Original Word: תְּנוּבָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: tnuwbah
Pronunciation: teh-noo-BAH
Phonetic Spelling: (ten-oo-baw')
KJV: fruit, increase
NASB: fruit, produce, fruits
Word Origin: [from H5107 (נוּב - flourish)]

1. produce

fruit, increase

From nuwb; produce -- fruit, increase.

see HEBREW nuwb

Word Origin
from nub
Definition
fruit, produce
NASB Translation
fruit (2), fruits (1), produce (2).

תְּנוּבָה noun feminine fruit, produce; — absolute Isaiah 27:6; construct תְּנוּבֵת Ezekiel 36:30; תְּנוּבָתִי Judges 9:11; plural תְּנוּבֹת Deuteronomy 32:13, וֺת- Lamentations 4:9; especially שָׂדַי ׳ת fruit, produce, of field Deuteronomy 32:13; Lamentations 4:9; compare הַשָּׂדֶה ׳ת Ezekiel 36:30 ("" פרי העץ); of fig-tree Judges 9:11; metaphor of Israel וּמָֽלְאוּ ׳פְנֵיתֵֿבֵל ת Isaiah 27:6 ("" ׳יַשְׁרֵשׁ יעקב יציץ ופרח ישׂ).

Definition and Overview

תְּנוּבָה (tenuvah) denotes agricultural yield, harvest produce, or more broadly any gain that grows from God-given resources. While it can describe literal fruit or crops, Scripture frequently elevates the term as a symbol of covenant blessing, national prosperity, and spiritual productivity.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Deuteronomy 32:13 – “He made him ride on the heights of the land, and he fed him with the produce of the fields.”
2. Judges 9:11 – “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my sweetness and my good fruit, to hold sway over the trees?’ ”
3. Isaiah 27:6 – “In the days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout and fill the whole world with fruit.”
4. Lamentations 4:9 – “Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.”
5. Ezekiel 36:30 – “I will make the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field abound, so that you will no longer endure the reproach of famine among the nations.”

Historical Setting

In ancient Israel, agrarian life dominated economy and worship alike. Firstfruits offerings (Exodus 23:19) and harvest festivals such as Shavuot were tangible acknowledgments that all תְּנוּבָה came from the LORD. A bumper crop validated obedience to covenant stipulations (Leviticus 26:3-5), whereas famine signaled divine discipline (Leviticus 26:19-20). Thus every occurrence of תְּנוּבָה carries a historical backdrop of the land grant in Canaan and the conditional blessings attached to it.

Covenant Blessing and Curse

• Deuteronomy 32:13 rehearses the Lord’s past faithfulness, showcasing תְּנוּבָה as evidence of grace to an undeserving nation.
• Lamentations 4:9 portrays the horrific reversal when sin forfeits that grace; starvation replaces plenty, and תְּנוּבָה disappears.

These polar texts frame the doctrine that all material increase is contingent upon covenant fidelity.

Prophetic Restoration

Isaiah 27:6 and Ezekiel 36:30 project a future era when Israel’s restored relationship with God will result in global abundance: “fill the whole world with fruit.” The prophets use תְּנוּבָה to paint a renewed Eden, pointing ultimately to the Messianic kingdom wherein creation’s curse is lifted (Romans 8:19-21).

Wisdom and Personal Piety

Proverbs frequently borrows agricultural metaphors, and the idea behind תְּנוּבָה underlies verses such as Proverbs 3:9-10, where honoring the Lord with wealth leads to “barns filled with plenty.” The association urges individual believers to steward resources, labor diligently, and recognize God as the giver of increase (1 Corinthians 3:7).

Spiritual Fruitfulness

Though the Hebrew term is absent from the New Testament, its concept bridges seamlessly to the Greek καρπός. Jesus’ parable of the soils (Matthew 13:23) and Paul’s “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) echo the Old Testament conviction that genuine relationship with God yields observable results. Believers are called to bear תְּנוּבָה that endures (John 15:8,16).

Ministry Application

• Preaching: Use texts like Ezekiel 36:30 to reassure congregations that God’s redemptive plan includes material as well as spiritual renewal.
• Mercy ministry: Lamentations 4:9 compels the church to relieve physical hunger as a sign of the coming kingdom’s abundance.
• Stewardship campaigns: Deuteronomy 32:13 and Proverbs principles ground appeals for generous, joyful giving.
• Missions: Isaiah 27:6 envisions Israel’s fruit filling “the whole world,” encouraging outreach that multiplies disciples as spiritual תְּנוּבָה among the nations.

Summary

תְּנוּבָה encapsulates more than crops; it is a theological barometer of covenant health, a prophetic picture of eschatological plenty, and a practical call to faithful productivity. Whether agricultural, economic, or spiritual, all true increase flows from the Lord, returns to His glory, and anticipates the day when the earth “will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD” (Habakkuk 2:14).

וּתְנוּבַ֖ת ותנובת מִתְּנוּבֹ֖ת מתנובת תְּנוּבָֽה׃ תְּנוּבָתִ֖י תְּנוּבֹ֣ת תנובה׃ תנובת תנובתי mit·tə·nū·ḇōṯ mittənūḇōṯ mittenuVot tə·nū·ḇā·ṯî tə·nū·ḇāh tə·nū·ḇōṯ tənūḇāh tənūḇāṯî tənūḇōṯ tenuVah tenuvaTi tenuVot ū·ṯə·nū·ḇaṯ ūṯənūḇaṯ utenuVatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts