active participle of an imaginary denominative from כֶּרֶם; a vinedresser; vine dresser (as one or two words).
Transliteration:kôrêm
Pronunciation:ko-rame'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term `{{H3755}}` (kôrêm) is an active participle derived from an imaginary denominative verb rooted in `{{H3754}}` (kerem), meaning "vineyard." While no direct verb "to vineyard" exists in Hebrew, this grammatical construction signifies one who actively works in or tends a vineyard. Therefore, its core meaning is "vinedresser" or "vine worker." The semantic range is quite narrow, consistently referring to the individual responsible for the cultivation, pruning, and harvesting of grapes within a vineyard. This role implies skilled labor, patience, and a deep understanding of viticulture, essential for the production of wine and other grape products.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term `{{H3755}}` appears four times in the Hebrew Bible, consistently referring to those engaged in vineyard labor:
* **[[2 Kings 25:12]] / [[Jeremiah 52:16]]**: These parallel accounts describe the aftermath of the Babylonian conquest of Judah. Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, leaves "some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers" (וּלְכֹרְמִים וּלְיֹגְבִים). This indicates that the vinedressers, alongside farmers (`{{H3155}}` yogevim), represented a segment of the population essential for agricultural sustenance, though often of lower social standing. Their preservation suggests a strategic move by the Babylonians to maintain the land's productivity.
* **[[Isaiah 61:5]]**: In this prophetic passage of restoration, the prophet declares, "Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your farmers and your vinedressers" (וְכֹרְמֵיכֶם). Here, `{{H3755}}` signifies a role of service and labor. The promise is that Gentiles will serve Israel, providing the necessary agricultural labor, allowing Israel to focus on priestly functions. This reversal of traditional power dynamics underscores the abundance and blessed state of the restored nation.
* **[[Joel 1:11]]**: This verse depicts a scene of severe agricultural devastation due to a locust plague and drought: "Be ashamed, O vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; For the harvest of the field has perished." The call for the vinedressers (`{{H3755}}`) to be ashamed highlights their direct reliance on the harvest for their livelihood. The destruction of the crops, including the vines (implied by the vinedressers' shame), signifies a profound economic and spiritual crisis, leading to national mourning and repentance.
Across these occurrences, `{{H3755}}` consistently denotes the literal occupation of vineyard cultivation, whether in a context of subjugation, prophetic blessing, or divine judgment. The vinedresser's lot is intimately tied to the land's productivity and, by extension, God's blessing or curse upon it.
### Related Words & Concepts
The term `{{H3755}}` is intrinsically linked to several key Hebrew words and concepts:
* `{{H3754}}` (kerem): This is the most direct and foundational connection, as `{{H3755}}` is derived from it. Kerem refers to the "vineyard" itself, the primary domain of the vinedresser's work. The health and productivity of the kerem directly reflect the diligence of the kôrêm.
* `{{H3752}}` (karam): While `{{H3755}}` is not directly from this verb, karam means "to prune" or "to dress a vineyard." This verb describes the essential activity performed by a kôrêm to ensure the vine's fruitfulness.
* `{{H3155}}` (yogev): Often paired with `{{H3755}}` as "farmers and vinedressers" (e.g., [[2 Kings 25:12]]), yogev is a broader term for a "husbandman" or "farmer." This pairing emphasizes the agricultural foundation of ancient Israelite society.
* `{{H3756}}` (karmel): Meaning "fruitful field" or "orchard land," karmel often implies land suitable for vineyards and rich in agricultural produce, areas where a kôrêm would work.
* **Concepts of Labor and Stewardship**: The vinedresser embodies diligent labor and the responsible stewardship of the land, a theme recurrent throughout the biblical narrative.
* **Fruitfulness and Judgment**: The success or failure of the vinedresser's efforts, and thus the vineyard's yield, often serves as a metaphor for divine blessing or judgment upon the people (e.g., [[Isaiah 5:1-7]]).
### Theological Significance
The `{{H3755}}` (kôrêm), the vinedresser, carries significant theological weight, often serving as a metaphor for divine interaction with Israel and the broader human condition.
1. **Divine Vinedresser**: God Himself is frequently depicted as the ultimate vinedresser of Israel. [[Isaiah 5:1-7]] portrays God as meticulously cultivating His "vineyard" (Israel), expecting fruit (righteousness) but finding only wild grapes (injustice). Similarly, [[Psalm 80:8-19]] describes God bringing a vine out of Egypt and planting it, tending to it, yet lamenting its subsequent desolation. This imagery highlights God's diligent care, His investment in His people, and His just expectation of a return on that investment.
2. **Human Stewardship and Dependence**: The kôrêm represents humanity's role as stewards of creation. Just as the vinedresser meticulously cares for the vines, so humanity is called to cultivate and guard the earth ([[Genesis 2:15]]). However, the vinedresser is utterly dependent on factors beyond their control—rain, sunlight, and fertile soil—which ultimately come from God. This underscores human reliance on divine provision and blessing for any true fruitfulness.
3. **Prophetic Symbolism**: The state of the vineyard and the vinedresser's work often serve as powerful prophetic symbols. A flourishing vineyard signifies blessing, prosperity, and God's favor ([[Isaiah 61:5]]), while a blighted vineyard and shamed vinedressers ([[Joel 1:11]]) symbolize divine judgment, desolation, and a call to repentance. This imagery connects the physical well-being of the land to the spiritual condition of the people.
4. **Continuity into the New Testament**: While `{{H3755}}` is an Old Testament term, the concept of the vinedresser is foundational to Jesus' teaching in [[John 15:1-8]]. Here, Jesus declares, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser (`{{G1092}}` georgos)." This passage deepens the theological understanding, portraying God the Father as the one who prunes and cleanses believers (branches) to ensure greater fruitfulness, emphasizing the intimate relationship between God, Christ, and believers in the production of spiritual fruit.
### Summary
The Hebrew word `{{H3755}}` (kôrêm) precisely denotes a "vinedresser," an individual dedicated to the cultivation and maintenance of a vineyard. Though often of humble social standing, as seen in [[2 Kings 25:12]] and [[Jeremiah 52:16]], their role was agriculturally vital. The kôrêm is intrinsically linked to the `{{H3754}}` (kerem, vineyard), embodying the diligent labor required for fruitfulness. Theologically, the kôrêm serves as a powerful metaphor for human stewardship of creation and, more profoundly, for God's meticulous care, cultivation, and judgment of His people, Israel. The state of the vinedresser and the vineyard thus becomes a potent symbol for divine blessing, national prosperity, or the consequences of spiritual disobedience, foreshadowing the New Testament imagery of God as the ultimate Vinedresser.
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