H3002 H3002
Dry, dried up, or withered; describing what has lost its moisture, whether literally or as a figure of spiritual desolation.
An adjectival form from the root y-b-sh meaning 'dry' or 'withered,' used of both physical dryness and spiritual-metaphorical aridity. Dried grapes (Num 6:3) represent the literal end of the spectrum, while the complaint 'our soul is dried up' (Num 11:6) turns physical thirst into existential longing. Ezekiel's vision of dry bones (Ezek 37:2, 4) transforms the adjective into one of Scripture's most powerful images of hopelessness awaiting resurrection. The 'dry tree' metaphor serves double duty: a symbol of the humbled Davidic house (Ezek 17:24) and of the eunuch who considers himself barren (Isa 56:3). Spanish 'seco/seca' and English 'dry' map the sense directly.
Senses
1. dry, dried up, withered — Dry, dried up, or withered — describing something that has lost its moisture or vitality. Used literally of dried grapes forbidden to Nazirites (Num 6:3) and figuratively of existential depletion ('our soul is dried up,' Num 11:6). Ezekiel deploys it powerfully for the dry bones awaiting resurrection (37:2, 4) and the dry-versus-green tree parable of the Davidic house (17:24; 21:3). Isaiah 56:3 applies it to the eunuch who sees himself as a 'dry tree' — barren and cut off. Job 13:25 uses dry chaff as a figure of frailty. Nahum 1:10 similarly compares Nineveh's enemies to dry stubble. Spanish 'seco' and German renderings leave the Hebrew untranslated in some places, reflecting its range. 9×
AR["الْيَابِسَةَ", "وَ-يَابِسًا", "يَابِسًا", "يَابِسٍ", "يَابِسَةٌ", "يَابِسَةٍ", "ٱلْيَابِسَةُ"]·ben["এবং-শুকনা", "শুকনা", "শুকনো", "শুষ্ক"]·DE["[היבשות]", "[יבש]", "[יבשות]", "ist-trocknete-hinauf", "oder-trocknete", "vertrocknete"]·EN["dry", "is-dried-up", "or-dried", "the-dry"]·FR["[היבשות]", "[יבש]", "[יבשות]", "desséché", "est-dried-en-haut", "ou-dried", "יבש"]·heb["ה-יבשות", "ו-יבשים", "יבש", "יבשה", "יבשות"]·HI["और-सूखे", "सुनो", "सूखा", "सूखी-है", "सूखे"]·ID["dan-kering", "kering", "yang-kering"]·IT["[היבשות]", "[יבש]", "[יבשות]", "dry", "e-seccato-su", "o-seccato"]·jav["garing", "ingkang-garing", "lan-garing"]·KO["그-마른", "그리고-마른것", "마른"]·PT["e-secas", "os-secos", "seca", "secos"]·RU["дерево", "и-сухой", "иссохла", "сухая", "сухие", "сухое", "сухую"]·ES["los-secos,", "seca", "seco", "secos", "y-secas"]·SW["Uibshim", "ilikuwa-mikavu", "imekauka", "makavu", "mikavu", "mkavu"]·TR["kuru", "kurudu", "kuruyan", "kuruydular", "ve-kuru"]·urd["اور-خشک", "خشک", "سوکھا-ہوں", "سوکھی-ہوئی", "سوکھے-کو", "سوکھے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† II. יָבֵשׁ adj.verb. or pt. dry, dried, so, ms. abs. Na 1:10 + 4 times; fs. יְבֵשָׁה Nu 11:6; mpl. (וִ)יבֵשִׁים Nu 6:3; fpl. יְבֵשׁוֹת Ez 37:2, 4;— 1. dried, lit. only עֲנָבִים יְבֵשִׁים Nu 6:3 dried grapes (P; opp. ע׳ לַחִים); fig. נַפְשֵׁנוּ יְבֵשָׁה 11:6 (JE) our soul (i.e. our appetite) is dried up, viz. for want of fresh, juicy meat. 2. dry, of chaff, קַשׁ Na 1:10 in sim. of Ninevites…