← H1862 H1864 →

דַּרְדַּר

𐤃𐤓𐤃𐤓

dardar

H1863 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A type of thorny or spiny plant, likely referring to a species of thistle or bramble; denotes a wild, often noxious plant that proliferates in neglected or cursed ground. Used figuratively to indicate desolation, barrenness, or the consequences of disobedience.

Semantic Range

thorn; thistle; bramble; a wild spiny plant associated with wasteland; symbol of desolation or curse

Root / Etymology

Uncertain; no consensus on a Hebrew root. The word appears to be an archaic or loanword, possibly onomatopoeic to imitate the sound made when brushing against thorns. No clear Semitic cognates have been identified.

Historical & Contextual Notes

דַּרְדַּר (dardar) is a hapax legomenon in Genesis 3:18, appearing again in Hosea 10:8. In Genesis, it marks the result of the ground being cursed after human disobedience, suggesting a wild, untamed plant associated with judgment and adversity. In Hosea 10:8, it appears alongside חוֹחַ (choach, 'thorn'), reinforcing a theme of wild, spiny growth as a symbol of desolation in idolatrous sites after judgment. Later translations (e.g., English 'thistle') reflect this, but the precise botanical identification remains uncertain, and the word does not correspond neatly to any known Near Eastern plant species. In post-biblical Hebrew, dardar does not continue, and later rabbinic discussions identify it variously as thistle, burr, or bramble. The term is distinct from other Hebrew words for thorny plants (חוֹחַ, נַעֲצוּץ), further emphasizing its unique literary usage. English translations may obscure the original nuance by standardizing to 'thistle' or 'thorn.'

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; a thorn; thistle.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain thorn, spiny plant, bramble
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1863-01 וְ/דַרְדַּ֖ר vedaredar HC/Ncmsa and thistles thorn-bush and thistle 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1863-01 Genesis 3:18 וְ/דַרְדַּ֖ר vedaredar HC/Ncmsa and thistles thorn-bush and thistle
H1863-01 Hosea 10:8 וְ/דַרְדַּ֔ר vedaredar HC/Ncmsa and thistles thorn-bush and thorn-bush
← H1862 Hebrew Lexicon H1864 →