### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **neṭaʻ**, represented by `{{H5194}}`, is derived from נָטַע (nâṭaʻ) and means **plant**. It can also refer collectively to a plantation or abstractly to a planting. This term appears **4 times** in **4 unique verses**, often used figuratively to describe people or nations.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5194}}` is used both literally and metaphorically. In the book of Job, it describes the hope of new life for a tree stump, which, with the scent of water, can bring forth boughs "like a **plant**" [[Job 14:9]]. More significantly, Isaiah uses the term figuratively. The men of Judah are called God's "pleasant **plant**" within the Lord's vineyard, the house of Israel [[Isaiah 5:7]]. This metaphor is contrasted in a later chapter, where forgetting God leads to planting "pleasant **plants**" associated with "strange slips," which, despite attempts to make them flourish, result in a harvest of grief and sorrow [[Isaiah 17:10-11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the agricultural and symbolic context of **neṭaʻ**:
* `{{H5193}}` **nâṭaʻ** (to plant): This is the primitive root from which **neṭaʻ** is derived. Its definition is "to strike in, i.e. fix; specifically, to plant (literally or figuratively)". It is used for actions ranging from planting vineyards [[Ezekiel 28:26]] to God planting his people [[Jeremiah 24:6]] and even the heavens [[Isaiah 51:16]].
* `{{H3754}}` **kerem** (a garden or vineyard): This term often provides the setting for the **plant**. In [[Isaiah 5:7]], Israel is the Lord's **vineyard**, and Judah is His **plant** within it. This word connects the individual plant to the larger, cultivated whole.
* `{{H2233}}` **zeraʻ** (seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity): This word is used in parallel with **neṭaʻ** in [[Isaiah 17:11]], where making a **plant** grow is linked to making its **seed** flourish. It also carries the significant figurative meaning of posterity or descendants [[Isaiah 59:21]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5194}}` is centered on its use as a powerful metaphor for God's people and their relationship with Him.
* **Divine Ownership and Expectation:** In [[Isaiah 5:7]], the men of Judah are called God's "pleasant **plant**." This establishes them as a special possession, planted by God within His **vineyard** `{{H3754}}`, Israel. This metaphor carries an expectation of good fruit, as God looked for judgment and righteousness but found oppression and a cry.
* **The Source of Planting:** The identity of the planter determines the plant's ultimate fate. God's act of planting `{{H5193}}` is associated with building up and establishing His people [[Jeremiah 24:6]]. Conversely, when the people forget God and "plant pleasant **plants**" of their own choosing, the result is a failed harvest of sorrow, even if the **plant** seems to flourish temporarily [[Isaiah 17:10-11]].
* **Hope and Renewal:** The usage in [[Job 14:9]] provides a picture of hope rooted in nature. Just as a seemingly dead tree stump can bud again and produce boughs "like a **plant**" through the scent of water, it points to a potential for renewal and new life from what appears to be finished.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5194}}` **neṭaʻ** moves from a simple reference to a **plant** to a significant theological symbol. Though it appears only four times, its usage powerfully illustrates the relationship between God and His people. It portrays Judah as God's chosen **plant** [[Isaiah 5:7]], contrasts this with the worthless plants chosen by a forgetful people [[Isaiah 17:10]], and offers a glimpse of renewal in nature [[Job 14:9]]. The word encapsulates the ideas of divine planting, human accountability, and the truth that the ultimate harvest depends on the source of the **plant**.
TRV