In the former prophets we find Tsemach first used as a title of Messiah by Isaiah in chap, iv., where, too, it stands in connection with the prophecy of the washing away of " the filth of the daughter of Zion " and the purg ing of the blood of Jerusalem from the midst of her," so that all that shall be left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, " even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem." Then Jeremiah, in chaps, xxiii. and xxxiii. 15, uses the term Tsemakh Tsaddik, " the Branch of Righteousness," or " Righteous Branch," as a designation of the Divine King who should spring out of David's line, in whose days Judah shall be saved, and Israel dwell safely, and whose name shall be called Jehovah Tsidkenu.
Including, therefore, the prophecies of Zechariah, we find the Messiah brought before us in the Old Testament Scriptures by this title of TsemacJi in four different aspects of His character:
(1) As the ideal King who shall reign in righteousness the Branch of David in whom shall be fulfilled all the promises made to the Davidic house (Jer. xxiii. 5, 6, xxxiii. 15, 1 6).
(2) As " My Servant the Branch " (Zech. iii. 8).
(3) As " The Man whose name is the Branch " (Zech. vi. 12).
they propose is not tenable: 1st, Because it departs from the old received inter pretation of the Jewish Church. Both Kimchi and Rashi admit that there was an interpretation referring this passage to the Messiah; and Jonathan, in his Targum interprets both these passages of the Messiah; 2nd, Because it contra dicts the analogy of the prophetic language. Messiah is elsewhere called The Branch, as in Isa. iv. 2 and Jer. xxiii. 5, in both of which passages Kimchi himself freely admits that Branch means the Messiah, yd, Because the words do not agree with the circumstances of Zerubbabel. God says, I will bring My Servant the Branch. But, as Aharbanel remarks, Zerubbabel had come long before, and was already a prince among them. Kimchi felt this difficulty, and therefore tries to twist the words to mean that his dignity should increase still more, and his greatness should grow as a branch, etc. But Abarbanel remarks again that God does not say that He will make him great, but that He will bring him; and adds, that after this prophecy Zerubbabel attained to neither royalty, dominion, or other dignity more than be already possessed " (see Abarbanel, Comment, in loc. ).
