### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qimmôwsh**, represented by `{{H7057}}`, refers to a **prickly plant; nettle**. It derives from an unused root that means "to sting." This specific term appears **2 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible and is associated with the related word `qimmāšôn`.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H7057}}` consistently symbolizes desolation and divine judgment. In Hosea, as a consequence of destruction, **nettles** are prophesied to possess the "pleasant places for their silver," indicating that former places of wealth will be overrun and abandoned [[Hosea 9:6]]. Similarly, Isaiah foretells a time of ruin when **nettles** and brambles will grow in the palaces and fortresses of a desolate land, transforming them into a habitat for wild creatures [[Isaiah 34:13]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words for thorny plants appear alongside `{{H7057}}`, reinforcing the theme of hostile overgrowth:
* `{{H2336}}` **chôwach** (bramble, thistle, thorn): This word, from a root meaning to pierce, is used for thorns and brambles. It appears with **nettles** in both of its occurrences, describing **thorns** in the tabernacles [[Hosea 9:6]] and **brambles** in the fortresses [[Isaiah 34:13]].
* `{{H5518}}` **çîyr** (thorn): Defined as a thorn that springs up rapidly, this word is used alongside `{{H7057}}` in Isaiah's prophecy, where **thorns** "shall come up in her palaces" [[Isaiah 34:13]], emphasizing the swift and complete nature of the desolation.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7057}}` is tied to its vivid imagery of divine retribution and abandonment.
* **Symbol of Desolation:** The appearance of **nettles** is a clear indicator that a place has been cursed and forsaken. When **nettles** take over palaces and places of treasure, it signifies a total reversal of fortune from blessing to ruin ([[Hosea 9:6]], [[Isaiah 34:13]]).
* **Consequence of Judgment:** The growth of **nettles** is not a random natural event but a direct result of judgment. It follows destruction and serves as a lasting sign that a once-civilized and valued area has been given over to the wilderness [[Hosea 9:6]].
* **Reversal of Order:** The imagery of stinging plants overrunning human structures like fortresses and tabernacles illustrates a fundamental reversal, where the wild and untamed reclaims what was once ordered and inhabited, signifying the absence of divine protection and human stewardship.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7057}}` is a potent, though rare, word in the Hebrew Bible. While literally meaning **nettle**, it functions as a powerful symbol of the consequences of sin and disobedience. Its presence in scripture paints a stark picture of desolation, where places of human pride and wealth are abandoned to become wastelands, overrun by stinging and unproductive weeds as a visible sign of divine judgment.
TRV