Original Word: אָמִיר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: amiyr
Pronunciation: ah-meer
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-meer')
KJV: bough, branch
NASB: bough, branches
Word Origin: [apparently from H559 (אָמַר - said) (in the sense of self- exaltation)]

1. a summit (of a tree or mountain

bough, branch

Apparently from 'amar (in the sense of self- exaltation); a summit (of a tree or mountain -- bough, branch.

see HEBREW 'amar

Word Origin
from amar
Definition
the top, summit
NASB Translation
bough (1), branches (1), topmost* (1).

אָמִיר noun masculine top, summit, of tree Isaiah 17:6; of mountain Isaiah 17:9 (? So Ew Kn De Di; Lag Che Brd Or following ᵐ5 & read הָאֱמֹרִי); plural construct אֲמִרֵי Genesis 49:21 (so read for אִמְרֵי, Ew Di and others, compare also 1. אֵלָה p.18).

Literal Imagery

The word evokes the picture of the highest points of a tree or wooded height—elevated, exposed, and easily visible. In Scripture these “tops” symbolize what is left after shaking, what is remote from common reach, and what stands as a conspicuous stronghold.

Occurrences in Scripture

Isaiah 17:6 presents the image of a harvested olive tree: “Yet gleanings will remain, like an olive tree: two or three berries at the very top of the tree, four or five on its fruitful branches—declares the LORD, the God of Israel.”

Isaiah 17:9 shifts the setting from orchard to fortification: “In that day their strong cities will be like the deserted wooded heights and hilltops that were abandoned because of the Israelites; and there will be desolation.”

Contextual Significance in Isaiah

1. A Picture of the Remnant (Isaiah 17:6)

The prophecy against Damascus and Ephraim envisions near-total devastation, yet God ensures a residual blessing. The handful of berries in the uppermost branches illustrate the faithful remnant preserved by divine mercy (compare Isaiah 10:20-22; Romans 9:27).

2. A Warning to Earthly Strongholds (Isaiah 17:9)

The fortress-cities, once perched like treetops over the land, will be abandoned. Height and human engineering cannot prevent judgment when covenant obligations are ignored (Psalm 127:1). The “wooded heights” thus become mute testimonies to the folly of trusting in man-made security.

Theological Themes

• Divine Sovereignty and Judgment

The same elevated imagery portrays both mercy and wrath. God reduces lofty cities to ruin (Isaiah 2:12-17) yet preserves a remnant in the loftiest branches, underscoring His absolute rule over nations and individuals.

• Remnant Theology

The scattered olives model how God never leaves Himself without witness. From Noah’s family (Genesis 8), through the seven thousand in Elijah’s day (1 Kings 19:18), to the faithful few in every era, the Lord’s purposes advance through a preserved people.

• The Folly of Pride

Human structures placed on summits invite complacency. Isaiah juxtaposes the apparent impregnability of “strong cities” with the certainty of their fall, echoing Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction.”

Historical Setting

Isaiah ministered during the Syro-Ephraimite crisis (circa 735–732 BC). Damascus and the Northern Kingdom aligned against Assyria and sought Judah’s support. Isaiah’s oracle (Isaiah 17) foretells their downfall. Assyrian records confirm Damascus fell to Tiglath-Pileser III in 732 BC, and Samaria to his successor Shalmaneser V in 722 BC, validating Isaiah’s predictions.

Ministry Application

1. Preaching on the Remnant

Use Isaiah 17:6 to reassure believers that, though cultural landscapes may be shaken, God preserves a people for His name (2 Timothy 2:19).

2. Warning Against False Security

Isaiah 17:9 calls churches and nations to examine reliance on structures, programs, or alliances rather than on the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5-8).

3. Encouragement for Faithful Witness

Even “two or three berries” can reproduce an entire grove. Small congregations and minority believers possess strategic value in God’s redemptive plan (Zechariah 4:10).

Typological and Prophetic Insights

• The Treetop as a Messianic Foreshadowing

The remnant motif culminates in the Messiah, the “Shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:1). From seeming barrenness God raises the Redeemer, guaranteeing future harvest.

• Eschatological Overtones

Desolate heights anticipate final judgment upon worldly systems (Revelation 18:9-11). Meanwhile, the preserved fruit hints at the ingathering of Israel and the nations in the last days (Romans 11:25-27).

Summary

אָמִיר portrays both the fragile remnant clinging to the upper boughs and the lofty citadel soon to be emptied. Its twin occurrences encapsulate the prophetic tension of judgment and hope, pressing each generation to humble trust and persevering faith.

אָמִ֑יר אמיר וְהָ֣אָמִ֔יר והאמיר ’ā·mîr ’āmîr aMir veHaaMir wə·hā·’ā·mîr wəhā’āmîrInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts