The Hebrew word çarpâd, represented by H5636, refers to a nettle or brier. Its definition suggests something that stings like a burn. It is an exceedingly rare term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible, where its single usage carries significant symbolic weight.
The sole appearance of H5636 is in Isaiah 55:13, where it is used to illustrate a dramatic, positive transformation. The verse prophesies that "instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree." Here, the brier stands as a symbol of a wild, uncultivated, and undesirable state, which will be miraculously replaced by a pleasant and valuable tree as a sign of God's blessing and restoration.
The context of H5636 in Isaiah 55:13 places it in direct relationship with several other key terms that highlight its meaning through contrast:
- H5285 naʻătsûwts (thorn): Appearing in the same verse, this term for a thorny bush is used in parallel with brier. It is what will be replaced by the fir tree, reinforcing the theme of exchanging the wild and harmful for the cultivated and useful Isaiah 55:13.
- H1918 hădaç (myrtle tree): This is the direct, positive counterpart to the brier. The prophecy states the myrtle tree will come up in place of the brier, symbolizing beauty and blessing replacing desolation Isaiah 55:13.
- H1265 bᵉrôwsh (fir tree): This tree is promised to replace the thorn. As a desirable tree, its emergence further emphasizes the theme of divine restoration from a cursed state to one of fruitfulness and value Isaiah 55:13.
The theological weight of H5636 is derived entirely from its symbolic role in its single biblical appearance.
- Symbol of a Cursed State: Like the thorn H5285, the brier represents the effects of a fallen or desolate condition—a land that is unproductive and painful.
- Promise of Radical Transformation: The replacement of the brier with the myrtle tree is not a mere improvement but a complete reversal. It serves as a powerful metaphor for God's redemptive power to change circumstances from barren to fruitful.
- A Lasting Testimony: This transformation is explicitly for a purpose: "it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off" Isaiah 55:13. The removal of the brier is a permanent witness to God's glory.
In summary, while çarpâd H5636 is one of the rarest words in the biblical lexicon, its meaning is clear and potent. It functions as a powerful symbol of a desolate condition. Its solitary mention in Isaiah 55:13 frames it as the "before" in a divine "after" picture, where God's power transforms the painful and useless into something beautiful and enduring, like the myrtle tree.
TRV