שֹׂרֵק
a vine stock (properly, one yielding purple grapes, the richest variety)
Definition
The Hebrew noun שֹׁרֵק (sôrêq) refers to a choice, high-quality vine stock, specifically one that produces dark red or purple grapes, which were considered the finest for winemaking. In its three biblical occurrences, it consistently denotes a superior, cultivated vine, often symbolizing God's special care and provision. In Genesis 49:11, Judah is poetically described as tying his donkey to a שֹׁרֵק, a 'choice vine,' signifying abundance and blessing. In the prophetic books, the word is used metaphorically: Isaiah 5:2 and Jeremiah 2:21 both depict Israel as a שֹׁרֵק which God planted with expectation, but which produced wild or bad fruit instead.
Biblical Usage
The word is used three times in the Old Testament, always in poetic or prophetic contexts. It appears once in the Torah (Genesis 49:11) in Jacob's blessing, and twice in the Prophets (Isaiah 5:2; Jeremiah 2:21) within vineyard parables. In all cases, it describes a vine of exceptional, cultivated quality, planted intentionally for a good harvest. Its usage patterns highlight a movement from a literal symbol of prosperity (Genesis) to a powerful metaphor for God's people, chosen and nurtured by Him but failing to meet His expectations (Isaiah, Jeremiah).
Etymology
The noun שֹׁרֵק (sôrêq) derives from the root שׁרק (šrq), which carries a sense of being red or scarlet. This root is seen in the verb שׁרק (H8319, šāraq), meaning 'to be red' or 'to whistle/hiss,' with the color association likely linked to the sound of squeezing red grapes. The related adjective שׁרוק (H8320, řāruq) means 'bright red.' Thus, the word's etymology directly points to the prized dark-red or purple grapes the vine produces.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as a key metaphor for God's relationship with Israel. As a 'choice vine,' Israel was intentionally selected, planted in a good land, and nurtured for the purpose of bearing righteous fruit (justice and righteousness, per Isaiah 5:7). The failure of this vine in Isaiah 5 and Jeremiah 2 underscores the tragedy of covenant unfaithfulness. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these passages, emphasizing that Israel's failure was not due to God's poor provision, but to their own rebellion despite being given the very best spiritual resources.
In ancient Near Eastern agriculture, a 'choice vine' (שֹׁרֵק) represented a significant investment. It was a cultivated, grafted stock known for producing the darkest, sweetest grapes, which yielded the most valuable and potent wine ('choice wine,' as the KJV translates it). This contrasts with wild, uncultivated vines that produced inferior fruit. The metaphor would have been immediately powerful to an agrarian society: God did not plant Israel as a common or wild vine, but as the most precious and promising cultivar, making their subsequent failure all the more shocking.
גפן (gephen, H1612) — The general Hebrew word for 'vine' or 'vineyard'; שֹׁרֵק specifies a choice, red-grape variety. שׁורה (šûrâ, H8291) — A synonym also meaning 'choice vine,' used in parallel with שֹׁרֵק in Isaiah 5:2.
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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