שְׁתִל
a sprig (as if transplanted), i.e. sucker
Definition
The Hebrew noun שְׁתִל (shᵉthil) refers to a young plant, specifically a sprig, shoot, or sucker that has been transplanted. It describes a tender, cultivated growth, often a vine branch or olive shoot that has been deliberately planted to take root and flourish. This imagery emphasizes the care and intentionality involved in its cultivation. In its single biblical occurrence, Psalm 128:3, it poetically describes children as 'olive shoots' (שְׁתִלֵי זַיִת) around a family's table, symbolizing vitality, blessing, and future prosperity.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 128:3. It appears in a wisdom psalm that describes the blessings of the righteous. The word is used metaphorically within a domestic, agrarian image of family blessing: 'Your children will be like olive shoots (שְׁתִלֵי זַיִת) around your table.' Its usage is entirely poetic and symbolic, drawing on common agricultural imagery to convey spiritual and familial prosperity.
Etymology
The noun שְׁתִל (shᵉthil) is derived from the root verb שָׁתַל (shāthal, H8362), meaning 'to plant, transplant, or set.' This root conveys the action of deliberately placing a plant into the ground so it may take root. The noun form thus carries the inherent idea of something that has been planted, highlighting its origin as a deliberate act of cultivation rather than a wild growth.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, שְׁתִל carries significant theological weight in its context. It transforms a simple agricultural term into a powerful metaphor for God's blessing on the faithful family. Children are not portrayed as random occurrences but as cultivated, precious shoots planted by God's providence. This enriches the reading of Psalm 128 by connecting family life directly to divine care, covenant faithfulness, and the promise of a fruitful legacy, much like a well-tended orchard.
In ancient Israel, the olive tree was a fundamental symbol of peace, prosperity, and longevity. An olive shoot (שְׁתִל) represented new life, future harvest, and the continuation of the family's inheritance and livelihood. Unlike a wild sapling, a transplanted shoot implied careful horticulture and patient investment, mirroring the care required to raise children. This cultural understanding is essential to fully grasp the metaphor's depth in Psalm 128:3.
נֵצֶר (nētser, H5342) — a sprout, shoot, or branch; often used messianically (e.g., Isaiah 11:1). זְמוֹרָה (zᵉmôrâ, H2156) — a vine branch or tendril, specifically from a grapevine (e.g., Ezekiel 15:2).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →