### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **yôwnêq**, represented by `{{H3126}}`, means **tender plant**. It is described as a sucker or a twig that sprouts from a felled tree. This specific term appears only **1 time** in the entire Bible, making its single usage highly significant.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H3126}}` is in [[Isaiah 53:2]]. The verse describes a figure who "shall grow up before him as a **tender plant**." This imagery contrasts a new, vulnerable sprout with its harsh environment, as it emerges "as a root out of a dry ground." The passage emphasizes a lack of outward comeliness or beauty, connecting the humble image of the **tender plant** to a figure who would not be desired based on appearance [[Isaiah 53:2]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words in the verse clarify the meaning of `{{H3126}}`:
* `{{H5927}}` **ʻâlâh** (to ascend, grow up): This verb, used to describe the action of the tender plant, means to "shoot forth (up)." It is used elsewhere to describe God bringing his people up from a land [[Exodus 3:8]] or causing health to be restored [[Jeremiah 30:17]].
* `{{H8328}}` **sheresh** (root): This word appears alongside **yôwnêq** to complete the botanical image. It is used to signify a source or foundation, as in the "root of Jesse" [[Isaiah 11:10]], and its destruction means total ruin [[Malachi 4:1]].
* `{{H776}}` **ʼerets** (ground, earth, land): This term defines the environment from which the tender plant emerges. Described as "dry ground" in the key verse, it can refer to the earth created by God [[Genesis 1:1]] or a specific land that God can heal [[2 Chronicles 7:14]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3126}}` is concentrated in its single, poignant usage:
* **Humble Beginnings:** The image of a **tender plant** signifies a beginning marked by vulnerability and a lack of impressive outward appearance. This is reinforced by the description that the figure has "no form nor comeliness" [[Isaiah 53:2]].
* **Growth in Hardship:** The term is explicitly set in the context of a "dry ground" [[Isaiah 53:2]], illustrating survival and growth despite a harsh, unpromising environment.
* **Connection to Messianic Imagery:** Paired with the word **root** `{{H8328}}`, which is used elsewhere to describe the "root of Jesse" [[Isaiah 11:10]], the **tender plant** points toward a figure of great importance who arises from an unexpected and humble source.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3126}}` **yôwnêq** provides a powerful and specific image within biblical prophecy. Though used only once, its depiction of a "tender plant" conveys themes of humility, vulnerability, and life emerging from a desolate place. In its context in [[Isaiah 53:2]], it is a crucial term for understanding the nature of a promised figure who grows not with worldly majesty, but with the quiet resilience of a single sprout in dry ground.
TRV