague God's people, hindering their relationship with Him and their enjoyment of His blessings. Understanding this metaphor enriches the reading of other 'thorn' imagery in Scripture regarding sin and its consequences.
In ancient Near Eastern agriculture, thorny bushes were commonly used to create inexpensive, effective barriers for vineyards, fields, and livestock pens. These hedges provided protection but required careful handling to avoid injury. The metaphor in Numbers 33:55 would have been immediately understood by an agrarian society: just as a small, neglected thorn in a hedge could grow into a major nuisance causing persistent pain and infection, so would a tolerated pocket of Canaanite culture and idolatry become a source of continual spiritual and social affliction for Israel.
קוץ (qôts, H6975) — A more general term for 'thorn' or 'thistle', often representing a nuisance or the curse of the ground (Genesis 3:18). ברקן (barqān, H1303) — A specific type of thorn or brier, also used metaphorically for wicked men (2 Samuel 23:6, Proverbs 15:19). נצץ (nāṣāṣ, H5327) — A thorn-bush, used literally for fuel (Ecclesiastes 7:6) and metaphorically for the fate of the wicked (Nahum 1:10).
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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