H5685 H5685
shrivel, dry up (of seeds)
A verb describing the shriveling of grain seeds in Joel's agricultural disaster. The prophet uses this rare word to depict the complete crop failure accompanying the locust plague: 'the grains have shriveled under their clods.' Related to Arabic words for contracting or frowning, the Hebrew emphasizes the withering and collapse of what should have been full, viable seed.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The shriveling of seed grains under drought conditions in Joel 1:17, part of the prophet's description of agricultural catastrophe. 'The grains shrivel beneath the clods, the storehouses are desolate, the barns are broken down'—the verb vividly pictures dried-up kernels that never sprouted, contracting and collapsing in the parched soil. The root's connection to Arabic 'contract' or 'frown' captures the image of curling inward. 1×
AR["عَفِنَتِ"]·ben["পচে-গেছে"]·DE["[עבשו]"]·EN["shrivel"]·FR["dessécher"]·heb["עבשו"]·HI["सड़-गए"]·ID["Busuk"]·IT["[עבשו]"]·jav["bosok"]·KO["썩었도다"]·PT["Apodreceram"]·RU["Сгнили"]·ES["Se-pudrieron"]·SW["Zimeoza"]·TR["çürüdüler"]·urd["سڑ-گئے"]
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
† [עָבַשׁ] vb. shrivel (cf. Arabic عَبَسَ contract (especially face), frown);— Qal Pf. 3 mpl. עָֽבְשׁוּ פְרֻדוֹת Jo 1:17 the grains have shrivelled (cf. Dr Now).