Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical literature, the term "sprout" is often used metaphorically to signify new growth, hope, and the fulfillment of God's promises. It is a symbol of life emerging from what was once barren or lifeless, reflecting themes of renewal and divine intervention.
Old Testament ReferencesThe imagery of a sprout is prominently featured in the prophetic literature of the Old Testament. One of the most significant references is found in the book of Isaiah, where the prophet speaks of a future hope for Israel through the imagery of a sprout.
Isaiah 11:1 states, "Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit." This passage is widely interpreted as a messianic prophecy, foretelling the coming of Jesus Christ, who would emerge from the lineage of David, the son of Jesse. The "shoot" or "sprout" symbolizes the emergence of a new king who will bring justice and righteousness.
Similarly, in
Isaiah 53:2 , the suffering servant is described as a tender shoot: "He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground." This passage highlights the humble beginnings and the unexpected nature of the Messiah's arrival, emphasizing the contrast between the world's expectations and God's plan.
Jeremiah also uses the imagery of a sprout in his prophecies. In
Jeremiah 23:5 , the prophet declares, "Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as king and will administer justice and righteousness in the land." Here, the "Branch" or "sprout" is again a reference to the Messiah, who will establish a kingdom characterized by divine justice.
New Testament FulfillmentThe New Testament writers see the fulfillment of these Old Testament prophecies in the person of Jesus Christ. The imagery of the sprout is not explicitly mentioned in the New Testament, but the concept of Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies is a central theme. The genealogies in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke trace Jesus' lineage back to David, underscoring His role as the promised "Branch" from the line of Jesse.
Theological SignificanceThe use of "sprout" in the Bible carries deep theological significance. It represents God's faithfulness to His promises and His ability to bring life and hope out of desolation. The sprout is a powerful symbol of the new covenant established through Jesus Christ, who brings spiritual renewal and salvation to humanity.
In a broader sense, the imagery of a sprout can also be applied to the believer's life. Just as a sprout emerges from the ground, Christians are called to grow in their faith and bear fruit in their spiritual journey. This growth is nurtured by abiding in Christ, as illustrated in
John 15:5 : "I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing."
ConclusionThe concept of a sprout in the Bible serves as a rich metaphor for understanding God's redemptive work through Jesus Christ and the ongoing spiritual growth of believers. It is a reminder of the hope and renewal that God offers to His people, both in the past and in the present.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To shoot, as the seed of a plant; to germinate; to push out new shoots; hence, to grow like shoots of plants.
2. (v. t.) To shoot into ramifications.
3. (v. t.) To cause to sprout; as, the rain will sprout the seed.
4. (v. t.) To deprive of sprouts; as, to sprout potatoes.
5. (n.) The shoot of a plant; a shoot from the seed, from the stump, or from the root or tuber, of a plant or tree; more rarely, a shoot from the stem of a plant, or the end of a branch.
6. (v. i.) Young coleworts; Brussels sprouts.
Greek
985. blastano -- tosprout, produce... to
sprout, produce. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: blastano Phonetic Spelling:
(blas-tan'-o) Short Definition: I
sprout, cause to
sprout, make to grow up
...1631. ekphuo -- tosprout up
... tosprout up. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekphuo Phonetic Spelling:
(ek-foo'-o) Short Definition: I put forth, cause tosprout Definition: I put forth...
5444. phullon -- a leaf
... word Definition a leaf NASB Word Usage leaf (1), leaves (5). leaf. From the same
as phule; asprout, ie Leaf -- leaf. see GREEK phule. (phulla) -- 6 Occurrences...
5453. phuo -- to bring forth, produce
... A primary verb; probably originally, to "puff" or blow, ie To swell up; but only
used in the implied sense, to germinate or grow (sprout, produce), literally...
Strong's Hebrew
1876. dasha -- tosprout, shoot, grow green... 1875, 1876. dasha. 1877 . to
sprout, shoot, grow green. Transliteration: dasha
Phonetic Spelling: (daw-shaw') Short Definition:
sprout. Word Origin a prim.
...6779. tsamach -- tosprout, spring up
... 6778, 6779. tsamach. 6780 . tosprout, spring up. Transliteration: tsamach
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-makh') Short Definition: grow. Word Origin a prim....
6780. tsemach -- asprout, growth
... 6779, 6780. tsemach. 6781 . asprout, growth. Transliteration: tsemach
Phonetic Spelling: (tseh'-makh) Short Definition: Branch....
6524a. parach -- to bud,sprout, shoot
... 6524, 6524a. parach. 6524b . to bud,sprout, shoot. Transliteration:
parach Short Definition: flourish. Word Origin a prim. root...
7973. shelach -- a missile, weapon,sprout
... 7972, 7973. shelach. 7974 . a missile, weapon,sprout. Transliteration: shelach
Phonetic Spelling: (sheh'-lakh) Short Definition: weapon....
