Lexical Summary
Sharon: Sharon
Original Word:שָׁרוֹן
Part of Speech:proper name, of a location; noun masculine; proper name, of a location; Adjective, of a people
Transliteration:Sharown
Pronunciation:shah-RONE
Phonetic Spelling:(shaw-rone')
KJV: Lasharon, Sharon
NASB:Sharon, Lasharon
Word Origin:[probably abridged fromH3474 (יָשַׁר - right)]
1. plain, Sharon, the name of a place in Israel
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Lasharon, Sharon
Probably abridged fromyashar; plain, Sharon, the name of a place in Palestine -- Lasharon, Sharon.
see HEBREWyashar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yasharDefinitiona plain on the Mediterranean Sea, perhaps also a region E. of the Jordan
NASB TranslationLasharon (1), Sharon (6).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(plausibly connected with √ by Thes Ges
12 and others, compare GASm
Geogr. 52; = *; Phoenician ) — strictly
Isaiah 65:10 plain, level; —
(with article), name of maritime plain on Mediterranean, from Joppa northward, noted for fertility,Isaiah 33:9 ("" , ; ), compareIsaiah 35:2;Isaiah 65:10 ("" ; );Songs 2:1 ( );1 Chronicles 27:29; so alsoJoshua 12:18; where read , so Di WeSam 55 Ges12after , compare RSOTJC 2, 273, 435. — On this plain see GASmGeogr. 147 ff. BuhlGeogr. § 65.
, region east of Jordan1 Chronicles 5:16 ("" , ; A ); identified by many with (Deuteronomy 3:10 etc., see above)
Joshua 12:8 see .
(√ of following; meaning unknown; Thes conjecturesspread out, compare Samaritanspread out garment, see also DiLex. Ethiopic 45 f., but this word very dubious).
(1 Chronicles 27:29) see .
Jeremiah 15:11 see I. ;Jeremiah 5:10 see II. , . above
1 Chronicles 27:29 Qr, see
Topical Lexicon
Geographical ProfileSharon designates the broad, level coastal plain stretching from the slopes of Mount Carmel south-eastward toward Joppa, bordered on the west by the Mediterranean Sea and on the east by the Judean foothills. Its deep alluvial soil, seasonal rainfall, and abundant springs made it the most luxuriant pastureland of ancient Israel. The region’s strategic position on the Via Maris also gave it commercial and military value throughout biblical history.
Occurrences in Scripture
•Joshua 12:18 introduces “the king of Lasharon,” testifying that prior to Israel’s conquest a Canaanite polity controlled part of the plain.
•1 Chronicles 5:16 records descendants of Gad who “lived … throughout the pasturelands of Sharon,” indicating that tribes on both sides of the Jordan utilized its grazing wealth.
•1 Chronicles 27:29 notes that under King David “Shitrai the Sharonite was in charge of the herds grazing in Sharon,” revealing an organized royal economy centered on the plain’s fodder.
•Song of Solomon 2:1 celebrates its floral abundance: “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.”
•Isaiah 33:9 laments impending judgment: “Sharon is like a desert.”
•Isaiah 35:2 foretells restoration: “The splendor of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD.”
•Isaiah 65:10 envisions millennial peace: “Sharon will become a pasture for flocks … for My people who seek Me.”
Agricultural Richness
Sharon’s loamy earth produced cereals, olives, and a profusion of wildflowers. Herding thrived, the grasslands sustaining large cattle inventories (1 Chronicles 27:29). Its fertility became a biblical byword for plenty; therefore, prophetic portraits of judgment threaten that it will be turned into “a desert” (Isaiah 33:9), while promises of redemption restore it to plush pasture (Isaiah 65:10).
Prophetic Imagery
The prophets harness Sharon’s natural beauty to contrast desolation with future glory.Isaiah 35:2 pairs the plain with Lebanon and Carmel, elevating its transformation into a sign that “They will see the glory of the LORD.” Thus, Sharon functions as a literary canvas upon which God paints both retribution and renewal, underscoring His sovereign control over the land and its people.
Messianic and Devotional Significance
Song of Solomon 2:1, “I am a rose of Sharon,” has long been treasured in Christian devotion as an emblem of Christ’s loveliness—radiant, fragrant, and accessible. While the immediate context is the mutual delight of bride and bridegroom, the verse has been rightly cherished as typology pointing to the surpassing beauty of the Beloved who satisfies the soul (compareJohn 1:14;Ephesians 5:25-32).
Pastoral and Ministry Applications
1. Fertility amid barrenness: Sharon’s oscillation between lushness and drought challenges believers to abide in the LORD, whose favor alone secures fruitfulness (John 15:4-5).
2. Stewardship: David’s appointment of supervisors over Sharon’s herds models prudent oversight of resources entrusted by God (1 Corinthians 4:2).
3. Hope of restoration: The predicted renewal of Sharon anchors eschatological hope that creation itself will be liberated from decay (Romans 8:21).
4. Evangelistic metaphor: Just as the plain’s rose offers beauty to all passersby, the gospel freely extends divine grace to every nation.
Archaeological and Historical Notes
Ancient Egyptian texts, Assyrian annals, and Roman itineraries corroborate the plain’s role as a transit corridor. Ruins of Roman roads, aqueducts, and caravanserai reveal continuous habitation. Modern excavation at Caesarea Maritima on Sharon’s coast attests to its former prosperity and cosmopolitan character, substantiating the biblical witness to its value.
Devotional Reflection
The same God who turns Sharon into a wilderness for sin also clothes it again with blossoms for grace. When believers walk the plain today—whether literal or metaphorical—they are reminded that the LORD “makes everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and that “He leads me beside quiet waters” (Psalm 23:2). From the rose in Solomon’s song to the pastures of Isaiah’s kingdom, Sharon invites worship of the Shepherd-King who restores souls and landscapes alike.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּשָּׁר֔וֹן בשרון הַשָּׁר֔וֹן הַשָּׁרוֹן֙ השרון וְהַשָּׁר֑וֹן והשרון לַשָּׁר֖וֹן לשרון שָׁר֖וֹן שרון baš·šā·rō·wn bashshaRon baššārōwn haš·šā·rō·wn hashshaRon haššārōwn laš·šā·rō·wn lashshaRon laššārōwn šā·rō·wn šārōwn shaRon vehashshaRon wə·haš·šā·rō·wn wəhaššārōwn
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