Lexical Summary batstsoreth: Drought, Famine Original Word: בַּצֹּרֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dearth, drought Feminine intensive from batsar; restraint (of rain), i.e. Drought -- dearth, drought. see HEBREW batsar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom batsar Definition a dearth NASB Translation drought (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בַּצֹּרֶת noun feminine dearth (compare following), ׳שְׁנַת בּ Jeremiah 17:8. בַּצָּרָה noun feminine dearth, destitution (i.e. diminution, compare Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope בַּצֹּרֶת (batsoreth) denotes an extended period of parching heat and lack of rain that threatens crops, livestock, and human life. Beyond a meteorological condition, Scripture employs the term as an emblem of covenant consequence and an instrument of divine instruction. Occurrences and Contexts Jeremiah 14:1 presents batsoreth as the immediate subject of a prophetic oracle: “This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought”. Here the drought functions as a national calamity signaling Judah’s rebellion and calling the people to repentance. Jeremiah 17:8 contrasts the withering power of drought with the flourishing life of the man who trusts in the LORD: “It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit”. The term thus frames both judgment (chapter 14) and blessing (chapter 17), illustrating the twofold path of covenant life. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Discipline. Leviticus 26:19 and Deuteronomy 28:23–24 list drought among the penalties for disobedience. Jeremiah’s use of batsoreth echoes these earlier warnings, reinforcing the unity of prophetic and Mosaic revelation. Historical Setting Jeremiah ministered during the final decades of the kingdom of Judah, a period of political turmoil and religious apostasy. Archaeological and climatological studies confirm cycles of severe drought in the Levant during this era, lending historical concreteness to Jeremiah 14. The prophet’s message—linking physical crisis with spiritual failure—would have been palpable to an agrarian society utterly dependent on seasonal rains. Prophetic Message • Warning: The drought of Jeremiah 14 heralds coming judgments culminating in exile. Practical Ministry Application 1. Preaching and Teaching. Batsoreth serves as a vivid illustration of the consequences of sin and the blessing of steadfast faith. Modern sermons can parallel physical drought with spiritual dryness experienced in personal or congregational life. Typological and Christological Reflections As the true and living water (John 4:14), Jesus Christ answers the curse of drought. The barren wilderness of human sin finds its reversal in the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:17–18; cf. Joel 2:23–29). Thus, batsoreth foreshadows the hunger and thirst that only the Messiah can satiate (Matthew 5:6). Related Concepts and Further Study • Famine (רָעָב, raʿab) – Genesis 41:30; Amos 8:11. Forms and Transliterations בַּצֹּ֙רֶת֙ בצרת הַבַּצָּרֽוֹת׃ הבצרות׃ baṣ·ṣō·reṯ baṣṣōreṯ batzTzoret hab·baṣ·ṣā·rō·wṯ habbaṣṣārōwṯ habbatztzaRotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 14:1 HEB: עַל־ דִּבְרֵ֖י הַבַּצָּרֽוֹת׃ KJV: concerning the dearth. INT: in regard the dearth Jeremiah 17:8 2 Occurrences |
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PS572; see also verb בצר ᵑ7