The Hebrew verb nuwts has a range of meanings: to blossom, to bloom, to sparkle, or to flee quickly. The primary sense is of something bursting forth — whether a flower blooming open, a spark flying, or a person fleeing swiftly. The unifying idea is sudden, visible movement outward.
The most theologically significant use of this root relates to Aaron's rod that budded and blossomed in Numbers 17, confirming God's choice of the Levitical priesthood. The miraculous blossoming of a dead stick demonstrated God's power to bring life from death and His sovereign right to choose whom He will for service. This image of divine life springing forth from apparent death prefigures the resurrection.