κονῐορτ-ός G2868
Dust stirred up from the ground; a cloud of fine particles raised by movement or wind.
Refers specifically to dust that has been raised or kicked up—not settled dust but an airborne cloud of fine particles. In the Gospels and Acts, shaking dust off one's feet is a symbolic act of separation and judgment when a town rejects the message (Matt 10:14; Luke 9:5; 10:11). Paul and Barnabas perform this gesture at Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:51). In Acts 22:23, an angry mob throws dust into the air as a sign of outrage. Every translation captures the same concrete image—Spanish 'polvo,' French 'poussiere'—but the Greek compound (from κόνις 'dust' and ὄρνυμι 'to stir up') emphasizes the dynamic, unsettled quality of the particles.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Dust that has been stirred up or raised from the ground, forming a visible cloud. The compound etymology (κόνις + ὄρνυμι, 'dust' + 'stir up') points to dust in motion rather than settled sediment. All five NT occurrences involve symbolic gestures: shaking off dust from one's feet as a testimony against those who reject the gospel (Matt 10:14; Luke 9:5; Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51), or throwing dust into the air as an expression of fury (Acts 22:23). Spanish 'polvo,' French 'poussiere,' and German translations all render it simply as 'dust,' but the ritual significance in each context—judgment, separation, outrage—gives the word a performative force beyond its material meaning. 5×
AR["غُبارَ", "غُبَارًا"]·ben["ধুলা", "ধুলো"]·DE["κονιορτὸν"]·EN["dust"]·FR["poussière"]·heb["אֲבַק", "אָבָק"]·HI["धूल", "धूल-को"]·ID["debu"]·IT["koniorton", "polvere"]·jav["awu", "bledug", "lebu"]·KO["먼지도", "먼지를"]·PT["pó"]·RU["пыль"]·ES["polvo"]·SW["mavumbi", "vumbi"]·TR["toz", "tozu"]·urd["خاک", "دھول", "گرد"]
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
κονῐορτ-ός, ὁ, (κόνις, ὄρνυμι) dust raised or stirred up, cloud of dust, Refs 5th c.BC+; κ. τῆς ὕλης νεωστὶ κεκαυμένης, i.e. a cloud of woodashes,Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 generally, dirt, sweepings, σαρώματα.. σὺν τῷ κ. Wilcken Refs 3rd c.BC+ __II metaphorically, dirty fellow, χαίρει τις αὐχμῶν ἢ ῥυπῶν, κ. ἀναπέφηνεν Refs 4th c.BC+