πλήμῡρ-α G4132
a flood, deluge, or inundation; rising flood-tide
This term describes the overwhelming rush of water in a flood or the rising of flood-tide. In Luke 6:48, Jesus uses it to depict the violent flood that tests a house's foundation. The image would resonate with Mediterranean audiences familiar with seasonal flooding and destructive storm surges. The term captures both the volume of water and its forceful, testing nature—a perfect metaphor for life's trials that reveal whether faith is built on solid ground.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The flood that strikes the house in Jesus' parable in Luke 6:48, testing which foundation proves reliable. Ancient Mediterranean builders knew the danger of seasonal floods and storm surges. Multilingual glosses uniformly recognize the destructive water surge ('a-flood', 'inundación', 'inondation'). The flood becomes Jesus' metaphor for life's inevitable trials that expose shallow versus deep-rooted faith. 1×
AR["فَيضانٍ"]·ben["বন্যা"]·DE["πλημμύρης"]·EN["a-flood"]·FR["inondation"]·heb["שֶׁטֶף"]·HI["बाढ़-की"]·ID["banjir"]·IT["plemmures"]·jav["banjir"]·KO["홍수가"]·RU["наводнения"]·ES["inundación"]·SW["mafuriko"]·TR["sel"]·urd["آنے-پر"]
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
πλήμῡρ-α, ἡ, ={πλημυρίς}, flood-tide, flood, NT+4th c.BC+; inundation of the Nile, Refs 3rd c.AD+: metaphorically, λόγου Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 in Medicine texts, accumulation, excessive flow, Lycusap.Refs 2nd c.AD+