Outside the historical books, and one note in Psalm 72:20, Jesse the father of David is mentioned only once – in Isaiah 11:1, 10. this is itself telling, since it indicates that the pruning that Isaiah describes goes back to the roots. It’s not simply that the Lord whittles the Davidic line down to a single branch (as in the crisis surrounding Joash). It’s as if the Davidic line has never existed, as if Yahweh is starting all over again to raise up Davidic kings.
How can a Davidic dynasty arise from Jesse, a dead stump? The same way Isaac can be born from Abraham and Sarah, the same way almond blossoms can spring from a rod, the same way Adam can be made a living soul from the dust, the same way Jesus rises from the grave.
The Branch grows (Heb. parah , is fruitful) from the root of Jesse in the same way that fruit trees and plants first became fruitful from the earth.
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