חַרְצַן
𐤇𐤓𐤑𐤍
chartsan
H2785 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A grape berry, specifically in an unripe, sour, or sharp-tasting state; also used for the hard kernel or pit of a grape. The term denotes the physical berry as well as, by extension in later usage, the seed or stone within the fruit.
Semantic Range
berry or grape in an unripe/sour state, stone or pit of a grape, grape seed, kernel
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חָרַץ (ḥ-r-ṣ), which means 'to be sharp, incisive, decide, or determine.' The connection is likely via the sense of sharpness, either in taste (sour grape) or in hardness (kernel or seed), but there is some debate over whether the term refers primarily to the sour grape or to the kernel/pit/seed within the grape.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, חַרְצַן refers either to the grape itself (especially in an unripened, tart, or sharp-tasting state) or the stone or seed contained within the grape. The semantic distinction between חַרְצַן and related terms such as עֵנָב (ʿēnav, 'grape'), and זְמֹרָה (zəmorāh, 'vine twig') is important: חַרְצַן occurs only in poetic and prophetic contexts, notably in passages illustrating totality or completeness (e.g., Ps 5:10; Isa 65:8) where it can refer metonymically to even the smallest or 'least' part. English translations sometimes render it as 'kernel,' 'seed,' or 'stone,' but this may obscure the connection to the berry itself. The LXX renders the term with σταφυλὴ ὀμφακις (unripe grape) or κουκούτσι (stone), contributing to later interpretive ambiguity. The term is rare in the Hebrew Bible and does not occur in reference to later ritual or agricultural practice. In rabbinic Hebrew and postbiblical literature, חַרְצַן comes to mean more specifically 'grape seed' or 'pit.' The English term 'kernel' is not fully adequate, as it lacks the specifically botanical association with grapes inherent in this word.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from חָרַץ; a sour grape (as sharp in taste); kernel.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חרץ (ḥ-r-ṣ) — to be sharp, to cut, to incise, to decide
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2742 | חֲרוּץ | sharp-cutting sledges of |
| H2743 | חָרוּץ | determined one |
| H2757 | חָרִיץ | cut-slices of |
| H2782 | חָרַץ | he decisively determined |
| H2783 | חֲרַץ | his vigor-loin |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2785-01 |
מֵ/חַרְצַנִּ֛ים | mecharetsanim | HR/Ncmpa |
from the seeds | from sharp grape-kernels | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2785-01 |
Numbers 6:4 | מֵ/חַרְצַנִּ֛ים | mecharetsanim | HR/Ncmpa |
from the seeds | from sharp grape-kernels |