ῥίζ-α G4491
Root of a plant; figuratively, origin, source, or foundational cause of something.
At its most basic, ῥίζα is the underground part of a plant that anchors it and draws nourishment. Yet the New Testament exploits this image extensively in figurative speech. John the Baptist warns that 'the axe is laid to the root of the trees' (Matt 3:10; Luke 3:9), signaling imminent divine judgment. Jesus' parable of the sower describes seed falling on rocky soil with no deep root (Matt 13:6, 21; Mark 4:6, 17). Paul speaks of the root of Jesse (Rom 15:12) and warns Gentile believers that 'the root supports you' (Rom 11:16-18). Spanish 'raíz' and German 'Wurzel' both carry the same literal-to-metaphorical range.
Senses
1. root (literal and figurative) — The underground part of a plant from which it draws nourishment, extended figuratively to mean origin, source, or foundational cause. Literal usage appears in the parable of the sower where seed on rocky ground 'had no root' (Matt 13:6; Mark 4:6). Figurative usage is prominent: the axe laid to the root signals judgment (Matt 3:10), the 'root of Jesse' points to messianic origin (Rom 15:12), and 'the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil' (1 Tim 6:10) identifies a deep causal source. Spanish 'raíz' and German 'Wurzel' preserve this dual literal-figurative range. 17×
AR["أصلُ", "أَصْلُ", "أَصْلِ", "الْجَذْرَ", "الْجَذْرُ", "الْجُذُورِ", "جَذرٌ", "جَذْر", "جَذْرٌ", "جَذْرِ", "جِذْرُ"]·ben["মূল", "মূলকে", "মূলে", "মূলের", "শিকড়", "শিকড়,"]·DE["Wurzel", "ῥίζαν"]·EN["Root", "root", "the-roots"]·FR["racine"]·heb["שָׁרָשִׁים", "שֹׁרֶשׁ"]·HI["जड़", "जड़-के", "जड़-को", "जड़ों", "जद", "जध", "वंश"]·ID["Akar", "akar", "akar,", "itu"]·IT["radice", "riza"]·jav["Oyod", "oyod", "oyod,", "oyodipun", "oyot"]·KO["뿌리", "뿌리-가", "뿌리-에", "뿌리가", "뿌리들부터", "뿌리를", "뿌리와", "뿌리이고"]·PT["Raiz", "raiz", "raiz,"]·RU["-Иессея", "-ветви", "-маслины", "Корень", "корень", "корне", "корней", "корня", "несёшь"]·ES["Raíz", "raíces", "raíz"]·SW["Shina", "mizizi", "mzizi", "mzizi,"]·TR["Davut'un", "kök", "kök,", "köklerinden", "kökü", "köküne", "kökünün"]·urd["جڑ", "جڑ-کو", "جڑوں"]
Related Senses
H3754 1. vineyard, cultivated grape plot (92×)H0730 1. cedar tree or wood (73×)H1612 1. vine, grapevine (55×)H3293a 1. forest, wood, thicket (55×)H5560 1. fine flour (53×)H5193 1. plant vegetation (48×)H2232 1. sow seed, plant crops (41×)H1715 1. grain, cereal crop (40×)H7114b 1. reap, harvest grain (36×)H2132 1. olive tree (34×)H8184 1. barley (34×)H2406 1. wheat (grain crop) (30×)H7070 1. reed, cane (plant) (30×)H7848 1. acacia (28×)H8328 1. root of a plant (28×)H8384 1. fig tree (25×)H5488 1. reeds, rushes (in 'Sea of Reeds') (24×)G0290 1. a vineyard (23×)G2325 1. reap, harvest a crop (21×)G4687 1. sow seed, plant (21×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ῥίζ-α, ης, ἡ: Ionic dialect nominative ῥίζη Refs 8th c.BC+:—root, Refs 8th c.BC+; used as a medicine, Refs 8th c.BC+; ῥ. ἐλατήριος, of a purgative medicine, Refs 5th c.BC+: mostly in plural, roots, Refs 8th c.BC+ __2 metaphorically, roots of the eye, Refs 8th c.BC+ probably bloodshot streaks); the roots or foundations of the earth, Refs 8th c.BC+; of feathers, hair, etc., Refs 5th c.BC+; of the…