### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **dardar**, represented by `{{H1863}}`, means **thistle**. Though appearing only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**, it carries significant symbolic weight. It consistently represents the consequence of a curse or judgment, appearing as a sign of unproductive and difficult ground.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word's two appearances frame a powerful biblical theme. In Genesis, as a result of the fall, the ground is cursed to **bring forth** `{{H6779}}` **thorns** `{{H6975}}` and **thistles** `{{H1863}}`, forcing humanity to labor for the **herb** `{{H6212}}` of the **field** `{{H7704}}` [[Genesis 3:18]]. Centuries later, the prophet Hosea uses the same imagery to describe divine judgment against Israel's **sin** `{{H2403}}`. He prophesies that the **thorn** `{{H6975}}` and the **thistle** `{{H1863}}` will **come up** `{{H5927}}` on the idolatrous **altars** `{{H4196}}` at the **high places** `{{H1116}}`, symbolizing complete desolation [[Hosea 10:8]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the context and meaning of `{{H1863}}`:
* `{{H6975}}` **qôwts** (thorn): This word is paired with **dardar** in both of its biblical appearances, creating an image of painful and fruitless vegetation that overtakes the land as a result of sin and judgment ([[Genesis 3:18]], [[Hosea 10:8]]).
* `{{H6779}}` **tsâmach** (to sprout): In Genesis, the ground is cursed to actively **sprout** or bring forth thistles, highlighting this as a direct consequence of disobedience [[Genesis 3:18]].
* `{{H5927}}` **ʻâlâh** (to ascend, come up): This verb describes the thistles and thorns overgrowing and covering the altars of Aven, signifying the end of false worship through divine judgment [[Hosea 10:8]].
* `{{H8045}}` **shâmad** (to desolate, destroy): The context for the thistles in Hosea is that the high places of Israel's sin **shall be destroyed**, with the overgrowth serving as physical evidence of this ruin [[Hosea 10:8]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H1863}}` is focused and consistent:
* **Symbol of the Curse:** Its first mention in [[Genesis 3:18]] establishes the **thistle** as a direct physical manifestation of the curse on the ground, representing hardship, toil, and the frustration of labor.
* **Evidence of Desolation:** In Hosea, the presence of **thistles** on the altars is not just an agricultural nuisance but a sign of complete divine judgment. It marks a place once used for sin `{{H2403}}` as having been abandoned and **destroyed** `{{H8045}}` by God.
* **Contrast to Divine Blessing:** The **thistle** stands in direct opposition to a blessed, fruitful land. Where God’s favor brings forth good **herb** `{{H6212}}` to **eat** `{{H398}}`, the curse brings forth **dardar**, which hinders life and sustenance.
### Summary
In summary, **dardar** `{{H1863}}` is a potent, though infrequent, term in the Old Testament. It serves as a consistent symbol for the negative consequences of sin, linking the original curse on creation in Genesis to the specific judgment on Israel's idolatry in Hosea. The **thistle** represents a land that is not blessed but is instead marked by hardship, desolation, and the visible evidence of God's judgment.
TRV