Biblica Analytica

שֵׂךְ

sekh (H7899)

thorn

1 verses 1 books OT 1 / NT 0
AI Word Study

# H7899 (שֵׂךְ) - "Thorn" The Hebrew word *sekh* appears only once in the biblical text, making it a rare term in the scriptural vocabulary. According to the lexical data, its basic meaning is "thorn"—referring to a sharp, pointed plant growth. The single occurrence provides limited context for understanding the full range of how this word was used or what specific type of thorny plant it might reference. Because *sekh* appears just one time in the Bible, its significance cannot be established through pattern of usage or recurring theological themes. Unlike more common Hebrew words for similar botanical features, this term offers minimal evidence about how ancient Hebrew speakers distinguished it from other thorn-related vocabulary or how it functioned within broader scriptural discussions of plants, obstacles, or natural imagery. The rarity itself suggests either that this was a specialized or archaic term, or that biblical writers preferred other synonyms to convey similar meanings. For readers studying biblical Hebrew vocabulary, *sekh* serves as a reminder that the biblical text contains numerous hapax legomena—words appearing only once—whose full semantic range and cultural significance remain difficult to assess from the textual record alone.

AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.

Numbers 33:55

“But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those you let remain of them will be like pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will harass you in the land in which you dwell.