ἀσσάριον G0787
assarion, a small Roman copper coin worth about 1/16 denarius
A loanword from Latin denoting a small copper coin of minimal value. Jesus uses it in sayings about God's care for sparrows: two sparrows sold for an assarion (Matthew 10:29), five for two assaria (Luke 12:6). The point is that even creatures of negligible economic worth are noticed by the Father. The assarion was roughly equivalent to 1/16 of a denarius (a day's wage), making it a coin of very small purchasing power.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both Gospel occurrences employ the assarion in identical proverbial logic: sparrows cost very little in the market, yet God knows each one. Luke's version intensifies the point - five sparrows for two assaria shows buyers get a 'free' fifth sparrow, yet none are forgotten. The Latin loanword appears across language families, with French 'as' and Spanish 'ases' adapting the Latin, while German preserves the Greek form, showing varying degrees of naturalization. 2×
AR["بِفَلسٍ", "بِفَلْسَيْنِ"]·ben["আসারিয়ন", "পয়সায়"]·DE["ἀσσαρίου", "ἀσσαρίων"]·EN["for-an-assarion", "for-assaria"]·FR["as"]·heb["אַסָּרִים", "בְּ-אִסָר"]·HI["पैसे-में", "पैसों-के"]·ID["dua-uang-kecil", "satu-sen"]·IT["denaro"]·jav["satunggal-sèn", "uang-tembaga"]·KO["앗사리오에", "앗사리온"]·PT["por-um-asse"]·RU["ассариев", "за-ассарий"]·ES["por-asaríon", "por-dos-ases"]·SW["kwa-senti"]·TR["kurusun", "kuruş-a"]·urd["پیسوں", "پیسے-میں"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀσσάριον, τό, (Latin assarius (i.e. nummus)), NT+1st c.BC+ __II a sort of valve, Refs 2nd c.BC+