The Hebrew noun geza refers to the trunk or stump of a tree — specifically what remains after the tree has been cut down. It carries powerful messianic significance in the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 11:1 declares that 'a shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.' This verse is one of the most explicit messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. The dynasty of David appeared to be cut down — reduced to a mere geza, a stump — by Babylonian exile. Yet from that seemingly lifeless stump, God would bring forth the Messiah. The imagery of geza teaches that divine purposes cannot be permanently defeated. Even when all visible hope is gone, God's redemptive plan remains alive in the root.