### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qîyqâyôwn**, represented by `{{H7021}}`, refers to the **gourd**. It appears **5 times** across **4 unique verses**, with all occurrences found in the book of Jonah. Its significance is not in its botanical identity but in its use as a key element in a divine lesson about compassion and perspective.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H7021}}` is miraculously provided by God. The LORD God **prepared** a **gourd** to **come up** over Jonah, providing **shadow** for his head and delivering him from his **grief** [[Jonah 4:6]]. This act made Jonah **exceeding** glad. However, the relief was temporary, as God then **prepared** a **worm** the next **morning** that **smote** the **gourd**, causing it to **wither** [[Jonah 4:7]]. God uses Jonah's subsequent anger over the plant to confront him, asking if it is right for him to be **angry** for the **gourd** [[Jonah 4:9]]. The LORD contrasts Jonah's **pity** for the plant—for which he did not **labour**—with God's own compassion for the great city of Nineveh [[Jonah 4:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words illuminate the role of the gourd in this narrative:
* `{{H4487}}` **mânâh** (prepare): This word highlights God's sovereignty. He is shown to **prepare** the gourd for Jonah's comfort and then **prepare** the worm for its destruction, orchestrating the entire lesson [[Jonah 4:6-7]].
* `{{H6738}}` **tsêl** (shadow): The explicit purpose of the gourd was to be a **shadow**, a physical defense from the elements that Jonah valued deeply, revealing his focus on personal comfort [[Jonah 4:6]].
* `{{H2734}}` **chârâh** (to be angry): This describes Jonah's extreme emotional response. His anger over the loss of the **gourd** shows his misplaced values, as his concern for the plant outweighed his concern for human souls [[Jonah 4:9]].
* `{{H8438}}` **tôwlâʻ** (worm): This small creature, a **worm**, is the instrument God **prepared** to **smite** the gourd, demonstrating that God can use the seemingly insignificant to accomplish His great purposes [[Jonah 4:7]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7021}}` is concentrated in its function as a divine teaching tool.
* **Object of Misplaced Pity:** The gourd becomes the focal point of Jonah’s misplaced compassion. God uses the prophet’s pity for the short-lived plant to expose his lack of pity for the inhabitants of Nineveh [[Jonah 4:10]].
* **Symbol of Transient Comfort:** Jonah’s **exceeding** gladness over the gourd's shade, followed by his death-wishing anger at its removal, illustrates the danger of placing ultimate hope in temporary, earthly comforts ([[Jonah 4:6]], [[Jonah 4:9]]).
* **Instrument of Divine Sovereignty:** The story of the gourd demonstrates that God has command over all creation—the plant, the worm, and the wind—and uses them to reveal His character and instruct His servants.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7021}}` is a simple **gourd** that plays a profound role in one of the Old Testament's most pointed lessons. Appearing only in the story of Jonah, it is used by God to challenge the prophet's perspective on mercy, value, and compassion. The rapid growth and decay of the plant serve as a powerful metaphor for the fleeting nature of worldly things compared to the eternal value God places on human life.
TRV