### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **yᵉnîyqâh**, represented by `{{H3242}}`, refers to a **sucker or sapling; young twig**. Derived from a root meaning "to suck," it evokes the image of a young, dependent shoot. It is a highly specific term, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Its singular use gives it a focused and symbolic meaning within its scriptural context.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H3242}}` is in the prophetic allegory of [[Ezekiel 17:4]]. In this verse, a powerful figure "cropped off the top of his **young twigs**" and transported the twig to a "land of traffick" and a "city of merchants." This act of being cut and relocated defines the word's usage. The **young twig** is portrayed as something vulnerable, taken from its source and deliberately placed in a foreign, commercial environment.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Ezekiel 17:4]] illuminate its meaning:
* `{{H6998}}` **qâṭaph** (to strip off; crop off, cut down (up), pluck): This is the direct action performed on the **young twig**. This verb signifies a decisive removal, whether it's the twig in Ezekiel's prophecy, plucking ears of corn [[Deuteronomy 23:25]], or cutting plants [[Job 8:12]].
* `{{H7218}}` **rôʼsh** (the head... top): This identifies the source from which the **young twig** was taken. While it literally means the top part of a plant here, it often carries the figurative meaning of "chief," "beginning," or "ruler," as when God is described as "head above all" [[1 Chronicles 29:11]].
* `{{H5892}}` **ʻîyr** (a city): This term describes the destination of the displaced twig. An **ʻîyr** is a guarded place, and its use here contrasts the twig's natural origin with its new, structured, and commercial setting. The security of a city is ultimately from God, who must "keep the city" for it to be safe [[Psalms 127:1]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H3242}}` is tied exclusively to its allegorical role in Ezekiel.
* **Vulnerability and Displacement:** As a "young twig," the word symbolizes a person or nation that is tender and easily removed from its place of origin. The relocation to a "city of merchants" represents being placed under a foreign power and in a new sphere of influence [[Ezekiel 17:4]].
* **An Object of Sovereign Action:** The act of being "cropped off" highlights that the twig's fate is in the hands of a greater power. This theme is expanded when God Himself performs a similar act, stating, "I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it" on a high mountain [[Ezekiel 17:22]]. This shows that the same action can be used for both judgment and redemptive planting.
* **Purpose in a New Setting:** The twig is not destroyed but "set" (`sûwm`, `{{H7760}}`) in its new location [[Ezekiel 17:4]]. This deliberate placement suggests that even in displacement, there is a purpose, determined by the one who moved it.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3242}}` is a precise term whose meaning is entirely shaped by its single, powerful appearance. More than just a botanical label, **yᵉnîyqâh** functions as a key symbol in Ezekiel's prophecy. It vividly illustrates themes of vulnerability, sovereign displacement, and the potential for a new purpose in a foreign land. Its singular use demonstrates how scripture can invest a simple word with profound theological weight, depicting a story of removal and the promise of divine replanting.
TRV