גֶּזַע
𐤂𐤆𐤏
gezaʻ
H1503 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A stem, stump, or trunk, particularly the basal part remaining after a tree has been felled or cut back; also used metaphorically for the enduring rootstock or source from which something (especially a lineage or dynasty) may spring anew. The term can denote both the literal wooden remnant and, figuratively, the foundational or surviving part of a group or line.
Semantic Range
tree trunk, stump, stock (of a tree or lineage), stem, basal remnant, figurative source or surviving member
Root / Etymology
Root: ג–ז–ע (גזע). The root is not attested elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible but is related to the idea of 'cutting' or 'severing.' The noun likely derives from a verbal root meaning 'to cut off' or 'to hew,' pointing to the physical remnant left when a tree is cut. The actual lexical meaning in biblical usage is 'stump' or 'stock' rather than simply 'to cut.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
The noun גֶּזַע appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in prophetic literature (e.g., Isaiah 11:1), where it metaphorically refers to the remnant or ongoing vitality of the 'stock' of Jesse (indicating the Davidic lineage). In such contexts, it carries both literal (botanical) and symbolic meaning—the resilience or regenerative potential inherent in what survives after apparent destruction. The metaphor depends on cultural familiarity with tree life cycles and resprouting from stumps, a common Near Eastern image for dynastic continuity. Translators have at times rendered the term as 'stem,' 'stump,' or 'stock'; none of these fully embodies the sense of ongoing life out of a seemingly dead remnant. Contrast with חֹטֶר (ḥoter, 'shoot, branch') and שֹׁרֶשׁ (shoresh, 'root'), which refer more specifically to new growth or the base structure of a plant. The English term 'stock' is close but risks misinterpretation, as it may evoke livestock or financial meanings in modern usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to cut down (trees); the trunk or stump of atree (as felled or as planted); stem, stock.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
גזע (g-z-ʿ) — to cut, to sever, stem, stump
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1503-02 |
גִּזְעֽ/וֹ | gizeo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
its stump | his stump | 1 |
H1503-01 |
גִּזְעָ֑/ם | gizeam | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their stock | their stump | 1 |
H1503-03 |
מִ/גֵּ֣זַע | migeza | HR/Ncmsc |
from the stump | from stump-of | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1503-03 |
Isaiah 11:1 | מִ/גֵּ֣זַע | migeza | HR/Ncmsc |
from the stump | from stump-of |
H1503-01 |
Isaiah 40:24 | גִּזְעָ֑/ם | gizeam | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their stock | their stump |
H1503-02 |
Job 14:8 | גִּזְעֽ/וֹ | gizeo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
its stump | his stump |