סִלּוֹן
𐤎𐤋𐤅𐤍
çillôwn
H5544 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of prickly plant, specifically a thorn or brier, typically referring to a wild, thorn-bearing shrub common in arid or uncultivated lands. The term denotes the physical feature of such plants—hard, sharp thorns or spines—rather than botanical species. Occasionally used metaphorically to represent wildness, unproductivity, or obstacles.
Semantic Range
thorn, brier, prickly shrub; wild, thorn-bearing plant; metaphor for unproductive or desolate land
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root סָלָה (s-l-h), which conveys the idea of being raised up, projecting, or hanging; by extension, referring to something that is suspended or protruding, such as a thorn. The form סִלּוֹן is a noun pattern (with possible variant סַלּוֹן), designating a specific instance or type of prickly plant arising from this root idea.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term סִלּוֹן appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible and occurs in descriptions of land overgrown with non-cultivated, wild vegetation—such as after judgment or disuse. It is distinct from other Hebrew words for thorns (such as קוֹץ, דרדר, חוח), each with its own nuances and perhaps referencing different plant species or emphasizing different aspects (e.g., size, density, agricultural nuisance). English translations render 'brier' or 'thorn,' but this can obscure the variety of Hebrew terms used for different thorny plants. The meaning does not extend to the metaphorical or symbolic use of 'thorn' as in later religious traditions. Usage is generally restricted to poetic, wisdom, and prophetic literature, and does not appear to carry explicit theological weight. The variant spelling (with samek or sin) likely reflects dialectal or orthographic variation rather than distinct meanings.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or סַלּוֹן; from סָלָה; a prickle (as if pendulous); brier, thorn.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סלה (s-l-h) — to project, hang, be suspended
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5541 | סָלָה | you weighed |
| H5542 | סֶלָה | Lift-up pause |
| H5543 | סַלּוּ | to Sallai |
| H5552 | סַלְסִלָּה | plaited baskets |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5544-01 |
סִלּ֤וֹן | silon | HNcmsa |
pricking-brier | projecting thorn-brier | 1 |
H5544-02 |
וְ/סַלּוֹנִים֙ | vesalonim | HC/Ncmpa |
and thorns | projecting thorn-shrubs | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5544-02 |
Ezekiel 2:6 | וְ/סַלּוֹנִים֙ | vesalonim | HC/Ncmpa |
and thorns | projecting thorn-shrubs |
H5544-01 |
Ezekiel 28:24 | סִלּ֤וֹן | silon | HNcmsa |
pricking-brier | projecting thorn-brier |