כֹּרֵם
𐤊𐤓𐤌
kôrêm
H3755 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A person who tends, cultivates, or manages a vineyard; vinedresser. In contexts where care for grape vines is central, denotes the laborer or owner responsible for the planting, pruning, cultivation, and maintenance of the vineyard. Can refer generically to a vineyard worker, without specifying status as owner or hired labor.
Semantic Range
vine-dresser, vineyard worker, one who tends a vineyard, cultivator of vines
Root / Etymology
From the root כרם (k-r-m), which primarily means 'vineyard.' כֹּרֵם is a participial form derived from this noun, signifying one who works or manages a vineyard. This is consistent with the formation of agent-nouns in Hebrew via the Qal active participle pattern. The word is not directly attested as a verb in the Hebrew Bible; rather, it is formed from the noun כרם.
Historical & Contextual Notes
כֹּרֵם appears only rarely in the Hebrew Bible (notably in 2 Kings 25:12, Isaiah 61:5, Jeremiah 52:16), always paired or grouped with other agricultural laborers such as those who till the ground. The term refers to the individual responsible for the direct care and management of a vineyard, typically emphasizing the manual labor aspect rather than landownership or noble status. This distinction is important in contrast with more generic terms for agricultural laborers or land owners. The word continued to be used in Post-Biblical Hebrew with the meaning of 'vine-dresser.' In English translations, it is sometimes rendered as 'vinedresser' or 'vineyard worker,' but care must be taken not to assume connotations of social status or profession as in later periods. The use of כֹּרֵם as a participle of a non-attested verb is a feature of Hebrew's productive morphology, but there is no evidence for an actual denominative verb in the biblical corpus. In exilic and post-exilic contexts, references to כֹּרֵם highlight societal structure and agricultural restoration (e.g., the keeping or reappointing of כֹּרְמִים after devastation). The semantic range in biblical usage is consistent and specialized, unlike broader terms for farm worker or servant.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
active participle of an imaginary denominative from כֶּרֶם; a vinedresser; vine dresser (as one or two words).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כרם (k-r-m) — vineyard, vine cultivation, tending vines
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3754 | כֶּרֶם | in the vineyards |
| H3756 | כַּרְמִי | Vineyard-born one |
| H3757 | כַּרְמִי | the Karmite |
| H3759 | כַּרְמֶל | in the fertile land |
| H3760 | כַּרְמֶל | in the fertile-land region |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3755-02 |
לְ/כֹֽרְמִ֖ים | lekhoremim | HR/Ncmpa |
for vinedressers | to vine-dressers | 2 |
H3755-01 |
כֹּֽרְמִ֔ים | koremim | HNcmpa |
O vinedressers | vineyard-tenders | 1 |
H3755-04 |
וְ/כֹֽרְמִ֗ים | vekhoremim | HC/Ncmpa |
and vinedressers | and vineyard-tenders | 1 |
H3755-03 |
וְ/כֹרְמֵי/כֶֽם | vekhoremeykhem | HC/Ncmpc/Sp2mp |
and your vinedressers | and your vineyard-tenders | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3755-02 |
2 Kings 25:12 | לְ/כֹֽרְמִ֖ים | lekhoremim | HR/Ncmpa |
vinedressers | to vine-dressers |
H3755-03 |
Isaiah 61:5 | וְ/כֹרְמֵי/כֶֽם | vekhoremeykhem | HC/Ncmpc/Sp2mp |
and your vinedressers | and your vineyard-tenders |
H3755-02 |
Jeremiah 52:16 | לְ/כֹרְמִ֖ים | lekhoremim | HR/Ncmpa |
for vinedressers | to vine-dressers |
H3755-01 |
Joel 1:11 | כֹּֽרְמִ֔ים | koremim | HNcmpa |
O vinedressers | vineyard-tenders |
H3755-04 |
2 Chronicles 26:10 | וְ/כֹֽרְמִ֗ים | vekhoremim | HC/Ncmpa |
and vinedressers | and vineyard-tenders |