Lexical Summary kirsem: To gnaw, to consume, to eat away Original Word: כִּרְסֵם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance waste From kacam; to lay waste -- waste. see HEBREW kacam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kasam Definition to tear off NASB Translation eats it away (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [כִּרְסֵם] verb quadriliteral = Pi`el, tear off (compare קִרְסֵם Late Hebrew cut or eat away, Deuteronomy 28:38 ᵑ7J for חָסַל; on form see Ges§ 56); — only Imperfect3masculine singular suffix: — יְכַרְסְמֶנָּה חֲזִיר מִיָּ֫עַר Psalm 80:14 teareth it off (that is, the vine, figurative of Israel). Topical Lexicon Hebrew Term and Natural History Kirsēm designates the wild boar, a fierce swine that roamed the oak and brush forests of the ancient Levant. Unlike the domesticated pig, the boar is stronger, tusked, and notoriously destructive to crops and vineyards. Zoologically it corresponds to Sus scrofa, still present in the Carmel and Galilean highlands. Its nocturnal rooting uproots vines, tramples young shoots, and leaves fields in ruin—imagery that readily communicates devastation to agrarian Israel. Occurrence and Immediate Context Psalm 80:13 stands as the single canonical use: “The boar from the forest ravages it, and the creatures of the field feed upon it”. Here the psalmist pleads for God to “return,” lamenting that the vine He transplanted from Egypt has become vulnerable to untamed forces. Symbolic Meaning in Psalm 80 1. Agent of Judgment. The boar symbolizes hostile nations God allows to discipline His people for covenant unfaithfulness (compare Deuteronomy 28:49-52). Wider Biblical and Theological Connections • Swine remain ceremonially unclean (Leviticus 11:7; Isaiah 65:4). The wild boar therefore reinforces the theme of defilement that threatens holiness. Historical Background and Cultural Setting Assyrian and later Babylonian incursions devastated Judean agriculture; eyewitnesses would have equated invading armies with boars uprooting precious vines. Archaeology confirms wild-boar bones in Iron-Age strata, testifying to their presence near human settlements. Poets and prophets thus adopted a readily understood metaphor of foreign occupation and spiritual desolation. Ministry and Practical Application • Vigilance: Congregations must guard the “vineyard” of faith from doctrinal error and moral compromise, lest destructive influences gain unchecked access (Acts 20:29-30). Christological and Eschatological Echoes Jesus declares, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). In Him the ravaged vineyard is restored, and fruitfulness becomes certain (John 15:5). The final exclusion of unclean creatures from the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:27) guarantees that the boar’s devastation is temporary, replaced by abundant, guarded life in the age to come. Summary Kirsēm, though occurring only once, conveys a vivid portrait of ruin versus redemption. It reminds believers that unchecked sin and external oppression can devastate God’s people, yet the Divine Vinedresser stands ready to protect, prune, and ultimately perfect His vineyard. Forms and Transliterations יְכַרְסְמֶ֣נָּֽה יכרסמנה yə·ḵar·sə·men·nāh yecharseMennah yəḵarsəmennāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Psalm 80:13 HEB: יְכַרְסְמֶ֣נָּֽה חֲזִ֣יר מִיָּ֑ עַ seg>ר NAS: from the forest eats it away And whatever moves KJV: out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast INT: eats A boar the forest 1 Occurrence |
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