יַעְרָה (ya.a.rah)
ya.a.rah
honeycomb
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ya‘arah primarily denotes a dense forest or woodland, yet it appears only once in the Old Testament with a distinct meaning: honeycomb. This single occurrence is found in 1 Samuel 14:27, where Jonathan, exhausted from battle, dips his staff into the honeycomb to sustain himself.
This usage represents a metonymy, where the word for the place where bees dwell stands in for the product itself. The context highlights physical depletion; Jonathan’s strength returns only after consuming this natural sweetener. While the root usually evokes images of thick trees and shadows, here it points to the sustenance found within them.
Translators consistently render this specific instance as "honeycomb" or simply "honey," recognizing that the literal "forest" would make no sense in the narrative. The word’s rarity in this form underscores how context can shift a common noun into a specific, vivid detail of daily life and survival.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ya'arah usually describes a thick forest, but in this single instance, it points to something sweet and sustaining found within the woods. Jonathan, exhausted from battle, dips his staff into the honeycomb and feels his strength return. This shift from a place of shadows to a source of life reminds us that God often provides refreshment in unexpected ways.
When you feel drained by long seasons of waiting or struggle, remember that sustenance is available even when you are too weak to seek it actively. Jonathan’s eyes brightened simply because he received what his body needed. It is a gentle reminder that God cares for your physical and spiritual fatigue, offering rest and renewal in the midst of your journey.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ [the] honeycomb of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בְּ/יַעְרַ֣ת1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 14:27
But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened.
This verse uniquely uses ya'arah to mean honeycomb rather than forest, showing how Jonathan’s physical exhaustion was met with immediate, tangible refreshment.