Lexical Summary yarah: To throw, shoot, cast, instruct Original Word: יַעֲרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance honey comb, forest Feminine of ya'ar, and meaning the same -- (honey-) comb, forest. see HEBREW ya'ar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfem. of yaar Definition honeycomb NASB Translation honeycomb* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [יַעְרָה] noun feminine honeycomb, only construct הַדְּבָשׁ יַעְרַת 1 Samuel 14:27 (see II. יער). — יְעָרוֺת see I. יַעַר. Topical Lexicon Occurrences Semantic Range and Symbolism יַעֲרָה carries a striking dual imagery—on the one hand a “honeycomb,” the ordered product of bees that promises nourishment and delight; on the other, a “forest,” the vast, living canopy that testifies to God’s grandeur and power. Both facets converge in portraying the Creator’s provision: sweetness for personal renewal and majesty for corporate awe. Historical and Cultural Context Honey was a prized natural food in ancient Israel, requiring no cultivation yet offering immediate energy—an apt symbol of God-given refreshment in the wilderness. Forests, although less extensive in Israel than in neighboring lands, represented untamed creation. They were places of both resource and reverence: timber for construction, habitat for wildlife, and pictorial backdrops for divine theophany. Exposition: 1 Samuel 14:27 “Jonathan reached out with the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it into the honeycomb. When he raised his hand to his mouth, his eyes brightened.” Jonathan’s clandestine taste of honey illuminates several themes: Exposition: Psalm 29:9 “The voice of the LORD twists the oaks and strips the forests, and in His temple all cry, ‘Glory!’” Here יַעֲרָה broadens to an entire woodland, underscoring the cosmic scope of God’s voice. The same God who provides intimate sweetness can also shake creation to its roots. The verse links temple worship with natural upheaval: the worshipers echo the thunderous proclamation of creation itself, uniting heaven and earth in a single chorus of glory. Theological Themes 1. Divine Provision and Power—God nourishes (honeycomb) and reigns (forest). Canonical Connections • Honey imagery: Proverbs 16:24; Ezekiel 3:3; Revelation 10:9-10. Practical and Ministry Implications • Spiritual Nourishment—Believers find immediate strength in God’s word during fatigue, just as Jonathan’s honey revived him mid-battle. Christological Reflections The sweetness of honey anticipates the gracious words of Christ that enliven the weary (Matthew 11:28-30), while the forest-shaking voice mirrors the authority with which He calms or commands storms (Mark 4:39). Together they reveal the Lord who comforts and commands, feeds and fashions—culminating in the cross, where divine compassion and power converge. Summary יַעֲרָה invites readers to taste and tremble: taste the honey of divine sustenance and tremble before the voice that can topple trees yet invites all creation to shout “Glory.” It is a small word carrying a vast testimony to the goodness and greatness of God. Forms and Transliterations בְּיַעְרַ֣ת ביערת יְעָ֫ר֥וֹת יערות bə·ya‘·raṯ bəya‘raṯ beyaRat yə‘ārōwṯ yə·‘ā·rō·wṯ yeARotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 14:27 HEB: וַיִּטְבֹּ֥ל אוֹתָ֖הּ בְּיַעְרַ֣ת הַדְּבָ֑שׁ וַיָּ֤שֶׁב NAS: and dipped it in the honeycomb, and put INT: hand and dipped comb honey and put Psalm 29:9 2 Occurrences |
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