Lexical Summary nuts: To flee, to escape, to scatter Original Word: נוּץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance flee away, bud forth A primitive root; properly, to flash; hence, to blossom (from the brilliancy of color); also, to fly away (from the quickness of motion) -- flee away, bud (forth). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee natsats. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [נָצָה] verb fly (?); — only Qal Perfect 3 plural (si vera lectio) נָצ֫וּ גַּםנָֿ֑עוּ Lamentations 4:15 (of homeless exiles); text very dubious; read perhapsנָ֫דוּ (compare Genesis 4:12,14), so Bu; Löhr (more venturesomely) כִּי לֹא יִמְצְאוּ מָנוֺחַ; Buhl13perhaps כִּי גַּם נָָֽגְעוּ. Topical Lexicon Meaning and imagery Strong’s Hebrew 5132, נוּץ, evokes movement or bursting forth. In poetry it pictures the sudden appearance of buds, while in prophetic lament it portrays people propelled away from safety. Both nuances share the idea of a swift, outward surge—whether of life or of flight. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Song of Songs 6:11 In Song of Songs: the vitality of covenant love Twice in the Song the verb describes pomegranates “in bloom.” “I went down to the walnut grove … to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom” (Song of Songs 6:11). The bride’s garden visit is not casual sightseeing; it is a celebration of covenant fruitfulness. Budding marks the change from the hidden work of winter to the visible display of spring, mirroring the progression of the couple’s relationship from promise to fulfillment. In Song of Songs 7:12 the lovers anticipate rising early to witness the same blossoming, linking personal devotion with creation’s rhythms. The recurrent image underscores that God-given love is meant to flourish, ripening into mutual delight and public testimony of His goodness (compare Genesis 1:28; Psalm 128:3). In Lamentations: the trauma of covenant judgment When Jeremiah laments, the same verb suddenly shifts atmosphere: “Depart! Depart! Do not touch us! So they fled and wandered” (Lamentations 4:15). Here the motion is not a blossom pushing outward but a people driven away from their holy city. The contrast is deliberate. Zion, once pictured as a fruitful vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7), now hemorrhages its inhabitants. The verb that earlier heralded life now signals exile, reminding readers that covenant privileges carry covenant responsibilities (Leviticus 26:33; Deuteronomy 28:64). Theological and redemptive threads 1. Continuity of God’s character. Whether nurturing budding pomegranates or enforcing judgment, the Lord remains true to His word (Numbers 23:19). Practical ministry application • Shepherds may use Song of Songs 6–7 in premarital counseling to affirm that physical and emotional intimacy are God’s good gifts meant to develop, not stagnate. Related concepts for further study – Vine and vineyard motifs: John 15:1-8; Isaiah 27:2-6 – Exile and return: Ezekiel 36:24-36; Ezra 1:1-4 – Blossoming as eschatological promise: Isaiah 35:1-2; Hosea 14:5-7 Forms and Transliterations הֵנֵ֖צוּ הנצו נָצ֖וּ נצו hê·nê·ṣū hênêṣū heNetzu nā·ṣū nāṣū naTzuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Songs 6:11 HEB: הֲפָֽרְחָ֣ה הַגֶּ֔פֶן הֵנֵ֖צוּ הָרִמֹּנִֽים׃ KJV: [and] the pomegranates budded. INT: had budded the vine budded the pomegranates Songs 7:12 Lamentations 4:15 3 Occurrences |
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