שָׂרִיג (sa.rig)
sa.rig
tendril
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The noun sarig refers to a slender shoot, tendril, or small branch. It appears only three times in the Hebrew Bible, primarily in poetic or prophetic contexts where it describes delicate plant parts. In Genesis 30:37, Jacob strips branches to create striped patterns for his flock, though the text specifies he used rods of poplar and almond rather than sarig itself; however, the word appears in Joel 1:7 and 1:12 to describe how locusts have stripped vines, leaving their tender shoots bare.
This term highlights the fragility of new growth. Unlike words for sturdy trunks or thick limbs, sarig suggests something young and vulnerable, easily damaged by pests or weather. Its limited usage underscores how specific imagery in Scripture can convey precise agricultural realities. The word’s presence in Joel emphasizes devastation, as the loss of these delicate shoots signals the end of harvest and divine judgment.
Translators often render sarig as "tendril" or "twig," capturing its slender nature. Its rarity makes each occurrence significant, anchoring abstract concepts like judgment or provision in tangible, observable details of daily life. By focusing on such small elements, the biblical authors ground spiritual truths in the physical world readers would recognize.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sarig describes a slender tendril or young shoot, capturing the delicate nature of new plant growth. In the biblical text, this imagery often points to vulnerability and fragility. When Joel uses it, he paints a picture of devastation where locusts have stripped these tender parts from vines. This loss signals not just agricultural failure but a moment of deep sorrow and divine judgment.
For your faith life, this word reminds us that God sees the small, often overlooked details of our existence. Just as a tendril is essential for a vine to reach toward the sun, these subtle elements matter in God’s design. Even when circumstances feel stripped bare, like the vines in Joel’s prophecy, there is hope in restoration. God cares about the fragile beginnings and the quiet growth that sustains us.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ branches1×
- branches/ its1×
- branches1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׂרִיגֶֽי/הָ\׃1×
- שָׂרִיגִ֑ם1×
- הַ/שָּׂ֣רִגִ֔ים1×
Key Verses
-
Joel 1:7
He has laid my vine waste, and stripped my fig tree. He has stripped its bark, and thrown it away. Its branches are made white.
This verse uses the imagery of stripped branches to illustrate the total devastation caused by locusts, highlighting the word's connection to loss and judgment.