סְנֶה
𐤎𐤍𐤄
çᵉneh
H5572 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A type of thorny bush or bramble, specifically referenced as the plant in which YHWH appears to Moses at Horeb. The term identifies a low, dense, prickly shrub, though the precise botanical identification is uncertain. The context depicts a modest, usually thorny plant of the arid or semi-arid landscape. Semantic range extends from a generic thornbush or bramble to its specific symbolic status in key biblical narratives.
Semantic Range
thornbush, bramble, low prickly shrub, bush (specifically as site of Moses's theophany)
Root / Etymology
Root: סנה. The word is not used as a verb or in other derivations within biblical Hebrew, and the root is otherwise unattested. Traditionally linked to an unused root with the meaning 'to prick, to be thorny,' but etymology remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
סְנֶה occurs only in Exodus 3 and 4, describing the bush through which the divine presence is revealed to Moses. The term is not used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, rendering its broader usage or any technical botanical classification unclear. Its use in this context establishes the סְנֶה as a literary symbol for humility, wildness, and divine encounter, rather than as a general shrub. Later Jewish interpretive traditions and some translations rendered the plant as 'burning bush' (bush that burns) because of the narrative, but the word itself does not denote burning or fire. Some translations and traditions use 'bramble' or 'thorn bush,' which captures the prominent sense of a low, thorny plant. However, there is no evidence to associate it with a specific modern plant species. The unique association of סְנֶה with the Moses narrative distinguishes it from related Hebrew terms for bush or thorn (e.g., אָטָד, אַסְנָה), which refer to other types of low, shrubby, or thorny plants and are used in broader contexts. The use of 'bush' in English translations communicates the general meaning but does not consistently convey the plant's rough, prickly, or humble aspects. Later Jewish and Christian traditions may refer to the 'burning bush' as a theological symbol, but in the original context, סְנֶה is a specific, physical shrub identified by its appearance and environment.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to prick; a bramble; bush.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
סנה (s-n-h) — thorniness, prickliness (uncertain root)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5573 | סֶנֶה | thorn-bush |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5572-01 |
הַ/סְּנֶ֑ה | haseneh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bush | the thornbush | 4 |
H5572-02 |
סְנֶ֑ה | seneh | HNcmsa |
in the bush | thornbush | 1 |
H5572-03 |
וְ/הַ/סְּנֶ֖ה | vehaseneh | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
yet the bush | and the thornbush | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
6 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5572-01 |
Exodus 3:2 | הַ/סְּנֶ֑ה | haseneh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bush. | the thornbush |
H5572-01 |
Exodus 3:2 | הַ/סְּנֶה֙ | haseneh-2 | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bush | the thornbush |
H5572-03 |
Exodus 3:2 | וְ/הַ/סְּנֶ֖ה | vehaseneh | HC/Td/Ncmsa |
yet the bush | and the thornbush |
H5572-01 |
Exodus 3:3 | הַ/סְּנֶֽה | haseneh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bush." | the thornbush |
H5572-01 |
Exodus 3:4 | הַ/סְּנֶ֗ה | haseneh | HTd/Ncmsa |
the bush | the thornbush |
H5572-02 |
Deuteronomy 33:16 | סְנֶ֑ה | seneh | HNcmsa |
in the bush | thornbush |