Biblical Lexicon

ξηρός G3584

Adj-NFS | 8× in 2 senses

Dry, dried up, withered — of a body part paralyzed or shriveled, or of land as opposed to sea

The adjective ξηρός ('dry') appears eight times in the New Testament across two recognizable senses. Most often it describes a withered or paralyzed limb — the man with the 'withered hand' in the Synoptic healing stories (Matt 12:10, Mark 3:3, Luke 6:6-8) and the invalids at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:3). In its other sense it describes dry land or dry material: the Israelites passed through the Red Sea 'on dry ground' (Heb 11:29), and Jesus contrasts what is done 'in the green wood' with what will happen 'in the dry' (Luke 23:31). Jesus also uses it of those who traverse 'sea and dry land' to make a proselyte (Matt 23:15).

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Senses

1. withered — Withered, shriveled, paralyzed — describing a body part that has dried up and lost function. Five occurrences cluster around healing narratives: the man with the 'withered hand' appears in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matt 12:10, Mark 3:3, Luke 6:6, 6:8), and John 5:3 lists those with 'withered' limbs among the sick at Bethesda. Spanish uses 'seca/secos' and French 'sec,' both meaning dried or desiccated, applied to the human body. The physical imagery is vivid: a hand that has lost its moisture and vitality, shrunken and immobile, which Jesus restores with a word. 5×

NATURAL_WORLD › Physical Events and States › Dryness and Drought

AR["اليابِسَةَ", "يابِسَةً", "يابِسَةٌ", "يَابِسَةٌ", "يَابِسِينَ"]·ben["শুকনো", "শুকনো,", "শুকনো-অঙ্গদের"]·DE["trocken", "ξηρά", "ξηράν", "ξηρὰν"]·EN["withered"]·FR["sec"]·heb["יְבֵשִׁים", "יְבֵשָׁה", "יָבֵשָׁה"]·HI["उठ", "सूखा", "सूखे-अंगवालों,", "सोओखअ"]·ID["kering", "layu", "layu,", "orang-layuh,"]·IT["secco"]·jav["aking.", "garing", "garing,"]·KO["마른"]·PT["seca:"]·RU["иссохших,", "сухая", "сухую"]·ES["seca", "secos"]·SW["uliokauka", "uliokauka,", "uliokauka.", "umekauka", "waliokauka"]·TR["felcliler", "kuru", "kuru,", "kuru."]·urd["سوکھا", "ہاتھ-والے"]

Matt 12:10, Mark 3:3, Luke 6:6, Luke 6:8, John 5:3

2. dry — Dry, as of land or material — the opposite of wet, moist, or green. Three occurrences use this geographical or material sense: Matt 23:15 ('sea and dry land'), Heb 11:29 ('dry ground' at the Red Sea crossing), and Luke 23:31 ('if they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?'). Spanish differentiates with 'tierra seca' (dry land/ground) and 'seco' (dry material), while English shifts from 'withered' to 'dry/dry land.' The Hebrews passage alludes to Exod 14:29, and Jesus' green-wood/dry-wood contrast in Luke 23 uses ξηρός as a metaphor for spiritual barrenness or judgment-readiness. 3×

NATURAL_WORLD › Physical Events and States › Dryness and Drought

AR["البَرَّ", "يابِسَةِ", "يَابِسَة"]·ben["শুকনা", "শুকনাতে", "শুকনো-জমি"]·DE["trocken", "ξηρὰν", "ξηρῷ"]·EN["dry", "dry-land"]·FR["sec"]·heb["יַבָּשָׁה", "יָבֵשׁ"]·HI["सूखी"]·ID["darat", "kering"]·IT["secco", "xēras"]·jav["dharatan", "garing"]·KO["마른", "마른-땅-을"]·PT["seca"]·RU["сухим", "суше", "сушу"]·ES["seca", "seco", "tierra-seca"]·SW["kavu", "kufanya"]·TR["karayı", "kuru", "kuruya"]·urd["خشک", "خشکی"]

Matt 23:15, Luke 23:31, Heb 11:29

BDB / Lexicon Reference

ξηρός, ά, όν, dry, opposed to ὑγρός, of a dried-up river, Refs 5th c.BC+; μέτρα ξ. τε καὶ ὑγρά dry and liquid measures, Refs 5th c.BC+; ξ. γάλα, i.e. ripe cheese, Refs; so τυρὸς ξ., opposed to τυρὸς χλωρός, Refs 4th c.BC+; ἐν ξηροῖσιν ἐκτρέφειν on solid food, i.e. cereals, Refs 5th c.BC+; καρπὸς ξ., i.e. cereal, opposed to κ. ξύλινος, produce of trees, i. e. fruit, wine, or oil, Refs 5th…