Original Word: χόρτος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: chortos
Pronunciation: KHOR-tos
Phonetic Spelling: (khor'-tos)
Definition: Grass, hay, fodder
Meaning: grass, herbage, growing grain, hay.

grass, hay.

Apparently a primary word; a "court" or "garden", i.e. (by implication, of pasture) herbage or vegetation -- blade, grass, hay.

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
a feeding place, food, grass
NASB Translation
blade (1), grass (12), hay (1), wheat (1).

STRONGS NT 5528: χόρτος

χόρτος, χόρτου, ὁ;

1. the place where grass grows and animals glaze: Homer, Iliad 11, 774; 24, 640.

2. from Hesiod down, grass, herbage, hay, provender: of green grass, Matthew 6:30; Matthew 14:19; Luke 12:28; John 6:10; James 1:10; 1 Peter 1:24 (from Isaiah 40:6ff); Revelation 9:4; χόρτος χλωρός, Mark 6:39; Revelation 8:7; χόρτος of growing crops, Matthew 13:26; Mark 4:28; of hay, 1 Corinthians 3:12. (the Sept. for חָצִיר, grass, and עֶשֶׂב.)

Word Origin: Derived from a primary root related to the idea of a court or garden, indicating a place where grass or herbage grows.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H2682 חָצִיר (chatsir): This Hebrew word is often translated as "grass" or "herbage" and is used similarly in the Old Testament to convey ideas of transience and provision.
• H6212 עֵשֶׂב (eseb): Another Hebrew term for "herb" or "grass," used in contexts related to vegetation and the natural world.

These entries highlight the interconnectedness of biblical language and themes, illustrating how χόρτος and its Hebrew counterparts are used to convey spiritual truths through the imagery of the natural world.

Usage: In the New Testament, χόρτος is used to describe grass or vegetation, often in the context of illustrating the transient nature of life or God's provision. It appears in various passages to emphasize the temporary and fleeting nature of earthly things compared to spiritual truths.

Context: The Greek word χόρτος is used in the New Testament to convey themes of provision, transience, and the natural world. It appears in several key passages:

• Matthew 6:30 (BSB): "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Here, χόρτος is used metaphorically to illustrate God's care for His creation and to encourage trust in His provision.

• Mark 6:39 (BSB): "Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass." In this account of the feeding of the five thousand, χόρτος is used to describe the setting where Jesus performed the miracle, highlighting the natural environment as a backdrop for divine action.

• James 1:10-11 (BSB): "But the rich should exult in their low position, because they will pass away like a flower of the field. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits." Here, χόρτος is part of a simile that underscores the fleeting nature of wealth and human life.

The use of χόρτος in these passages serves to remind readers of the impermanence of material things and the enduring nature of spiritual truths. It also reflects the agrarian context of the biblical world, where grass and herbage were essential for sustaining livestock and, by extension, human life.

χορτον χόρτον χορτος χόρτος χορτου χόρτου χόρτους χορτω χόρτω χόρτῳ chorto chortō chórtoi chórtōi chorton chórton chortos chórtos chortou chórtouInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts