Lexical Summary karam: To tend vineyards, to cultivate Original Word: כֹּרֵם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance vine dresser as one or two words Active participle of an imaginary denominative from kerem; a vinedresser -- vine dresser (as one or two words). see HEBREW kerem NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindenominative verb from kerem Definition to tend vineyards, dress vines NASB Translation vinedressers (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כָּרַם] verb denominative tend vineyards, dress vines, only Qal Participle plural vinedressers כֹּרְמִים 2 Kings 25:12 = Jeremiah 52:16 ׅ "" ( יִגְבִים, Joel 1:11; 2Chronicles 26:10 (both "" אִכָּרִים), כֹּרְמֵיכֶם Isaiah 61:5 ("" id.) Topical Lexicon Occupational Profile“Korem” denotes those who care for vines and oversee their productive growth. In the agrarian economy of ancient Israel the vinedresser stood between landownership and seasonal labor, entrusted with pruning, training, protecting, harvesting, and sometimes even marketing the grapes. The calling required patience through the whole agricultural year and intimate knowledge of the vineyard’s needs. Vine cultivation began gaining prominence after the conquest of Canaan, flourished in the United Monarchy period, and was still evident after the Babylonian captivity. Occurrences in the Old Testament • 2 Kings 25:12 and Jeremiah 52:16 record that Nebuzaradan left “some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and farmers.” The presence of vinedressers among the remnant reveals both the Babylonian commander’s practical need to keep the land productive and the Lord’s mercy in preserving a humble remnant. • 2 Chronicles 26:10 notes that King Uzziah “built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock, and he had farmers and vinedressers in the foothills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.” Royal investment in vineyards signals the strategic value of wine production for national wealth and military provisioning. • Isaiah 61:5 envisions future Gentiles who “will stand and shepherd your flocks; foreigners will be your plowmen and vinedressers.” The prophetic picture magnifies Israel’s restoration: God’s people set free for priestly service while nations serve in agricultural roles. • Joel 1:11 laments: “Be dismayed, O farmers, wail, O vinedressers, over the wheat and the barley—because the harvest of the field has perished.” The judgment imagery underscores how sin and neglect of covenant obligations bring agricultural devastation. Socio-Economic Significance 1. Subsistence and Export: Grapes provided fresh fruit, raisins, must, vinegar, and especially wine—a staple beverage for festivals and daily meals. Vinedressers ensured a reliable supply that fueled domestic sustenance and regional trade. 2. Technology and Skill: Terracing, stone wall construction, watchtowers, and cistern systems mirrored the vinedresser’s technical capacity. Proverbs likens the sluggard’s overgrown vineyard to moral decline (Proverbs 24:30-34), implying that diligent vinedressers symbolized wisdom and industry. 3. Social Order: By Babylonian times, the poorest Israelis held the vinedresser role. Yet centuries earlier even royalty retained them, showing occupational diversity. The vocation bridged class lines and underscored dependence on God’s blessing for fruitful harvests (Hosea 2:8-9). Theological and Prophetic Dimensions Vineyards serve as parables of God’s covenant relationship (Isaiah 5:1-7). The vinedresser thus becomes an implicit figure for divine care—pruning for productivity (cf. John 15:1-2). In Isaiah 61:5, foreigners as vinedressers depict a reversal: Israel, formerly under Gentile yoke, now assumes spiritual leadership while nations serve materially. Joel’s call to mourn urges repentance so that Yahweh can restore “the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25). Lessons for Ministry Today • Stewardship: Faithful caretaking of God-given resources parallels pastoral oversight. As vinedressers prune vines to stimulate fruit, church leaders guide believers toward maturity (Hebrews 13:17). • Humility in Service: Those left behind in Judah remind modern readers that seemingly modest roles still participate in God’s redemptive timetable. No assignment is insignificant when directed by providence (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). • Hope of Restoration: Prophecies connecting vinedressers to future blessing encourage perseverance amid hardship, anticipating the ultimate harvest when “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” (Habakkuk 2:14). Inter-Testamental and New Testament Echoes By the first century, the image of the vinedresser was firmly embedded in Jewish consciousness. Jesus’ parable of the wicked tenants (Matthew 21:33-41) presumes familiarity with vineyard operations and recasts unfaithful leaders as negligent vinedressers. The Johannine “I am the true vine” discourse elevates the Father as the perfect vinedresser, assuring believers that pruning, though painful, yields eternal fruit. Thus, Strong’s Hebrew 3755 paints more than an ancient profession; it unfolds a tapestry of divine providence, covenant responsibility, and eschatological hope woven through Scripture from the post-exilic remnant to the Messiah’s teaching, urging every generation to tend faithfully the vineyard entrusted to them. Forms and Transliterations וְכֹֽרְמִ֗ים וְכֹרְמֵיכֶֽם׃ וכרמיכם׃ וכרמים כֹּֽרְמִ֔ים כרמים לְכֹֽרְמִ֖ים לְכֹרְמִ֖ים לכרמים kō·rə·mîm koreMim kōrəmîm lə·ḵō·rə·mîm lechoreMim ləḵōrəmîm vechoremeiChem vechoreMim wə·ḵō·rə·mê·ḵem wə·ḵō·rə·mîm wəḵōrəmêḵem wəḵōrəmîmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 25:12 HEB: רַב־ טַבָּחִ֑ים לְכֹֽרְמִ֖ים וּלְיֹגְבִֽים׃ NAS: of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen. KJV: of the land [to be] vinedressers and husbandmen INT: the captain of the guard to be vinedressers husbandman 2 Chronicles 26:10 Isaiah 61:5 Jeremiah 52:16 Joel 1:11 5 Occurrences |
    |