Branch

A symbol of kings descended from royal ancestors (Ezek. 17:3, 10; Dan. 11:7); of prosperity (Job 8:16); of the Messiah, a branch out of the root of the stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1), the “beautiful branch” (4:2), a “righteous branch” (Jer. 23:5), “the Branch” (Zech. 3:8; 6:12).

Disciples are branches of the true vine (John 15:5, 6). “The branch of the terrible ones” (Isa. 25:5) is rightly translated in the Revised Version “the song of the terrible ones,” i.e., the song of victory shall be brought low by the destruction of Babylon and the return of the Jews from captivity.

The “abominable branch” is a tree on which a malefactor has been hanged (Isa. 14:19). The “highest branch” in Ezek. 17:3 represents Jehoiakim the king.

bransh: Represented by very many words in the Hebrew.

(1) zemorah used especially of a vine branch. The spies "cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes" (Nu 13:23). See also Eze 15:2; Na 2:2. "They put the branch to their nose" (Eze 8:17), refers to some unknown idolatrous practice, as does also Isa 17:10, "thou plantest pleasant plants, and settest it with strange slips," or "vine slips of a strange (god)" the Revised Version, margin.

(2) yoneqeth, literally "a sucker." "The tender branch thereof will not cease" (Job 14:7). Used figuratively of Israel, Ps 80:11 (the Revised Version (British and American) "shoots"); Eze 17:22 the King James Version; Ho 14:6, and of the wicked, Job 8:16 (the Revised Version (British and American) "shoots"), 15:30.

(3) kippah, Job 15:32. Isa 9:14; 19:15, the Revised Version (British and American) has "palm-branch," "Therefore Yahweh will cut off from Israel head and tail, palm-branch and rush, in one day" (9:14).

(4) netser (of the same Hebrew root, according to many commentators, as Nazareth), literally "a little shoot springing from the root" ("out of a shoot from her roots," Da 11:7), which may be planted out to grow (Isa 11:1; 60:21), or may be rooted out and thrown away (Isa 14:19).

(5) tsemach. The "branch" of Messianic prophecy. See PROPHECY. "In that day shall the branch (m "shoot" or "sprout") of Yahweh be beautiful and glorious" (Isa 4:2); "a shoot out of the stock of Jesse" (Isa 11:1); "a righteous branch" (Jer 23:5; 33:15): "my servant the Branch" (Zec 3:8); "the man whose name is the Branch" (Zec 6:12).

(6) qanah, is used for the "branches" of the golden candlesticks (Ex 25:32; 37:18 ff). Literally, qanah means a "reed." There are a number of words, less frequently used, meaning "branch":

(7) baddim (plural only used; Eze 17:6; 19:14).

(8) dalith (plural only used; Jer 11:16).

(9) maTTeh (Eze 19:11).

(10) ca`iph (Isa 18:5; ce`appah (plural) (Eze 31:6); car`appah (Eze 31:5)).

(11) `anaph (Mal 4:1; Ps 80:11); `anaph (Da 4:14,21); `eneph (Eze 36:8).

(12) pu'rah, "a bough" (Isa 10:33); po'roth (pl. only) (Eze 31:5,8).

(13) tsammereth, "foliage" or "boughs of trees," literally "locks" or "fleece" of trees (Eze 17:3; 31:3).

(14) qatsir (collective) (Job 14:9), "boughs" (Ps 80:11), "branches."

(15) shibbeleth, the two olive branches of Zec 4:12.

(16) soqch, root meaning "to interweave" (Jud 9:49); sokhah (Jud 9:48), "boughs."

(17) sarigh (pl. only, sarighim), "branches" (of the vine) (Ge 40:10; Joe 1:7). Represented in Greek in the New Testament:

(1) baion (Joh 12:13), "a palm branch."

(2) klados (Mt 13:32; 21:8; 24:32; Mr 4:32; 13:28; Lu 13:19; Ro 11:16,17,18,19,21).

(3) klema, a slip or cutting of the vine, especially one cut off to be grafted into another plant (Joh 15:2,4,5,6).

(4) stibos (= stoibas), a "twig" or "bough" (Mr 11:8).

E. W. G. Masterman