ξηραίνω G3583
To wither, dry up, or become desiccated; in the active, to cause something to dry up or parch.
A vivid physical verb, ξηραίνω paints images of scorched vegetation and withered limbs throughout the New Testament. The cursed fig tree that withered overnight (Matt 21:19-20; Mark 11:20-21) became an acted parable of judgment, while seed on rocky ground that dried up for lack of root (Matt 13:6; Mark 4:6; Luke 8:6) illustrates shallow faith. The word also describes a man's withered hand (Mark 3:1) and apocalyptic drying of the Euphrates (Rev 16:12). Spanish 'se ha secado,' French 'dessécher,' and German 'vertrocknen' all preserve the concrete, physical force of desiccation.
2. dry up (transitive/active) — The active, transitive sense of causing something to dry up or wither. In James 1:11, the scorching sun 'dried up' (ἐξήρανεν, aorist active) the plant — the sun acts as agent of desiccation. This single active occurrence contrasts with the dominant passive pattern, placing emphasis on the external force that brings about withering. Spanish 'secó' (active preterite) and the shift from reflexive to transitive framing across languages confirm this causative distinction. 1×
AR["يَبَّسَت"]·ben["শুকিয়ে-দিল"]·DE["vertrocknen"]·EN["dried-up"]·FR["dessécher"]·heb["יִבְּשָׁה"]·HI["सुखा-दिया"]·ID["mengeringkan"]·IT["exēranen"]·jav["nggaringaken"]·KO["말렸다"]·PT["secou"]·RU["иссушило"]·ES["secó"]·SW["lilikauka"]·TR["kuruttu"]·urd["سکھا-دیا"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. wither, dry up (intransitive/passive) — The intransitive or passive sense of withering, drying up, or becoming desiccated — by far the dominant usage with 14 occurrences. Applied to plants withering from scorching sun or rootlessness (Matt 13:6; Mark 4:6; Luke 8:6), the fig tree cursed by Jesus (Matt 21:19-20; Mark 11:20-21), a withered hand (Mark 3:1, 3), dried-up waters (Rev 16:12), and the transience of grass (1 Pet 1:24). Spanish 'se ha secado/se reseca' and German 'vertrocknen' emphasize the resultant state of dryness, while the Greek passive and middle forms convey that the subject undergoes rather than initiates the process. 14×
AR["جَفَّ","جَفَّت","يابِسَةً","يَابِسَةً","يَبَسَ","يَبِسَت","يَبِسَتْ","يَيْبَسُ"]·ben["শুকিয়ে-গেছে","শুকিয়ে-গেল","শুকিয়ে-গেল।","শুকিয়ে-যাওয়া","শুকিয়ে-যায়"]·DE["vertrocknen","ἐξηράνθη"]·EN["becomes-rigid","dried-up","has-withered","it-withered","they-withered","was-dried-up","withered"]·FR["dessécher"]·heb["יְבֵשָׁה","יָבְשָׁה","יָבְשׁוּ","יָבֵשׁ","מִתְיַבֵּשׁ"]·HI["सूख-गई","सूख-गया","सूख-गयी","सूख-जाती-है","सूखता-है","सूखा-हुआ","सोओख-गये","हाथ"]·ID["ia-menjadi-kaku","kering","keringlah","layu","layu.","mengering","menjadi-kering","sudah-layu"]·IT["exēranthē","inaridire"]·jav["alum","dados-garing","garing","garing,","garing.","kasat","kering","sampun-garing"]·KO["마르고","마르였으니","마른","말라-버렸다","말라갑니다","말라버렸다","말라버린","말랐는가","말랐다"]·PT["Secou","definha","ressequida","secaram","secou","secou."]·RU["высохла","засохла","засохли","засохло","засохшую","засыхает","иссохшую","иссяк","созрела","цепенеет"]·ES["fue-secada","se-ha-secado","se-reseca","se-secaron","se-secó","seca","secada"]·SW["-","anakauka","ilikauka","ilikauka.","imeiva","limekauka","mtini","uliokauka","umekauka","yakakauka","yalikauka"]·TR["kurudu","kurudu,","kurudu.","kurumuş","kurutuşmuş","kuruyor","olgunlaştı"]·urd["سوکھ گیا","سوکھ-گئی","سوکھ-گیا","سوکھا-ہوا","سوکھتا-ہے","سُوکھ-گئی"]
Matt 13:6, Matt 21:19, Matt 21:20, Mark 3:1, Mark 4:6, Mark 5:29, Mark 9:18, Mark 11:20, Mark 11:21, Luke 8:6, John 15:6, 1 Pet 1:24 (+2 more)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ξηραίνω, future -ᾰνῶRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐξήρἀνα Refs 5th c.BC+:—passive, future ξηρανθήσομαι Refs 2nd c.AD+middle ξηρᾰνοῦμαι in same sense, Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ἐξηράνθην Refs 8th c.BC+: perfect ἐξήρασμαι NT+5th c.BC+; infinitive ἀπ-εξηράνθαι Refs 5th c.BC+; participle ἐξηρᾱμένος only late, Refs 3rd c.AD+: (ξηρός):—parch, dry up, ξηρανεῖ σ᾽ ὁ Βάκχιος E. [prev. cited]; of the sun, Refs 5th…