Lexical Summary xéros: Dry, withered Original Word: ξηρός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dry, withered. From the base of xestes (through the idea of scorching); arid; by implication, shrunken, earth (as opposed to water) -- dry land, withered. see GREEK xestes NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition dry NASB Translation dry (2), land (1), withered (5). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3584: ξηρόςξηρός, ξηρά, ξηρόν, from Herodotus down, dry: τό ξύλον, Luke 23:31 (in a proverb. saying, 'if a good man is treated so, what will be done to the wicked?' cf. Psalm 1:3; Ezekiel 20:47. Isaiah 56:3; Ezekiel 17:24); of members of the body deprived of their natural juices, shrunk, wasted, withered: as χείρ, Matthew 12:10; Mark 3:3 L T Tr WH; Luke 6:6, 8; men are spoken of as ξηροι, withered, John 5:3. of the land in distinction from water, ἡ ξηρά namely, γῆ (the Sept. for יַבָּשָׁה, Genesis 1:9; Jonah 1:9; Jonah 2:11, and often (Winer's Grammar, 18; 592 (550))): Matthew 23:15; Hebrews 11:29 where L T Tr WH add γῆς. Topical Lexicon Concept Overview The term denotes physical aridity or withering, and by extension any condition devoid of life-giving moisture. Scripture harnesses the idea both literally (dry land, withered limbs) and figuratively (spiritual barrenness, judgment), creating a rich tapestry that moves from curse to restoration, from impotence to power. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 12:10; Mark 3:3; Luke 6:6, 8 – the man with the “withered hand.” Symbolism of Dryness and Witheredness • Human incapacity: The withered hand and the paralyzed at Bethesda picture humanity’s helplessness under sin (cf. Romans 5:6). Christ’s Authority over Dryness In the synagogue episodes Jesus commands the withered hand to stretch out; “and it was restored, as sound as the other” (Matthew 12:13). By reversing witheredness on the Sabbath He demonstrates messianic lordship, fulfilling Isaiah 61:1–2. The miracle embodies the gospel’s power to quicken what is lifeless (Ephesians 2:1). Dry Ground and Redemptive Deliverance Hebrews 11:29 recalls the Exodus: “By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land”. Dryness here is not sterility but a highway of salvation. The same term thus swings from the deficiency of creation to the sufficiency of God’s intervention. Warning against Spiritual Sterility Luke 23:31 employs the proverb of green and dry wood to warn Jerusalem. If Rome fells the righteous Branch (green), how much more will judgment ignite the dry—those devoid of repentance (cf. Ezekiel 20:47). The passage exhorts self-examination lest profession mask aridity (James 2:17). Pastoral and Ministry Application • Healing ministry: Encourage prayer for restoration—physical and spiritual—drawing on Christ’s example. Intercanonical Resonance The motif links to Ezekiel 37’s dry bones, Isaiah 53:2’s root “out of dry ground,” and Revelation 16:12’s drying of the Euphrates. In every epoch God turns dryness into a stage for His glory or a sign of impending judgment, underscoring His unchanging character. Summary Strong’s Greek 3584 binds together themes of impotence, judgment, deliverance, and renewal. The word’s New Testament appearances trace a redemptive arc: humanity’s withered condition, Christ’s healing touch, the dry path of deliverance, and the caution that apart from Him all remains fruitless and ready for the fire. Forms and Transliterations ξηρα ξηρά ξηραν ξηράν ξηρὰν ξηρας ξηράς ξηρᾶς ξηροί ξηρόν ξηρός ξηρού ξηρούς ξηρω ξηρώ ξηρῷ ξηρων ξηρών ξηρῶν ξίφεσιν ξίφους ξυλάρια xera xerá xēra xērá xeran xerán xeràn xēran xērán xēràn xeras xerâs xēras xērâs xero xērō xerôi xērō̂i xeron xerôn xērōn xērō̂nLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 12:10 N-AFSGRK: χεῖρα ἔχων ξηράν καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν NAS: [was there] whose hand was withered. And they questioned KJV: [his] hand withered. And INT: hand having withered And they asked Matthew 23:15 N-AFS Mark 3:3 N-AFS Luke 6:6 Adj-NFS Luke 6:8 N-AFS Luke 23:31 Adj-DNS John 5:3 Adj-GMP Hebrews 11:29 N-GFS Strong's Greek 3584 |
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