The Hebrew word çâman, represented by H5567, is a primitive root used to mean designate or appointed. It is a rare term in scripture, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse. Its singular usage highlights a specific action of setting something apart for a particular place or purpose.
The sole appearance of H5567 is in an agricultural illustration in Isaiah 28:25. The verse describes a farmer preparing his field and planting various crops in an orderly fashion. After the ground is made plain, the farmer strategically plants different seeds: "doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their place?" Isaiah 28:25. In this context, the barley is not sown randomly but is placed in a specific, designated location.
Several related words from its context illuminate the theme of deliberate placement and order:
- H7737 shâvâh (to level, i.e. equalize... place, yield): This action precedes the planting. The ground is first made "plain" Isaiah 28:25, suggesting preparation is necessary before something can be put in its proper place. This word is also used for a deliberate spiritual act, as in, "I have set the LORD always before me" Psalms 16:8.
- H7760 sûwm (to put... appoint... determine... ordain... place): While the barley is "appointed," this word is used for casting or putting the wheat in its place. Its definition directly overlaps with H5567, reinforcing the idea of intentional action and divine ordaining, such as God promising to "get them praise and fame" Zephaniah 3:19.
- H1367 gᵉbûwlâh (a boundary, region; border... place): This word describes the final location for the "appointed" barley, referred to as "their place" Isaiah 28:25. It speaks of a defined area or boundary, which can be set by man or by God, as when He "set all the borders of the earth" Psalms 74:17.
The theological significance of H5567 is drawn from its specific, orderly context.
- Divine Order: The methodical planting in Isaiah 28:25 serves as a parable for a world governed by divine wisdom and order. Just as the farmer designates a specific place for each seed, God establishes order by setting boundaries, as seen when He "set the bounds of the people" Deuteronomy 32:8.
- Appointed Purpose: The use of "appointed" implies that the barley has a designated spot and function within the farmer's plan. This points to the larger principle of divine purpose, where God not only creates but also ordains, as shown when He promises to "appoint unto them that mourn in Zion" a new destiny of praise Isaiah 61:3.
- Deliberate Placement: The actions of making the ground plain H7737 and casting the seed H7760 are not haphazard. They are intentional steps leading to the final placement. This reflects a spiritual principle of deliberate choice and alignment with God's will, as when the psalmist declares, "I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me" Psalms 119:30.
In summary, while H5567 is used only once, its meaning is clear and significant. It encapsulates the concept of being designated or appointed to a specific place. Found within an illustration of wise farming, çâman teaches that there is an intended order and purpose in creation. It shows how every element, like a grain of barley, has a proper, designated role to fulfill within a carefully arranged system.
TRV