Lexical Summary
chatsir: grass, leeks, plant
Original Word:חָצִיר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:chatsiyr
Pronunciation:khaw-tseer'
Phonetic Spelling:(khaw-tseer')
KJV: grass, hay, herb, leek
NASB:grass, leeks, plant
Word Origin:[perhaps originally the same asH2681 (חָצִיר - abode), from the greenness of a courtyard]
1. grass
2. also a leek (collectively)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
grass, hay, herb, leek
Perhaps originally the same aschatsiyr, from the greenness of a courtyard; grass; also a leek (collectively) -- grass, hay, herb, leek.
see HEBREWchatsiyr
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiongreen grass, herbage
NASB Translationgrass (19), leeks (1), plant (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II.
Isaiah 15:6 , absolute
Numbers 11:5 16t.; construct
Isaiah 37:27 =
2 Kings 19:26;
Psalm 129:6; —
grass, as food for animals1 Kings 18:5;Job 40:15;Psalm 104:14;Psalm 147:8;Proverbs 27:25 ("" and ),Isaiah 15:6 ("" and ); specifically ofleeks (as still sometimes in Aramaic, see Löwpp. 226, 228)Numbers 11:5 (see Di); in simile of abundant growthIsaiah 44:4 (see Ew Che); onIsaiah 35:7 see I.above
Job 8:12, hence figurative of perishing enemiesIsaiah 37:27 =2 Kings 19:26 ("" , ),Psalm 129:6, i.e. having no depth of root; of wicked, soon to be cut downPsalm 37:2; with special reference to Israel's oppressorsIsaiah 40:6 ("" [] ),Isaiah 40:7 (""id.),Isaiah 40:7;Isaiah 40:8 (""id.),Isaiah 51:12; in simile of frail manPsalm 90:5; man's daysPsalm 103:15 ("" ).
IV. (assumed as √ for reduplication whence following; meaning unknown; perhaps onomatopoetic, see Thes Ol§§ 82 c.188 a Sta§124 b; see also LagOr ii.18).
Topical Lexicon
Physical and Agricultural ContextOriginating in the semi-arid climates of the Ancient Near East, chatsir designates the short-lived green growth that springs up after seasonal rains. Whether covering open pastureland (Psalm 104:14) or sprouting on the flat clay rooftops of Palestinian houses (Psalm 129:6), the plant is quickly scorched by the relentless sun and hot east wind. Herds depended on its brief appearance for nourishment, and householders dried it for hay. Its rapid cycle from verdant shoot to brittle stubble supplied Scripture with a ready-made metaphor for the brevity of earthly life.
Symbol of Transience and Human Frailty
The Psalms, Wisdom literature, and Prophets repeatedly employ chatsir to stress the fragile, fleeting nature of humanity:
• “For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender plants” (Psalm 37:2).
• “As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind has passed over, it vanishes” (Psalm 103:15-16, cf.Psalm 90:5).
• Isaiah’s triple refrain climaxes the theme: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).
By contrasting man’s mortality with the permanence of God’s word, the prophets call every generation to humble dependence upon divine revelation rather than human prowess.
Indicator of Divine Provision
Chatsir also illustrates God’s beneficent care over creation:
• “He makes the grass grow for livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate” (Psalm 104:14).
• Job notes that even the mighty Behemoth “eats grass like an ox” (Job 40:15), underscoring God’s universal provision.
Thus the same plant that epitomizes fragility simultaneously manifests the Lord’s sustaining goodness toward both animals and people.
Motif in Prophetic Judgment and Salvation
Prophets used grass imagery to portray both devastation and restoration:
• Sennacherib’s defeated army is compared to “the grass of the field and the green herb… scorched before it grows” (2 Kings 19:26;Isaiah 37:27).
• Moab’s drought leaves “the grass withered” (Isaiah 15:6), while messianic hope pictures the wilderness blossoming so that “the parched ground will become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water; in the haunts where jackals once lay, grass will become reeds and rushes” (Isaiah 35:7).
Grass, therefore, functions as a visual gauge of covenant blessing or curse: thriving pastures signal divine favor; withered blades herald judgment.
Liturgical and Wisdom Reflections
Proverbs employs the harvest of chatsir to counsel prudence: “When the hay is removed and new growth appears… the lambs will provide you with clothing” (Proverbs 27:25-26). Israel’s hymnbook echoes the lesson; God “covers the sky with clouds; He prepares rain for the earth; He makes grass grow on the hills” (Psalm 147:8), inviting worshipers to trust His orderly care.
Christological and Eschatological Echoes
1 Peter 1:24-25 citesIsaiah 40, applying the grass motif to contrast perishable flesh with the imperishable gospel “that was preached to you.” Jesus also draws on the image: “If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is here and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you?” (Matthew 6:30). The New Testament thus reaffirms the Old Testament symbolism—human frailty finds permanence only in God’s redemptive word fulfilled in Christ.
Pastoral and Homiletical Applications
1. Mortality and Mission: Like grass, believers’ earthly days are brief; urgency in evangelism and holiness follows.
2. Confidence in Scripture: The withering of chatsir underscores the unchanging reliability of God’s word amid cultural flux.
3. Stewardship and Compassion: The Creator who nurtures grass calls His people to responsible care for creation and trust for daily provision.
Key References
Numbers 11:5;1 Kings 18:5;2 Kings 19:26;Job 8:12;Job 40:15;Psalm 37:2;Psalm 90:5;Psalm 103:15-16;Psalm 104:14;Psalm 129:6;Psalm 147:8;Proverbs 27:25;Isaiah 15:6;Isaiah 35:7;Isaiah 37:27;Isaiah 40:6-8;Isaiah 44:4;Isaiah 51:12.
Forms and Transliterations
הֶחָצִ֥יר החציר חֲצִ֣יר חָ֝צִ֗יר חָ֭צִיר חָצִ֑יר חָצִ֔יר חָצִ֖יר חָצִ֗יר חָצִ֣יר חָצִ֥יר חָצִ֨יר ׀ חָצִֽיר׃ חָצִיר֙ חציר חציר׃ כֶ֭חָצִיר כֶּחָצִ֣יר כֶּחָצִ֥יר כַּחֲצִ֣יר כחציר chaTzir Chechatzir ḥă·ṣîr ḥā·ṣîr ḥăṣîr ḥāṣîr he·ḥā·ṣîr hechaTzir heḥāṣîr ka·ḥă·ṣîr kachaTzir kaḥăṣîr ke·ḥā·ṣîr ḵe·ḥā·ṣîr kechaTzir keḥāṣîr ḵeḥāṣîr
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
