Bible Word Study
אֱגוֹז
ʼĕgôwz · a nut
אֱגוֹז
a nut
Definition
The Hebrew word אֱגוֹז refers specifically to a nut, most likely a walnut, as understood in its ancient Near Eastern context. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Song of Solomon 6:11, where it is used in a poetic description of a lush, fruitful garden. In this passage, the nut tree is listed among other beautiful and aromatic plants, contributing to a scene of natural abundance and delight. The term does not carry multiple distinct meanings in the biblical text, but its singular use paints a vivid picture of fertility and beauty.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only one time in the entire Old Testament, in Song of Solomon 6:11. In this verse, the speaker describes going down to see the blossoms in the valley, to see whether the vines had budded and the pomegranates were in bloom, mentioning the 'nut' (אֱגוֹז) trees as part of the garden's splendor. Its usage is purely descriptive within the rich, metaphorical landscape of the Song of Solomon, contributing to the book's themes of love, beauty, and natural imagery.
Etymology
The word אֱגוֹז (ʼĕgôwz) is likely a loanword from Persian, entering Biblical Hebrew through cultural and trade contacts. This foreign origin is common for terms denoting specific flora or products not native to the Israelite region. Cognates are found in other Semitic languages like Aramaic and Syriac, also meaning 'nut' or specifically 'walnut,' indicating a shared term for this imported commodity in the ancient world.
Semantic Range
In the ancient Near East, nuts like walnuts were valued luxury items, often imported and associated with gardens of kings or the wealthy. They symbolized fertility, prosperity, and cultivated beauty. The mention in Song of Solomon 6:11 places the nut tree within an idealized, enclosed garden (a 'gan'), a common metaphor for a beloved or a place of intimate relationship, enhancing the poetic imagery of preciousness and delight. פֶּרִי (periy, H6529) — A general term for 'fruit,' whereas אֱגוֹז specifies a type of nut. תְּאֵנָה (te'ĕnâ, H8384) — Refers specifically to a 'fig,' another type of tree fruit common in the region.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]