סֹבֶךְ
𐤎𐤁𐤊
çôbek
H5441 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A dense growth of shrubs, bushes, or small trees; thicket, copse. The term denotes an area thickly overgrown with vegetation, primarily characterized by physical density and impenetrability. Used to describe a patch or clump of tangled low trees or shrubs, often difficult to pass through.
Semantic Range
thicket, dense undergrowth, tangled growth of shrubs or trees, copse, patch of impenetrable vegetation
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root סבך (sabakh), meaning 'to entwine, interweave, entangle.' The noun סֹבֶךְ (sovekh) is a derivative structure indicating the product or result of such intertwining, i.e., a tangled growth or thicket.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term is rare in the Hebrew Bible, occurring in passages where terrain or landscape features are described as overgrown and difficult to traverse. Notably, in Ezekiel 31:3, it describes the dense undergrowth found beneath the tall cedars of Assyria, serving as a literary image for a lush and impenetrable forest. The associated root סבך carries the idea of physical entanglement or complex intertwining, reflected in the use of סֹבֶךְ for a dense thicket or copse. There are related words (e.g., סְבָךְ) that are sometimes used in similar senses, emphasizing tangled or interlaced vegetation. English translations usually render it as 'thicket,' 'copse,' or 'dense undergrowth,' and this adequately conveys its meaning in context, though it can also suggest the image of a secluded or protected spot due to density. The term does not carry specific connotations relating to cultivated land or groves intended for agricultural use, distinguishing it from words like חֹרֶשׁ (woodland, grove) or יַעַר (forest, woods). The semantic nuance is thus one of physical density and entanglement in natural vegetation rather than cultivated or open woodland.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from סָבַךְ; a copse; thicket.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סבך (s-b-k) — to intertwine, to entangle, to interweave
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5440 | סָבַךְ | entwined ones |
| H5442 | סְבָךְ | in the tangled thicket |
| H5443 | סַבְּכָא | interwoven lyre |
| H5444 | סִבְּכַי | Sibbekai |
| H7730 | שׂוֹבֶךְ | interwoven thicket of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5441-01 |
מִֽ/סֻּבְּכ֔/וֹ | misubekho | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his thicket | his tangled thicket | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5441-01 |
Jeremiah 4:7 | מִֽ/סֻּבְּכ֔/וֹ | misubekho | HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms |
from his thicket | his tangled thicket |