### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qimmâshôwn**, represented by `{{H7063}}`, refers to **a prickly plant; thorn**. This specific term is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** within the biblical text. Its singular use, however, provides a sharp and memorable image of decay and neglect.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H7063}}` is in the book of Proverbs, where the author observes a field that has fallen into ruin. The verse states, "And, lo, it was all grown over with **thorns** `{{H7063}}`, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down" [[Proverbs 24:31]]. Here, the **thorns** are not just random weeds but a key indicator of a larger problem: the complete abandonment of responsibility, which has also resulted in the collapse of the protective stone wall. The presence of **qimmâshôwn** serves as a direct and visible consequence of sloth.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words from its only context in [[Proverbs 24:31]] help illustrate the full picture of this desolation:
* `{{H2738}}` **chârûwl** (nettle): This word for a thorny weed appears alongside `{{H7063}}`, reinforcing the image of an untamed and useless plot of land. It is also used to describe a place of desolation and judgment [[Zephaniah 2:9]].
* `{{H5927}}` **ʻâlâh** (grow over): This verb, which means to ascend or mount up, describes how the **thorns** have completely taken over the land. The same word is used for angels ascending to heaven [[Genesis 28:12]], showing its broad application for upward movement.
* `{{H3680}}` **kâçâh** (to cover): Used to describe how the nettles have hidden the surface of the ground, this word can also be used figuratively for covering sin [[Psalms 32:1]] or the Lord's glory covering the earth [[Habakkuk 2:14]].
* `{{H2040}}` **hâraç** (broken down): Describing the state of the stone wall, this verb means to pull down or destroy. It is often used in contexts of judgment, such as the throwing down of walls [[Jeremiah 50:15]] or the destruction of foundations [[Psalms 11:3]].
* `{{H68}}` **ʼeben** (stone): The material of the broken wall. While it signifies ruin in this context, **stone** is often used symbolically as a foundation of strength, such as the "precious corner stone" [[Isaiah 28:16]] or the Ebenezer stone of God's help [[1 Samuel 7:12]].
### Theological Significance
Though appearing only once, `{{H7063}}` contributes to a significant theological picture of cause and effect.
* **Symbol of Neglect:** The primary significance of **qimmâshôwn** is its role as a clear sign of sloth and its consequences. The thorns are physical proof of a field, and by extension a life, that has been abandoned to decay [[Proverbs 24:31]].
* **An Element of Desolation:** Paired with **nettles** `{{H2738}}`, which are explicitly linked to judgment and "perpetual desolation" elsewhere in scripture [[Zephaniah 2:9]], these thorns become part of a broader biblical motif where such overgrowth signifies a cursed or forsaken land.
* **The Fruit of Foundational Collapse:** The thorns grow because the protective **stone** `{{H68}}` wall is **broken down** `{{H2040}}`. This connects the weed to the idea of a compromised foundation, echoing the warning that if the foundations are destroyed, chaos ensues [[Psalms 11:3]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7063}}` **qimmâshôwn** is a highly specific term for **thorn** whose power lies in its singular, vivid application. Found only in Proverbs, it stands as a stark visual metaphor for the results of neglect. Surrounded by imagery of nettles, a covered landscape, and a collapsed stone wall, this word serves as a potent and enduring warning about the spiritual and physical ruin that follows when diligence is abandoned.
TRV