נַעֲצוּץ (na.a.tsuts)
na.a.tsuts
thorn bush
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun na’atstsûṣ refers specifically to a thorny shrub or bush, distinguishing it from larger trees. It appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both times within the book of Isaiah (Isaiah 7:23–25). The word evokes an image of wild, untamed vegetation that is difficult to traverse and offers no fruit or shade.
In its context, this plant symbolizes judgment and desolation. When God declares that the land will be covered in na’atstsûṣ, it marks a reversal of blessing; fertile ground becomes overgrown with obstacles. The term highlights how divine discipline can render productive areas useless, turning vineyards into impenetrable thickets of thorns that require significant effort to clear.
Translators typically render na’atstsûṣ as "thornbush" or "thorny shrub," capturing its rough and hazardous nature. This specific vocabulary emphasizes the severity of the prophetic warning, illustrating how spiritual barrenness manifests in physical reality. The presence of these thorns serves as a visible sign of broken covenant relationship, where the land itself resists human cultivation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word na’atstsûṣ describes a wild thorn bush that grows where cultivation has failed. In Isaiah, it marks land left to God’s discipline, turning fertile fields into tangled thickets. This image reminds us that sin and neglect can make life feel impenetrable, like walking through brambles with no fruit or shade.
Yet the prophet does not leave us in the thorns. Isaiah 55:13 promises a reversal: cypress and myrtle will replace the brier. God’s restoration turns barren ground into places of beauty and praise. When your life feels overgrown with obstacles, this word points to a hope that is both real and lasting.
Trust in His power to clear the path. Even when the land resists, God’s promise remains firm. He brings order from chaos and life from desolation, offering peace to those who seek Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ thornbushes1×
- the/ thornbush1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- הַֽ/נַּעֲצוּץ֙1×
- הַ/נַּ֣עֲצוּצִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 55:13
Instead of the thorn the cypress tree will come up; and instead of the brier the myrtle tree will come up. It will make a name for Yahweh, for an everlasting sign that will not be cut off.”
This verse uses the concept of thorns to contrast judgment with God’s restorative blessing, promising that cypress and myrtle will replace the brier as an everlasting sign of His name.