6525. perach -- a bud,sprout
... 6524c, 6525. perach. 6526 . a bud,sprout. Transliteration: perach Phonetic
Spelling: (peh'-rakh) Short Definition: flowers. Word...
5342. netser -- asprout, shoot
... 5341, 5342. netser. 5343 . asprout, shoot. Transliteration: netser Phonetic
Spelling: (nay'-tser) Short Definition: branch. Word...
6524. parach -- to bud,sprout, shoot
... 6523, 6524. parach. 6524a . to bud,sprout, shoot. Transliteration: parach
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-rakh') Short Definition: abroad....
2498. chalaph -- to pass on or away, pass through
... 5), gain new (2), go (1), move past (1), over (1), passed (1), passes (1), pierce
(1), pierced (1), renewed (1), replace (2), slip (1),sprout (1), sprouts...
3127. yoneqeth -- a young shoot, twig
... tender branch, young twig. Feminine of yowneq; asprout -- (tender) branch, young
twig. see HEBREW yowneq. 3126, 3127. yoneqeth. 3128 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
But that You May not Suppose this to be a Novel Doctrine Peculiar...
... resurrection of the dead. "There is hope for a tree; for if it be cut down it
willsprout again, and its shoot shall never fail. But if its...
The Resurrection
... The seeds must have heat, and damp, and darkness, and electricity, before they can
sprout; but the heat, and damp, and darkness, do not make themsprout; they...
The Sucker from the Felled Oak
... mutilation. We do not talk of a growth from the stump as being a 'branch';
and 'sprout' would better convey Isaiah's meaning. From...
The vine and the Branches
... This abiding requires a careful watchfulness lest there might be somesprout of
the old inward nature, which yet exists within the newly grafted branch, which...
The Germination of the Earth.
... When the germs begin tosprout they form grass; this develops and becomes a plant,
which insensibly receives its different articulations, and reaches its...
The General Service to a Monk.
... In the house of God hast thou, O father, vegetated up as the bestsprout, being
adorned with virtues and filled with the sweet smell of a wonderful fruit....
This is the Discourse Concerning Hades, Wherein the Souls of all...
... among the more fruitful soil, they flourish, and what is sown is indeed sown bare
grain, but at the mighty sound of God the Creator, it willsprout up, and be...
Sin Never to be Returned to after Repentance.
... But these dispositions have been wont tosprout from the seed of hypocrites, whose
friendship with the devil is indivisible, whose repentance never faithful....
Prayer and the Word of God (Continued)
... Although the word lodges in their hearts and begins tosprout, yet all is lost,
chiefly because there is no prayer or watchfulness or cultivation following....
Absolution.
... neck the blood sprung forth and formed fresh heads, multiplied and indestructible;
or like the weeds, which, extirpated in one place,sprout forth vigorously...
Thesaurus
Sprout (25 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To cause to
sprout; as, the rain will
sprout the seed. 4. (vt) To deprive
of sprouts; as, to
sprout potatoes.
...Sprout (25 Occurrences).
...Sprouted (8 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) ofSprout. Multi-Version Concordance
Sprouted (8 Occurrences). Matthew 13:26 and when the herb...
Grass (92 Occurrences)
... (2) deshe', from root meaning "tosprout abundantly." Generally... Psalms 90:5 You sweep
them away as they sleep. In the morning theysprout like new grass....
Zatthu (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Asprout, Nehemiah 10:14. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. ZATTHU. zat'-thu: In Nehemiah 10:14; the Revised...
Nazarene (19 Occurrences)
... Christ as "despised of men" (Isaiah 53:3). Some, however, think that in this name
there is an allusion to the Hebrew netser, which signifies a branch orsprout...
Naboth (18 Occurrences)
... NABOTH. na'-both, na'-both (nabhoth, from nubh, "asprout"; Nabouthai): The
owner of a vineyard contiguous to the palace of King Ahab....
Nazareth (29 Occurrences)
... Separated, generally supposed to be the Greek form of the Hebrew netser, a "shoot"
or "sprout." Some, however, think that the name of the city must be...
Nepheg (4 Occurrences)
... NEPHEG. ne'-feg (nephegh, "sprout," "shoot"): (1) Son of Izhar, and brother of Korah
of the famous trio, Korah, Dathan and Abiram (Exodus 6:21)....
Genealogy (29 Occurrences)
... once, Nehemiah 7:5) the noun yachas; cepher ha-yachas, "book of the genealogy";
also translates a denominate verb in Hithpael, yachas, "sprout" "grow" (compare...
Flourish (26 Occurrences)
... translated "flourishing" in Psalm 92:14, the Revised Version (British and American)
"green," and ra`anan, Aramaic in Daniel 4:4; nubh, "tosprout" (Zechariah 9...
Resources
What was the significance of Aaron's rod? | GotQuestions.orgIs Isaiah 53 'The Suffering Servant' a prophecy about Jesus? | GotQuestions.orgWhat prophecy is Matthew 2:23 referring to regarding Jesus being a Nazarene? | GotQuestions.orgSprout: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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