סְבַךְ (se.vakh)
se.vakh
thicket
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun sevakh refers to a dense thicket or tangled mass of bushes. In the Hebrew Bible, it describes thickets that serve as hiding places or shelters for animals and people alike. This word appears in Genesis 22:13, where Abraham finds a ram caught in a thicket by its horns, providing a substitute sacrifice. It also occurs in Psalm 104:22, describing how young lions roar for their prey while lying in the thicket.
The imagery evokes a place of concealment and protection within the natural world. The word carries no inherent negative connotation; rather, it highlights the complexity and density of vegetation that offers cover. In Isaiah 41:19, God promises to plant cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees in the wilderness, creating a place where even wild animals can find shelter in the thickets He establishes.
Translators typically render sevakh as "thicket" or "bushes," capturing its sense of tangled growth. The word appears only three times in Scripture, making each instance significant. Its rarity underscores the deliberate nature of these scenes where God provides provision or protection through seemingly ordinary natural features.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sevakh describes a dense thicket, a tangled mass of bushes that offers concealment and shelter. In Scripture, these thickets are not merely wild overgrowth but places where God provides for His people. When Abraham looked up on Mount Moriah, he saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns (Genesis 22:13). This unexpected provision became the substitute sacrifice, pointing forward to the ultimate Lamb who would take our place.
Thickets also serve as hiding places for animals, illustrating how creation finds rest and protection within God's design. Even when enemies cut down forests with iron axes (Isaiah 10:34), God’s sovereignty remains intact. These images remind us that in moments of uncertainty or danger, God can provide refuge and provision in ways we might not expect. The tangled branches become a place of safety, showing His care for both humans and animals.
This rare word invites us to trust that God sees what is hidden and provides what is needed. Whether in times of trial or daily life, we can rest in the knowledge that our Creator orchestrates circumstances for our good. May you find peace in knowing that no situation is beyond His reach or care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- in/ a thicket of1×
- in the/ thicket1×
- [the] thickets of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סִֽבְכֵ֥י1×
- בַּ/סְּבַ֖ךְ1×
- בִּֽ/סֲבָךְ\־1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 22:13
Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
This occurrence matters because the thicket provides the substitute sacrifice, revealing God's provision at the critical moment of testing.
-
Psalms 74:5
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
Here the thicket represents the enemy's destructive action against God's sanctuary, highlighting the vulnerability of what is precious.
-
Isaiah 10:34
He will cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.
The thickets of Lebanon fall before divine judgment, showing that even strongholds of nature cannot withstand God's might.