Original Word: ἐξορύσσω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: exorussó
Pronunciation: ex-or-OOS-so
Phonetic Spelling: (ex-or-oos'-so)
Definition: To dig out, to gouge out
Meaning: (a) I dig out, hence: I open up, (b) I gouge.

extract, pluck out.

From ek and orusso; to dig out, i.e. (by extension) to extract (an eye), remove (roofing) -- break up, pluck out.

see GREEK ek

see GREEK orusso

Word Origin
from ek and orussó
Definition
to dig out or up
NASB Translation
dug (1), plucked (1).

STRONGS NT 1846: ἐξορύσσω

ἐξορύσσω: 1 aorist participle ἐξορύξαντες; from Herodotus down;

1. to dig out: τούς ὀφθαλμούς (properly, to pluck out the eyes; so Judges 16:21 (Alex.); 1 Samuel 11:2; Herodotus 8, 116; Josephus, Antiquities 6, 5, 1; Lucian, dial. deor. 1, 1; others) καί διδόναι τίνι, metaphorically, to renounce the most precious things for another's advantage, Galatians 4:15 (similar expressions see in Terence, adelph. 4, 5, 67; Horace sat. 2, 5, 35; (Wetstein at the passage)); in opposition to a very few interpretaters who, assuming that Paul suffered from a weakness of the eyes, understand the words literally, Ye would have plucked out your sound eyes and have put them into me, see Meyer at the passage; (cf. references under the word σκόλοψ, at the end).

2. to dig through: τήν στέγην, Mark 2:4.

Word Origin: From the Greek preposition ἐκ (ek, meaning "out of") and the verb ὀρύσσω (oryssō, meaning "to dig").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἐξορύσσω, similar concepts of digging or removing can be found in Hebrew words such as חָפַר (chaphar, Strong's Hebrew 2658), which means "to dig" or "to search," and נָקַר (naqer, Strong's Hebrew 5365), which can mean "to bore" or "to pierce." These terms reflect similar actions of excavation or removal, often used in metaphorical or literal contexts within the Hebrew Scriptures.

Usage: The term ἐξορύσσω is used in the context of removing or extracting something by digging or gouging. It is often used metaphorically to describe the act of removing something with force or effort.

Context: The Greek verb ἐξορύσσω appears in the New Testament in contexts that involve the physical act of digging or gouging out. It is a compound word that combines the idea of removal (ἐκ) with the action of digging (ὀρύσσω). This term is used to describe actions that require effort and intention, often involving the removal of something embedded or entrenched.

In the Berean Standard Bible, ἐξορύσσω is notably used in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 5:29, Jesus uses this term in a hyperbolic teaching about the seriousness of sin and the lengths to which one should go to avoid it: "If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell." Here, ἐξορύσσω is translated as "gouge out," emphasizing the drastic measures one should take to avoid sin.

The use of ἐξορύσσω in this context underscores the radical nature of Jesus' call to holiness and the importance of prioritizing spiritual well-being over physical comfort or completeness. The metaphorical use of the term highlights the need for decisive action in the face of moral and spiritual challenges.

εξορύξαι εξορυξαντες εξορύξαντες ἐξορύξαντες εξώρυξαν εξώρυξεν exoruxantes exoryxantes exorýxantesInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts