An Examination of the Sprouting Horn in Ps 132,17 and Ezek 29,21

ABSTRACT

In some passages in the Hebrew Bible that focus on hope for future renewal after the exile, authors borrow particularly from the world of horticulture. In this article, I consider one such image, that of the “sprouting horn,” צמח קרן, found only in Ps 132,17 and Ezek 29,21. I examine its rhetorical role in each passage independently and introduce comparative materials from Akkadian texts that demonstrate how the image evokes several features that call to mind hopes for political restoration. The result of such comparative assessments is to provide more clarity on the use of the phrase, particularly in Ezek 29,21.

Key words:

• remnant
• metaphor
• Psalm 132
• Ezekiel 29