קִיקָיוֹן (qi.qa.von)
qi.qa.von
plant
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun qiqayon refers to a fast-growing plant mentioned only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Jonah 4:6-8. The text describes it as providing shade for Jonah, though its rapid withering causes him distress. While the exact species is debated, scholars generally identify it as either a castor-oil plant or a bottle-gourd, both known for their vigorous growth and broad leaves.
This brief botanical detail serves a theological purpose rather than an agricultural one. The plant’s sudden appearance and equally sudden death mirror Jonah’s own emotional volatility. God uses the qiqayon to illustrate a lesson about compassion: if Jonah cares so deeply for a temporary plant he did not cultivate, how much more should he care for the people of Nineveh? The word highlights the contrast between human self-interest and divine mercy.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word qiqayon appears only once in Scripture, within the story of Jonah. It describes a plant that grows overnight to provide shade for the prophet, then withers just as quickly when God sends a worm. This brief botanical detail is not about gardening; it is a living parable. The plant’s sudden rise and fall mirror Jonah’s own emotional volatility, highlighting how easily we attach our comfort to temporary things.
God uses this fleeting shade to teach a profound lesson about compassion. If Jonah felt such intense distress over a plant he did not plant or nurture, how much more should God care for the people of Nineveh? The word reminds us that human concern often focuses on personal ease rather than divine mercy. It invites us to examine where our hearts truly lie.
When life feels unstable, we can look to this story for perspective. Our comforts are like the qiqayon—brief and beyond our control. Yet God’s care for His creation is steadfast. We are invited to shift our focus from what we lose to whom He loves, finding rest in a mercy that outlasts every season of change.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ plant4×
- a plant1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קִיקָי֞וֹן1×
- הַ/קִּֽיקָי֖וֹן1×
- הַ/קִּֽיקָי֖וֹן1×
- הַ/קִּֽיקָי֑וֹן1×
- הַ/קִּ֣יקָי֔וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Jonah 4:6
Yahweh God prepared a vine and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the vine.
This verse introduces the qiqayon as a divine provision of shade, showing how God meets Jonah’s immediate physical discomfort.
-
Jonah 4:7
But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine so that it withered.
The sudden withering of the plant demonstrates God’s sovereignty over nature and sets the stage for His lesson on compassion.
-
Jonah 4:10
Yahweh said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up in a night and perished in a night.
God contrasts Jonah’s concern for the unearned plant with His own care for Nineveh, revealing the heart of divine mercy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does qiqayon mean in Jonah 4?
Why is qiqayon significant in the book of Jonah?
How is qiqayon different from other plant words in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (4 verses across 1 books)
Jonah 4 verses
Yahweh God prepared a vine and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head to deliver him…
Jonah 4:7But God prepared a worm at dawn the next day, and it chewed on the vine so that it withered.
Jonah 4:9God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the vine?” He said, “I am right to be angry, even to death.”
Jonah 4:10Yahweh said, “You have been concerned for the vine, for which you have not labored, neither made it grow; which came up…