שִׂיחַ (si.ach)
si.ach
bush
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun siach refers to a bush, shrub, or plant in its general sense. It describes low-growing vegetation rather than tall trees, capturing the humble, grounded nature of small flora found in the landscape.
This word appears only four times in the Hebrew Bible, with significant occurrences in Genesis and Job. In Genesis 2:5, it denotes the plants that had not yet grown because rain was absent, highlighting its role in describing basic vegetation. Later, in Job 30:4, those in distress are described as gathering siach by the bushes to survive, illustrating its use for wild, edible shrubs.
Its rarity in Scripture gives it a specific texture; it is not the grand cedar but the common brush. Translators typically render it simply as "bush" or "shrub," maintaining the focus on the small, resilient plant life that sustains or marks the environment without drawing attention to itself.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word siach points to the humble, low-growing vegetation that marks the earth. It is not the towering cedar but the common brush that survives in dry places. This imagery reminds us that God often works through small, unassuming means rather than grand displays of power.
In Genesis, this plant life appears before rain and human cultivation, showing that creation relies on God’s provision even when conditions seem barren. In Job, it becomes a source of survival for those in deep distress, highlighting God’s care for the vulnerable in their most difficult moments.
When you feel overlooked or small, remember that the Creator who sustains the earth also notices the smallest details of your life. His strength is made perfect in weakness, and His presence is often found in the quiet, steady resilience of everyday faith.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ bushes1×
- bushes1×
- bush[es]1×
- <the> shrub of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שִׂיחִ֥ים1×
- שִׂ֣יחַ1×
- שִׂ֑יחַ1×
- הַ/שִּׂיחִֽם\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 2:5
No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to till the ground,
This verse establishes siach as the basic vegetation that exists before human intervention, emphasizing God's role as the primary provider of life.
-
Job 30:4
They pluck salt herbs by the bushes. The roots of the broom tree are their food.
Here, the word illustrates how those in extreme poverty and distress rely on wild shrubs for sustenance, showing God's awareness of their suffering.
-
Genesis 21:15
The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs.
Hagar places Ishmael under a siach to shield him from the sun, demonstrating how even in despair, God provides shelter and care.