שָׂרֹק (sa.ruq)
sa.ruq
tendril
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word saruq refers to the delicate tendrils or small clusters that grow on a vine. It appears only once in the entire Old Testament, found in Isaiah 16:8. In this specific context, the prophet uses the image to describe the landscape of Moab, where these vine-shoots have withered and fallen.
Lexical sources suggest the term may be connected to the reddish color of young shoots or grapes, though its primary meaning focuses on the plant structure itself. By highlighting saruq, Isaiah emphasizes the fragility and transience of Moab’s agricultural wealth. The loss of these tender parts signals a broader devastation, stripping the land of its potential for growth and harvest.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Isaiah uses the image of a withered tendril to describe the sudden collapse of Moab’s prosperity. This single Hebrew word, appearing only once in Scripture, captures the fragility of human achievements that rely on their own strength rather than God’s provision. When the delicate shoots are broken, the entire harvest is lost, leaving nothing behind.
For your faith, this serves as a gentle reminder to anchor your hope in what endures. Earthly security can vanish as quickly as a vine stripped by storm or enemy. Yet, in acknowledging our dependence on God, we find a stability that no political power or agricultural bounty can offer. Your trust is safe in His unchanging character.
May you rest in the knowledge that while earthly things fade, God’s promises remain firm. Let this passage encourage you to seek a heritage that cannot be withered by time or trouble.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- choice grapes/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׂרוּקֶּ֔י/הָ1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 16:8
For the fields of Heshbon languish with the vine of Sibmah. The lords of the nations have broken down its choice branches, which reached even to Jazer, which wandered into the wilderness. Its shoots were spread abroad. They passed over the sea.
This verse uses the word to depict how Moab's agricultural wealth was completely stripped away, signaling total devastation.