{ "entry_id": "TSP-ENT-000396", "slug": "pomegranate", "url_path": "/types-symbols/pomegranate/", "canonical_name": "Pomegranate", "entry_classifications": [ "ORDINARY_DESCRIPTION", "SIMILE", "IMAGE", "SYMBOL" ], "modules": [ "PLANTS_AGRICULTURE", "GARMENTS" ], "aliases": [], "legacy_present": true, "legacy_raw_wording_public": false, "senses": [ { "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000919", "label": "Pomegranate as literal fruit and cultic ornament", "classification": "ORDINARY_DESCRIPTION", "definition": "Biblical pomegranates are real fruit/trees and also deliberate ornamental forms on the high priest’s robe and temple architecture; those instituted decorative uses must be distinguished from claims about an intrinsic symbolic meaning.", "not_always": "The fruit and the ornament are concrete referents; decorative placement does not by itself supply an inspired symbolic dictionary.", "scope_note": "The fruit and the ornament are concrete referents; decorative placement does not by itself supply an inspired symbolic dictionary.", "claims": [ { "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000919", "statement": "Biblical pomegranates are real fruit/trees and also deliberate ornamental forms on the high priest’s robe and temple architecture; those instituted decorative uses must be distinguished from claims about an intrinsic symbolic meaning.", "asserted_classifications": [ "ORDINARY_DESCRIPTION" ], "type_kinds": [], "evidence_grade": 4, "grade_basis": "G4_RECURRENT_CANONICAL_MOTIF_OR_STRONG_THEMATIC_PATTERN", "status": "REQUIRES_RECLASSIFICATION", "public_wording_class": "CATEGORY_OR_RECLASSIFICATION_NOTICE", "scope_limitation": "The fruit and the ornament are concrete referents; decorative placement does not by itself supply an inspired symbolic dictionary.", "strongest_alternative_explanation": null, "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.", "theological_intersections": [ "OTHER" ], "scripture_references": [ { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-001323", "osis_start": "Deut.8.8", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Deuteronomy 8:8", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-001324", "osis_start": "Exod.28.33", "osis_end": "Exod.28.34", "display_label": "Exodus 28:33-34", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-001325", "osis_start": "1Kgs.7.20", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "1 Kings 7:20", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" } ], "source_citations": [ { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000001", "author_editor": null, "title": "Canonical Scripture: MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison", "publication_data": "Text loci verified for TSP-S0F Batch 1", "locator": null, "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY", "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000305", "author_editor": "BibleHub/BibleGateway reference", "title": "Hebrew rimmon: pomegranate fruit and ornament", "publication_data": "Accessed/verified 2026-09-20", "locator": "https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7416.htm", "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [ { "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL", "target": "https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7416.htm" } ] } ], "s8_wording_provenance": null } ] }, { "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000920", "label": "Pomegranate abundance/beauty association", "classification": "IMAGE", "definition": "Pomegranates occur among the abundant produce of the land and in Song of Songs beauty/fertility comparisons, supporting bounded abundance/fruitfulness/beauty associations rather than a universal pomegranate code.", "not_always": "Abundance/fruitfulness and beauty are contextual literary associations; they do not interpret the priestly/temple ornaments or every pomegranate occurrence.", "scope_note": "Abundance/fruitfulness and beauty are contextual literary associations; they do not interpret the priestly/temple ornaments or every pomegranate occurrence.", "claims": [ { "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000920", "statement": "Pomegranates occur among the abundant produce of the land and in Song of Songs beauty/fertility comparisons, supporting bounded abundance/fruitfulness/beauty associations rather than a universal pomegranate code.", "asserted_classifications": [ "IMAGE" ], "type_kinds": [], "evidence_grade": 4, "grade_basis": "G4_RECURRENT_CANONICAL_MOTIF_OR_STRONG_THEMATIC_PATTERN", "status": "STRONGLY_SUPPORTED", "public_wording_class": "CANONICAL_MOTIF", "scope_limitation": "Abundance/fruitfulness and beauty are contextual literary associations; they do not interpret the priestly/temple ornaments or every pomegranate occurrence.", "strongest_alternative_explanation": null, "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.", "theological_intersections": [ "OTHER" ], "scripture_references": [ { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000631", "osis_start": "Num.13.23", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Numbers 13:23", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-001326", "osis_start": "Song.4.3", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Song of Songs 4:3", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-001327", "osis_start": "Song.6.7", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Song of Songs 6:7", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" } ], "source_citations": [ { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000001", "author_editor": null, "title": "Canonical Scripture: MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison", "publication_data": "Text loci verified for TSP-S0F Batch 1", "locator": null, "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY", "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000305", "author_editor": "BibleHub/BibleGateway reference", "title": "Hebrew rimmon: pomegranate fruit and ornament", "publication_data": "Accessed/verified 2026-09-20", "locator": "https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7416.htm", "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [ { "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL", "target": "https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7416.htm" } ] } ], "s8_wording_provenance": null } ] }, { "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000921", "label": "Rejected pomegranate joyfulness code", "classification": "SYMBOL", "definition": "Scripture does not explicitly identify the pomegranate as a symbol of joyfulness; the fruit is associated with land abundance, beauty imagery, and cultic ornament, but joy is not assigned as its invariant meaning.", "not_always": "Do not infer joyfulness from later cultural symbolism or fruit associations without an inspired interpretive statement.", "scope_note": "Do not infer joyfulness from later cultural symbolism or fruit associations without an inspired interpretive statement.", "claims": [ { "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000921", "statement": "Scripture does not explicitly identify the pomegranate as a symbol of joyfulness; the fruit is associated with land abundance, beauty imagery, and cultic ornament, but joy is not assigned as its invariant meaning.", "asserted_classifications": [ "SYMBOL" ], "type_kinds": [], "evidence_grade": 7, "grade_basis": "G7_INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE", "status": "INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE", "public_wording_class": "INSUFFICIENT_BIBLICAL_EVIDENCE", "scope_limitation": "Do not infer joyfulness from later cultural symbolism or fruit associations without an inspired interpretive statement.", "strongest_alternative_explanation": null, "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.", "theological_intersections": [ "OTHER" ], "scripture_references": [ { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-001323", "osis_start": "Deut.8.8", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Deuteronomy 8:8", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" }, { "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000439", "osis_start": "Exod.28.33", "osis_end": null, "display_label": "Exodus 28:33-35", "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD" } ], "source_citations": [ { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000001", "author_editor": null, "title": "Canonical Scripture: MT/LXX/NA28 with NET/ESV comparison", "publication_data": "Text loci verified for TSP-S0F Batch 1", "locator": null, "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "CANONICAL_AUTHORITY", "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [] }, { "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000305", "author_editor": "BibleHub/BibleGateway reference", "title": "Hebrew rimmon: pomegranate fruit and ornament", "publication_data": "Accessed/verified 2026-09-20", "locator": "https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7416.htm", "verification_level": "V3_CLAIM_VERIFIED", "source_function": [ "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT" ], "locator_targets": [ { "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL", "target": "https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7416.htm" } ] } ], "s8_wording_provenance": null } ] } ], "lexeme_mappings": [ { "lexeme_link_id": "TSP-LEX-000234", "language": "HEBREW", "lemma_unicode": "רִמּוֹן", "transliteration": "rimmon", "strongs_id": "H7416", "owner_tier": "TSP_MAPPING_ONLY", "semantic_domain_ids": [] } ], "canonical_relationships": [], "negative_guardrails": [] }