Lexical Summary dardar: Thistle, Thorn Original Word: דַּרְדַּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thistle Of uncertain derivation; a thorn -- thistle. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as deror Definition thistles NASB Translation thistle (1), thistles (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs דַּרְדַּר noun [masculine] thistles (collective) (Arabic  , still current in Palestine, Löwp. 100; Ethiopic  ) קוֺץ וְדַרְדַּר Genesis 3:18 (J) Hosea 10:8 symbol of wildness, desert. Topical Lexicon Overview Dardar designates a specific species of thorny weed that sprouts aggressively in the ancient Near Eastern soil. Scripture employs the term only twice, yet those two settings—Genesis 3:18 and Hosea 10:8—frame an arc stretching from the original curse upon the ground to prophetic judgment upon apostate worship. In each context, the plant figures as a visceral emblem of sin’s intrusion into creation and worship, underscoring humanity’s need for redemption. Occurrences in Scripture • Genesis 3:18: “Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.” Symbolic Meaning 1. Consequence of the Fall — In Eden’s aftermath, dardar embodies the frustration of labor and the futility introduced by Adam’s disobedience. The soil, once yielding fruit effortlessly, now resists with stubborn, injurious growth. Contextual and Historical Insights Ancient farmers in Israel labored to clear dardar from barley and wheat fields, making the weed a daily symbol of the curse. Hosea’s audience would picture abandoned high places choked with the same thorn, underscoring the futility of idols. Archeological surveys of Palestinian tell-sites regularly uncover carbonized thistle seeds mingled with domestic grains, supporting the biblical imagery. Theological Significance Dardar ties the covenant curses of Genesis to the covenant lawsuit of the prophets. The shared language shows a coherent biblical theology: God’s word of judgment in the garden reverberates through Israel’s later history. The weed also functions typologically. The crown of thorns pressed upon Jesus in Matthew 27:29 echoes the Genesis curse, signaling that the Second Adam bears the symbol of cursed ground upon His brow so that believers may inherit a new creation “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Practical Ministry Applications • Labor and Calling — Preachers can apply Genesis 3:18 to remind congregations that toil is now attended by frustration, yet redeemed work in Christ is “not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Christological and Redemptive Connections • The curse reversed — Isaiah envisions a day when “instead of the thornbush, the juniper will grow” (Isaiah 55:13), a promise secured by the atoning work of Christ who, crowned with thorns, inaugurates creation’s restoration. Homiletical and Pastoral Considerations • Illustrations from agriculture resonate in rural and urban contexts alike, as gardeners still battle invasive weeds. Related Terms and Motifs • Thornbush (naʿatsuts), briars (qimmes), and thistles (qōts) fill out the botanical vocabulary of judgment. In sum, dardar is a minor botanical detail that carries major theological weight, signaling humanity’s fall, Israel’s apostasy, and the Messiah’s redemptive triumph over the thorns. Forms and Transliterations וְדַרְדַּ֔ר וְדַרְדַּ֖ר ודרדר vedarDar wə·ḏar·dar wəḏardarLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 3:18 HEB: וְק֥וֹץ וְדַרְדַּ֖ר תַּצְמִ֣יחַֽ לָ֑ךְ NAS: Both thorns and thistles it shall grow KJV: Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth INT: thorns and thistles shall grow will eat Hosea 10:8 2 Occurrences |
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