Lexical Summary chabatstseleth: Rose, lily Original Word: חֲבַצֶּלֶת Strong's Exhaustive Concordance rose Of uncertain derivation; probably meadow-saffron -- rose. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition meadow saffron or crocus NASB Translation crocus (1), rose (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֲבַצֶּלֶת noun feminine meadow-saffron or crocus (colchicum autumnale, Linn.) (Syriac  , see GESComm. Isaiah 35:1 Löwp. 174, No. 128; Assyrian —abaƒillatu VR32, 62 is a marsh-plant, reed; compare ZimBP 59 DlHA 34; Prov 82; also Chel.c. and critical note.); — הַשָּׁרוֺן ׳ח שׁוֺשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים Songs 2:1 (figurative of Shulamite), וְתָגֵל עֲרָבָה וְתִפְרַח כַּחֲבַצָּֽלֶת׃ Isaiah 35:1 (narcissus CheIsaiah 35:1 compare ConderPEF, 1878, 46 TristrNHB 476 and others) Topical Lexicon Botanical Identification Scholars have suggested narcissus, crocus, tulip, or meadow-saffron for חֲבַצֶּלֶת, each noted for sudden, vibrant blooming after winter rains. Whatever the precise species, the term evoked a delicate yet striking blossom that could transform an otherwise barren landscape—a fact essential to its theological weight. Occurrences in Scripture Song of Songs 2:1: “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.” Isaiah 35:1: “The wilderness and the land will be glad; the desert will rejoice and blossom like the rose.” Only two verses employ the word, but together they span the spectrum of biblical revelation—from the intimacy of covenant love to the universal scope of redemptive restoration. Symbolic Imagery of Beauty and Fertility In Solomon’s song the bride likens herself to the חֲבַצֶּלֶת, stressing beauty that flourishes in humble places (“valleys”). The flower’s simplicity underscores God’s delight in adorning what the world overlooks (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:28). By contrast, Isaiah pictures vast deserts bursting with the same blossom, portraying the reversal of curse and the renewal of creation anticipated since Genesis 3. The image unites personal and cosmic redemption: the Lord who beautifies an individual soul is the same Lord who will transform the earth (Romans 8:19–21). Christological Typology Early Christian expositors saw in Song of Songs 2:1 a veiled reference to Messiah: He is the true “rose” rooted in the plain of Sharon, fully human yet uniquely lovely (Psalm 45:2). Like the flower, He sprouted from “dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2) and brought fragrance to a fallen world. In Isaiah 35 the blossoming desert anticipates the Messianic age, when the blind see and the lame leap (Isaiah 35:5–6; Matthew 11:4–5). Thus חֲבַצֶּלֶת becomes a prophetic bridge linking the incarnation with the consummation. Eschatological Hope and Restoration Isaiah sets the flowering within a broader oracle of return and glory (Isaiah 34–35). The image assures Israel that exile and judgment will not have the final word; Yahweh will re-create Edenic conditions (Isaiah 51:3). The New Testament echoes this hope in Revelation 21:5: “Behold, I make all things new.” Believers therefore await not mere survival but joyful flourishing, symbolized by fields of חֲבַצֶּלֶת where wilderness once reigned. Pastoral and Devotional Application 1. Assurance of Worth: Like the bride, every believer may confess, “I am a rose…a lily,” not boasting in self but in the Creator who clothes lilies with glory (Matthew 6:28–30). Cultural and Liturgical Echoes The phrase “rose of Sharon” has entered Christian hymnody (“Jesus, Rose of Sharon, bloom within my heart”), visual art, and even modern botany, where Hibiscus syriacus bears the common name. Each usage, however secondary, testifies to Scripture’s shaping of language and imagination. Conclusion Though appearing only twice, חֲבַצֶּלֶת stands as a multifaceted emblem of grace: personal beauty bestowed by divine love, corporate renewal promised to God’s people, and cosmic transformation secured in Christ. From solitary valley lily to deserts ablaze with color, the word traces the arc of redemption that Scripture consistently proclaims. Forms and Transliterations חֲבַצֶּ֣לֶת חבצלת כַּחֲבַצָּֽלֶת׃ כחבצלת׃ chavatzTzelet ḥă·ḇaṣ·ṣe·leṯ ḥăḇaṣṣeleṯ ka·ḥă·ḇaṣ·ṣā·leṯ kachavatzTzalet kaḥăḇaṣṣāleṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Songs 2:1 HEB: אֲנִי֙ חֲבַצֶּ֣לֶת הַשָּׁר֔וֹן שֽׁוֹשַׁנַּ֖ת NAS: I am the rose of Sharon, The lily KJV: I [am] the rose of Sharon, INT: I am the rose of Sharon the lily Isaiah 35:1 2 Occurrences |
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