### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nᵉṭîyshâh**, represented by `{{H5189}}`, refers to a tendril, offshoot, branch, plant, or battlement. This term, derived from a root meaning to be an offshoot, appears **3 times** in **3 unique verses**. Its usage in scripture consistently points to parts of a larger entity that are marked for removal or destruction.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical occurrences, `{{H5189}}` is used exclusively in prophetic judgments. In Jeremiah, it is used for the **battlements** of a wall that are to be taken away because "they are not the LORD'S" [[Jeremiah 5:10]]. It also describes the overgrown **plants** of a vine that have spread far and are now subject to "the spoiler" [[Jeremiah 48:32]]. In Isaiah, it appears as the **branches** of a vine that are to be cut down and taken away with pruning hooks before the harvest [[Isaiah 18:5]], signifying the removal of unwanted growth.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context of judgment and removal associated with `{{H5189}}`:
* `{{H5493}}` **çûwr**: This root means "to turn off (literal or figurative)". It is the action applied to the battlements and branches in two of the three occurrences of `{{H5189}}` ([[Jeremiah 5:10]], [[Isaiah 18:5]]). It is also used for putting away idols [[1 Samuel 7:3]] and taking away a "stony heart" [[Ezekiel 36:26]].
* `{{H7843}}` **shâchath**: Meaning "to decay, i.e. (causatively) ruin (literally or figuratively)," this word establishes the destructive context for the removal of the battlements in [[Jeremiah 5:10]]. It is used for God's judgment in the flood [[Genesis 6:17]] and His warning that he would not **destroy** Israel if a man stood in the gap [[Ezekiel 22:30]].
* `{{H3772}}` **kârath**: This verb, "to cut (off, down or asunder)," describes the action against the sprigs alongside the branches in [[Isaiah 18:5]]. While it signifies destructive cutting, as when two parts of a land are **cut off** [[Zechariah 13:8]], it is also the verb used to "make" or **cut** a covenant [[Genesis 15:18]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5189}}` is centered on divine judgment and sovereign pruning.
* **Divine Pruning:** The word is consistently used to describe elements that are to be removed by a higher power. Whether as overgrown **plants**, useless **branches**, or illegitimate **battlements**, they represent parts of a nation or system that God has judged for removal ([[Isaiah 18:5]], [[Jeremiah 48:32]]).
* **Sovereign Ownership:** The rationale for removing the battlements is explicitly stated: "for they are not the LORD'S" [[Jeremiah 5:10]]. This highlights the theme that what is not divinely owned or sanctioned is subject to being taken away.
* **Stripping of Defenses:** When used as **battlements**, the term points to the removal of a city's defenses. This action signifies making a people vulnerable as a direct consequence of their disobedience and lack of true spiritual foundation.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5189}}` is a specific and potent term used exclusively within prophetic warnings. While its literal definition includes branches, plants, and battlements, its theological meaning is tied to judgment. It symbolizes the parts of a people or structure that have become corrupt, overgrown, or are not in alignment with God's will, and are thus destined to be taken away, cut down, and destroyed.
TRV