H2793 H2793
A wood, forest, or wooded height; a thicketed highland area used for concealment or construction
This noun denotes a forested area or wooded height, closely related to Assyrian hurshu (wooded highland). It appears most memorably in the David and Saul narratives, where David hides in the 'forest of Ziph' (1 Sam 23:15-19), with the terrain described alongside hills and strongholds. In 2 Chronicles 27:4, Jotham builds fortresses and towers 'in the forests,' pairing woodland with highland construction. The word evokes not merely trees but elevated, densely wooded terrain offering natural refuge.
Senses
1. forest, wooded height, thicket — A wood, forest, or wooded height — a tract of dense tree cover typically on elevated terrain. The narrative usage in 1 Samuel 23:15-19 pairs it with 'mountain' and 'stronghold,' indicating forested highlands suitable for hiding. In 2 Chronicles 27:4 it designates woodland areas where Jotham erected fortifications. Spanish 'bosque' and English 'forest/thicket' both capture the terrain, while the Assyrian cognate hurshu confirms the sense of wooded elevation rather than lowland jungle. 7×
AR["الْغَابَةِ", "غَابَةً", "فِي-الْغَابَةِ", "وَ-بِـ-الْغَابَاتِ", "وَغَابَةٌ"]·ben["-বনের", "আর-ঘন", "ও-বনে", "বনে", "সেই-বনে"]·DE["[החרש]", "[ובחרשים]", "[וחרש]", "forest", "in-der-forest"]·EN["and-in-the-forests", "and-thicket-of-", "forest", "in-the-forest", "the-forest"]·FR["[החרש]", "[ובחרשים]", "dans-le-forest", "et-bois-vert", "forest"]·heb["ב-ה-חורשה", "ה-חורש", "ו-ב-ה-חרשים", "ו-חורש", "חורשה"]·HI["और-घना", "और-जंगलों-में", "जंगल", "वन-में"]·ID["dan-di-hutan-hutan", "dan-hutan", "di-Horesa", "hutan", "ke-Horesa"]·IT["[החרש]", "[ובחרשים]", "[וחרש]", "foresta", "in-il-foresta"]·jav["ing-wana", "lan-wana", "lan-wonten-ing-wana-wana", "wana"]·KO["그리고-숙의-", "그리고-숲-에", "숲과", "숲에서", "숲으로"]·PT["e-bosque-de", "e-nas-florestas", "no-bosque", "o-bosque"]·RU["в-лес", "в-лесу", "и-в-лесах", "и-лесом", "леса"]·ES["al-bosque", "el-bosque", "en-el-bosque", "y-bosque-de", "y-en-los-bosques"]·SW["katika-msitu", "kwa-msitu", "msitu", "na-katika-misitu", "na-msitu"]·TR["-ormanda", "ormana", "ormanin", "ve-orman", "ve-ormanlarda"]·urd["اور-جنگل", "اور-جنگلوں-میں", "جنگل", "جنگل-میں", "جنگل-میں۔"]
Related Senses
H3754 1. vineyard, cultivated grape plot (92×)H0730 1. cedar tree or wood (73×)H1612 1. vine, grapevine (55×)H3293a 1. forest, wood, thicket (55×)H5560 1. fine flour (53×)H5193 1. plant vegetation (48×)H2232 1. sow seed, plant crops (41×)H1715 1. grain, cereal crop (40×)H7114b 1. reap, harvest grain (36×)H2132 1. olive tree (34×)H8184 1. barley (34×)H2406 1. wheat (grain crop) (30×)H7070 1. reed, cane (plant) (30×)H7848 1. acacia (28×)H8328 1. root of a plant (28×)H8384 1. fig tree (25×)H5488 1. reeds, rushes (in 'Sea of Reeds') (24×)G0290 1. a vineyard (23×)G2325 1. reap, harvest a crop (21×)G4687 1. sow seed, plant (21×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חֹ֫רֶשׁ n.m. Ez 31:3 wood, wooded height (Assyrian ḫuršu, wooded height COTGloss LyonSargontexte, Gloss (v. also DlPr 180 Checrit. n. on Is 17, 9); NH חוֹרֶשׁ wood, forest; Aramaic חוּרְשָׁא id.)—abs. ח׳ Is 17:9 Ez 31:3 (but on both v. infr.); חֹ֫רְשָׁה 1 S 23:16 (v. Dr); בַּחֹ֫רְשָׁה 1 S 23:15, 18, 19; pl. חֳרָשִׁים 2 Ch 27:4;—wooded height 1 S 23:15 (‖ בָּהָר v 14), v 16, 18, so בַּמְּצָדוֹת…