ὀρύσσω G3736
to dig, to excavate ground for planting, hiding, or construction purposes
A common agricultural and construction verb meaning to dig or excavate earth. Jesus uses it twice in parables: the landowner who dug a winepress in his vineyard (Matt 21:33; Mark 12:1), establishing proper preparation for cultivation, and the fearful servant who dug in the ground to hide his master's money (Matt 25:18). The word emphasizes intentional earthwork, whether for productive purposes like viticulture or defensive actions like concealment.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Cross-linguistic evidence confirms the basic sense of digging or excavating: English 'dug', Spanish 'cavó', French 'creuser' (to dig). The lexicon traces this back to Homeric Greek with the root sense of digging. Two occurrences involve Jesus' parable of the vineyard where the owner 'dug' a winepress (Matt 21:33, Mark 12:1), while one describes the servant who 'dug' in the ground to bury his master's talent (Matt 25:18). Both contexts involve preparing or excavating earth. 3×
AR["حَفَرَ"]·ben["খনন-করল", "খুঁড়লেন", "তিনি-খনন-করলেন"]·DE["ὤρυξεν"]·EN["dug"]·FR["creuser"]·heb["חָפַר"]·HI["खोदा"]·ID["menggali"]·IT["oruxen"]·jav["kedhuk", "ndhudhuk", "ngedhuk"]·KO["파고", "파다", "팠다"]·PT["cavou"]·RU["выкопал", "вырыл"]·ES["cavó"]·SW["akachimba", "alichimba", "ndani-yake"]·TR["kazdı", "kaztı", "kazıdı"]·urd["کھودا", "کھودی"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ὀρύσσω, Refs 8th c.BC+, Attic dialect ὀρύττω (late present imperative ὄρυγε Refs: future ὀρύξω Refs 8th c.BC+aorist ὤρυξα, Epic dialect ὄρυξα as always in Refs 8th c.BC+perfect ὀρώρῠχα (κατ-) Refs 5th c.BC+: pluperfect ὠρωρύχειν Refs 2nd c.AD+:—middle, aorist ὠρυξάμην Refs 5th c.BC+ —passive, future ὀρυχθήσομαι (κατ-) Refs 5th c.BC+: aorist ὠρύχθην Refs 5th c.BC+: perfect ὀρώρυγμαι Refs; in…