The meaning of Branch ;bough in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
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" (Numbers 13:23). See also Ezekiel 15:2; Nahum 2:2. "They put the branch to their nose" (Ezekiel 8:17), refers to some unknown idolatrous practice, as does also Isaiah 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, Psalms 80:11 (the Revised Version (British and American) "shoots"); Ezekiel 17:22 the King James Version; Hosea 14:6, and of the wicked, Job 8:16 (the Revised Version (British and American) "shoots"), Job 15:30.
(3) kippah, Job 15:32. Isaiah 9:14; Isaiah 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" (Isaiah 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," Daniel 11:7), which may be planted out to grow (Isaiah 11:1; Isaiah 60:21), or may be rooted out and thrown away (Isaiah 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" (Isaiah 4:2); "a shoot out of the stock of Jesse" (Isaiah 11:1); "a righteous branch" (Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:15): "my servant the Branch" (Zechariah 3:8); "the man whose name is the Branch" (Zechariah 6:12).
(6) qanah, is used for the "branches" of the golden candlesticks (Exodus 25:32; Exodus 37:18 ff.). Literally, qanah means a "reed."
There are a number of words, less frequently used, meaning "branch":
(7) baddim (plural only used; Ezekiel 17:6; Ezekiel 19:14).
(8) dalith (plural only used; Jeremiah 11:16).
(9) maTTeh (Ezekiel 19:11).
(10) ca'iph (Isaiah 18:5; ce'appah (plural) (Ezekiel 31:6); car'appah (Ezekiel 31:5).
(11) 'anaph (Malachi 4:1; Psalms 80:11); 'anaph (Daniel 4:14, Daniel 4:21); 'eneph (Ezekiel 36:8).
(12) pu'rah, "a bough" (Isaiah 10:33); po'roth (pl. only) (Ezekiel 31:5, Ezekiel 31:8).
(13) tsammereth, "foliage" or "boughs of trees," literally "locks" or "fleece" of trees (Ezekiel 17:3; Ezekiel 31:3).
(14) qatsir (collective) (Job 14:9), "boughs" (Psalms 80:11), "branches."
(15) shibbeleth, the two olive branches of Zechariah 4:12.
(16) soqch, root meaning "to interweave" (Judges 9:49); sokhah (Judges 9:48), "boughs."
(17) sarigh (pl. only, sarighim), "branches" (of the vine) (Genesis 40:10; Joel 1:7).
Represented in Greek in the New Testament:
(1) baion (John 12:13), "a palm branch."
(2) klados (Matthew 13:32; Matthew 21:8; Matthew 24:32; Mark 4:32; Mark 13:28; Luke 13:19; Romans 11:16-19, Romans 11:21).
(3) klema, a slip or cutting of the vine, especially one cut off to be grafted into another plant (John 15:2, John 15:4-6).
(4) stibos (= stoibas), a "twig" or "bough" (Mark 11:8).
E. W. G. Masterman
DISCLAIMER: Church of the Great God (CGG) provides these resources to aid the individual in studying the Bible. However, it is up to the individual to "prove all things, and hold fast to that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21). The content of these resources does not necessarily reflect the views of CGG. They are provided for information purposes only.
