יוֹנֵק (yo.neq)
yo.neq
sapling
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun yo-neq refers to a young shoot or sucker emerging from the roots of a larger plant. In Isaiah 53:2, it describes the Messiah’s humble origins, emphasizing his lack of majestic stature. The image is one of unassuming growth, contrasting sharply with royal grandeur.
Its root relates to nursing or sucking, suggesting new life drawn from an established source. This metaphor highlights dependence and potential rather than immediate power. Translators often render it as "sapling" or "root," capturing the sense of nascent existence that challenges human expectations of glory.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yo-neq paints a picture of quiet beginnings. It describes a tender shoot rising from dry earth, drawing life from a hidden root system rather than displaying immediate grandeur. In Isaiah 53:2, this image points to the Messiah’s unassuming entrance into the world. He did not arrive with royal fanfare or striking beauty, but as something small and dependent.
This metaphor offers comfort when we feel insignificant. Just as the sapling relies on its source for sustenance, our strength often comes from humble dependence on God rather than our own visible achievements. It reminds us that God’s power is frequently revealed in weakness, turning what the world overlooks into something vital and alive.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- like <the>/ shoot1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- כַּ/יּוֹנֵ֜ק1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 53:2
For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
The term emphasizes the Messiah's lack of outward majesty, highlighting his humble origins as a tender plant in dry ground.