Word Study for H8321 (שֹׂרֵק)

sôrêq /so-rake'/ Ask about this word

Rootor שׂוֹרֵק · and (feminine) שֹׂרֵקָה · from שָׁרַק in the sense of redness (compare שָׂרֻק)

Meaninga vine stock (properly, one yielding purple grapes, the richest variety)

KJV usagechoice(-st, noble) wine. Compare שָׂרוּק.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of sôrêq — 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 sôrêq, represented by H8321, refers to a vine stock of the highest quality, one that yields the richest variety of purple grapes. It is often translated as choicest vine or noble vine. Appearing just 3 times in 3 unique verses, its significance lies in its powerful metaphorical use rather than its frequency.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H8321 serves as a potent symbol. In a prophetic blessing, Judah's prosperity is depicted by him binding his foal to a choice vine Genesis 49:11, signifying an abundance so great that even prized vines are used as hitching posts. Isaiah uses the term in a parable where God meticulously plants a vineyard with the choicest vine H8321, only for it to yield worthless wild grapes H891 instead of the expected grapes H6025 Isaiah 5:2. Similarly, Jeremiah recounts how God planted Israel as a noble vine H8321 from a "right seed" H2233, but they turned H2015 into the "degenerate plant of a strange vine" Jeremiah 2:21.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the meaning and context of H8321:

H1612 gephen (vine): This is the general term for a vine. The distinction is highlighted in Jeremiah 2:21, where the noble vine H8321 degenerates into a common, strange vine H1612.
H5193 nâṭaʻ (to plant): This verb describes the deliberate action of establishing the vine. Both Isaiah and Jeremiah state that God personally planted H5193 this choice vine, emphasizing His initial care and intention (Isaiah 5:2, Jeremiah 2:21).
H891 bᵉʼushîym (wild grapes): These "poison-berries" are the antithesis of the fruit expected from a choicest vine. Their appearance represents failure and corruption, a direct contrast to God's careful work Isaiah 5:2.
H5494 çûwr (degenerate plant): This term describes the result of the noble vine's transformation in Jeremiah's prophecy, indicating a corrupted and deteriorated state Jeremiah 2:21.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8321 is centered on its use as a divine metaphor.

Symbol of Divine Election: The choicest vine represents Israel, chosen by God and planted with great care and expectation. He prepared the ground, removed obstacles, and provided protection (Isaiah 5:2, Jeremiah 2:21).
Representation of Potential vs. Reality: The vine was planted to produce the best fruit, symbolizing the righteousness God expected from His people. The tragic outcome of wild grapes H891 or a degenerate plant H5494 illustrates the theme of apostasy and the failure to live up to a holy calling.
Image of Messianic Abundance: In contrast to the prophetic warnings, its use in Genesis points to the promised blessing and prosperity of the messianic line of Judah, where the choice vine is a marker of unparalleled peace and wealth Genesis 49:11.

Summary

In summary, sôrêq H8321 is far more than a botanical term. It is a deeply symbolic word that encapsulates the relationship between God and His chosen people. Though rare, its appearances powerfully convey themes of divine favor, high expectations, the tragedy of spiritual decay, and the promise of future abundance. It illustrates how a carefully chosen plant becomes a metaphor for a chosen people and their destiny.

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 3 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.

שֹּׂרֵקָה
שֹׂרֵק
שֹׂרֵק

Related Words

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis, Isaiah, and Jeremiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Genesis

Isaiah

Jeremiah

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.