כָּרַם (ko.rem)
ko.rem
to tend vineyards
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb karem means to tend or dress a vineyard, focusing on the careful maintenance required for grapevines to thrive. It appears in only five verses, primarily within the prophetic books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Joel. The word is denominal, deriving from karmel, meaning "vineyard" or "garden," which highlights its specific agricultural context.
In Scripture, this term often describes the active labor of vinedressers who prune, protect, and nurture the plants. For instance, Isaiah 27:3 depicts God Himself as the one who tends His vineyard, protecting it day and night. This imagery underscores the diligence and care involved in spiritual cultivation, where the caretaker’s attention is essential for fruitfulness.
Translators typically render karem as "tend," "dress," or "keep" a vineyard. The emphasis remains on the physical act of stewardship, reflecting a relationship where growth depends on consistent, attentive care rather than passive observation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word karem describes the hands-on work of tending a vineyard. It is not enough to plant vines and walk away. The caretaker must prune, protect, and nurture the plants through every season. This active stewardship reflects how God cares for His people. He does not leave us to grow on our own but engages with us daily.
In Isaiah 27:3, God declares that He Himself is the one who tends His vineyard. This image reminds us that our spiritual fruitfulness depends on His attentive care. Just as a vinedresser works patiently through drought and storm, God remains faithful to His promises. We can trust in His steady hand.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ vinedressers2×
- and/ vinedressers/ your1×
- and/ vinedressers1×
- O vinedressers1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לְ/כֹרְמִ֖ים1×
- לְ/כֹֽרְמִ֖ים1×
- כֹּֽרְמִ֔ים1×
- וְ/כֹרְמֵי/כֶֽם\׃1×
- וְ/כֹֽרְמִ֗ים1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 61:5
Strangers will stand and feed your flocks. Foreigners will work your fields and your vineyards.
This verse contrasts the labor of foreign workers with the promised restoration of Israel, highlighting that tending the land is tied to national identity and blessing.
-
Joel 1:11
Be confounded, you farmers! Wail, you vineyard keepers, for the wheat and for the barley; for the harvest of the field has perished.
The call to vineyard keepers to wail shows how deeply agricultural labor was woven into the community's spiritual life and response to disaster.
-
II Kings 25:12
But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
Leaving the poorest behind to work the vineyards after destruction illustrates how this essential labor continued even in times of national collapse.