יוֹנֵק
𐤉𐤅𐤍𐤒
yôwnêq
H3126 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A young shoot, sprout, sucker, or offshoot—typically referring to the new, tender growth emerging from a plant or tree, often from the root or trunk, especially after the main stem has been cut or felled. In a broader sense, it can denote a nascent or vulnerable life-form, such as a newborn child or, metaphorically, a new entity beginning to develop.
Semantic Range
young shoot, sucker (of a plant), sprout, tender plant, sapling, new growth after felling, (rarely) nursing infant, vulnerable or nascent entity
Root / Etymology
The term יוֹנֵק (yôwnêq) is the active participle of the root יָנַק, which means 'to suck, draw out nourishment.' As a participle, יוֹנֵק literally denotes 'one who sucks' or 'one drawing nourishment.' In botanical contexts it is used for a young shoot or sprout drawing up sap from the root. Its application to a 'tender plant' or 'sucker' stems from this sense of drawing sustenance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, יוֹנֵק is used both in literal botanical descriptions (Isa 53:2) and as a metaphor for something or someone young, tender, and vulnerable—either a child (in rare poetic contexts), or more often a new shoot representing hope of renewal. This term carries botanical nuance distinct from other Hebrew words for branch or shoot such as חֹטֶר (chōṭer, 'shoot') or צֶמַח (tsemaḥ, 'sprout, branch'), which can refer more generally to budding growth or a ruler from David's line. יוֹנֵק more specifically stresses the dependent, fragile stage of early growth and its reliance on the source. In post-biblical and later Hebrew, the sense extended metaphorically to the nursing child, paralleling its literal sense of one who draws nourishment. Standard English translations such as 'tender plant,' 'shoot,' or 'sucker' can underrepresent the image of dependency inherent in the word. The figurative meaning as a sign of nascent hope or new beginnings is especially prominent in exilic and post-exilic literary texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
active participle of יָנַק; a sucker; hence, a twig (of a tree felled and sprouting); tender plant.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
ינק (y-n-q) — to suck, draw nourishment, nurse
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3127 | יוֹנֶקֶת | and his suckling shoot |
| H3242 | יְנִיקָה | his nourished shoots |
| H3243 | יָנַק | the nursing one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3126-01 |
כַּ/יּוֹנֵ֜ק | kayoneq | HRd/Ncmsa |
like-a-suckling | like a suckling shoot | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3126-01 |
Isaiah 53:2 | כַּ/יּוֹנֵ֜ק | kayoneq | HRd/Ncmsa |
like-a-suckling | like a suckling shoot |