שָׁחִיס
aftergrowth
Definition
The Hebrew noun שָׁחִיס (shâchîyç) refers specifically to the 'aftergrowth' or second crop that sprouts from the same root system after the initial harvest. It describes the natural regrowth that occurs in fields, particularly in the context of grain, without requiring new sowing. In its two biblical occurrences, it is used in a prophetic sign given by God through Isaiah to King Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:29, Isaiah 37:30). The word signifies a provision of food that emerges spontaneously from the land, distinct from a deliberately planted harvest.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, in parallel prophetic passages (2 Kings 19:29 and Isaiah 37:30). In both contexts, it is part of a divine sign promising survival and provision. God tells the besieged people of Judah that they will eat the 'aftergrowth' (שָׁחִיס) that springs up in the third year. This usage highlights a source of sustenance that comes directly from God's provision in the land, bypassing normal agricultural cycles disrupted by war.
Etymology
The word שָׁחִיס (or the variant סָחִישׁ) derives from an unused Hebrew root meaning 'to sprout' or 'to grow again.' It is related to the concept of spontaneous growth from an existing source. While direct cognates in other Semitic languages are uncertain, the root idea connects to natural, regenerative plant life.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it illustrates God's sovereign provision and faithfulness in times of crisis. In the sign to Hezekiah, the aftergrowth represents God's ability to sustain His people miraculously when normal means of production (sowing and harvesting) are impossible due to Assyrian invasion. It underscores a theology of divine sustenance and trust in God's promise to preserve a remnant, enriching the reader's understanding of God as the provider even in devastation.
In ancient Israelite agriculture, the concept of aftergrowth was well understood. Fields were often left fallow or would naturally produce a second, weaker crop from the remaining roots of harvested grains. This regrowth was typically available for grazing or could be gathered as a supplementary food source. The prophetic use of this term would have resonated with an agrarian society, signifying a basic, God-given means of survival when planned farming was disrupted.
תְּבוּאָה (tebûʼâh, H8393) — a general term for 'produce' or 'harvest,' from sowing, whereas שָׁחִיס is specific, unsown regrowth. יֶבֶל (yevel, H2981) — can mean 'produce' or 'fruit,' often of the soil more broadly, not specifically a second growth.
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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