Word Study for H7880 (שִׂיחַ)

sîyach /see'-akh/ Ask about this word

Meaninga shoot (as if uttered or put forth), i.e. (generally) shrubbery

KJV usagebush, plant, shrub.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sîyach — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word sîyach, represented by H7880, refers to a plant, shrub, or bush. It appears 4 times in 4 unique verses in the Bible. The word is derived from a root meaning a "shoot," as if it were put forth from the ground.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7880 is used to describe vegetation in different contexts, often highlighting conditions of barrenness or the beginning of life. In the creation account, it is mentioned as the plant of the field that did not yet exist because the Lord had not caused it to rain Genesis 2:5. Later, in a desolate setting, Hagar casts her son under one of the shrubs in the wilderness when their water was spent Genesis 21:15. The book of Job uses the term to depict the plight of the destitute, who brayed among the bushes Job 30:7 and gathered food from them Job 30:4.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the role and environment of the sîyach:

H6212 ʻeseb (herb): Found alongside sîyach in the creation account, this term for a tender shoot or herb helps to paint a picture of the earth's vegetation before it fully grew Genesis 2:5.
H2738 chârûwl (nettle): This word for a thorny weed or bramble appears with sîyach in Job's description of a desolate place where the desperate gather Job 30:7.
H8328 sheresh (root): In Job, the roots of the juniper tree are gathered as food near the bushes, linking sîyach to the desperate act of foraging for every part of a plant for survival Job 30:4.

Theological Significance

The word H7880 carries significance related to themes of divine provision and human hardship.

Divine Prerequisite for Life: Its use in the creation narrative establishes that vegetation like the plant of the field is dependent on God's action, specifically His provision of rain, to grow Genesis 2:5. Without God's intervention, the earth remains un-tilled and barren.
Symbol of Desolation and Survival: In both Genesis and Job, shrubs and bushes are markers of the wilderness and desolate places. They are associated with moments of extreme desperation, such as Hagar leaving her son under a shrub Genesis 21:15 and the destitute foraging for food among them (Job 30:4, Job 30:7).
Minimal Shelter and Sustenance: The sîyach represents the most basic level of provision offered by the natural world in harsh conditions. It is not a mighty tree or a cultivated crop but a simple bush offering a sliver of shade or a meager food source for those on the edge of survival.

Summary

In summary, H7880 sîyach is a specific term for shrubbery that, while appearing only four times, illustrates a significant contrast. It appears first in the Genesis account as a plant awaiting God's life-giving rain to spring forth Genesis 2:5. In its other appearances, it marks landscapes of desolation, serving as the backdrop for human suffering and the desperate search for survival in the wilderness (Genesis 21:15, Job 30:4, Job 30:7). The word connects the beginning of vegetation to the harsh realities of life in an untamed world.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

שִּׂיחִם
שִׂיחַ
שִׂיחַ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis and Job (2 verses each); never once in the other 37.

Genesis

Job

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.