4237. prasia

Lexical Summary

prasia: Group, Row, Division

Original Word: πρασιά
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: prasia
Pronunciation: prah-see-AH
Phonetic Spelling: (pras-ee-ah')
KJV: in ranks
NASB: groups
Word Origin: [perhaps from prason (a leek, and so an onion-patch)]

1. a garden plot
2. (by implication, of regular beds) a row (repeated in plural by Hebraism, to indicate an arrangement)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

a group

Perhaps from prason (a leek, and so an onion-patch); a garden plot, i.e. (by implication, of regular beds) a row (repeated in plural by Hebraism, to indicate an arrangement) -- in ranks.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from prason (a leek)
Definition
a garden bed
NASB Translation
groups (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4237: πρασιά

πρασιά, πρασιας, ἡ, a plot of ground, a garden-bed, Homer, Odyssey 7, 127; 24, 247; Theophrastus, hist. plant. 4, 4, 3; Nicander, Dioscorides (?), others; Sir. 24:31; ἀνέπεσον πρασιαί πρασιαί (a Hebraism), i. e. they reclined in ranks or divisions, so that the several ranks formed, as it were, separate plots, Mark 6:40; cf. Gesenius, Lehrgeb., p. 669; (Hebrew Gram. § 106, 4; Buttmann, 30 (27); Winer's Grammar, 464 (432) also) § 37, 3; (where add from the O. T. συνήγαγον αὐτούς θημωνιας θημωνιας, Exodus 8:14).

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Imagery

The word carries the picture of a neatly laid-out garden bed or vegetable row. Such beds were marked off by low ridges of earth, giving the appearance of parallel rectangles of greenery. In common speech the term could be extended to any orderly, rectangular arrangement of people or objects.

Occurrences in Scripture

Mark 6:40 uses the term twice: “So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties” (Berean Standard Bible). The doubled expression emphasizes the striking visual effect—tier upon tier, bed upon bed—of the crowd reclining on green grass (Mark 6:39).

Cultural and Historical Background

• Small household gardens were familiar throughout Galilee. Narrow plots, usually edged by stones or earth, conserved scarce water and maximized space.
• Rows were often planted with lettuces, onions, and herbs. Their parallel orderliness was conspicuous, especially when viewed from above.
• Ancient hearers would immediately picture the symmetry and efficiency of such plots, making the gospel scene vivid and memorable.

The Miracle of the Feeding of the Five Thousand

1. Order before abundance. Jesus first instructs the multitude to sit in “prairies,” then multiplies the loaves and fish. Divine provision is mediated through structure rather than chaos.
2. Ease of distribution. Grouping by hundreds and fifties allowed the disciples to move quickly among the people, mirroring later church practice of ministering through identifiable gatherings (Acts 2:46, Acts 6:1-6).
3. Visual teaching. From a distance, the onlookers would see patches of human beings on the lush ground, reminiscent of Psalm 23:2, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” The orderly “beds” became living parables of God’s shepherding care.

Theological Themes

• God of order. The arrangement aligns with 1 Corinthians 14:33, presenting Jesus’ work as purposeful, structured, and peace-giving.
• Provision in the wilderness. The scene evokes Exodus 16, where manna was gathered “each one according to his eating.” Both accounts showcase heavenly supply organized for human need.
• Foretaste of the messianic banquet. Isaiah 25:6 depicts the LORD hosting all peoples with a lavish feast; Mark’s orderly company anticipates that eschatological gathering.
• Discipleship training. By instructing the Twelve to seat the crowd, Jesus involves them in the miracle, teaching stewardship, obedience, and pastoral oversight.

Applications for Today

• Intentional organization in ministry—small groups, home fellowships, and service teams—facilitates caring oversight and effective distribution of spiritual and material resources.
• Visual aids and concrete arrangements can deepen biblical teaching, turning abstract truths into memorable experiences.
• Believers can trust that divine provision often follows obedient preparation; orderliness is not opposed to faith but can be its expression.

Related Scriptural Motifs

Psalm 23; Ezekiel 34:14-15; 2 Kings 4:42-44; Matthew 14:19; Luke 9:14-17; John 6:10-13; Acts 2:42-47; Revelation 7:9-17.

The single New Testament verse where Strong’s Greek 4237 appears supplies a rich portrayal of Christ’s orderly care, illustrating how even a term drawn from routine horticulture can illuminate the grandeur of the gospel.

Forms and Transliterations

πράσα πράσει πράσεων πράσεως πρασιαι πρασιαί πρασιαὶ πράσιν πράσινος πράσις prasiai prasiaì

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 6:40 N-NFP
GRK: καὶ ἀνέπεσαν πρασιαὶ πρασιαὶ κατὰ
NAS: They sat down in groups of hundreds
KJV: they sat down in ranks, by
INT: And they sat down groups [by] groups by

Mark 6:40 N-NFP
GRK: ἀνέπεσαν πρασιαὶ πρασιαὶ κατὰ ἑκατὸν
INT: they sat down groups [by] groups by hundreds

Strong's Greek 4237
2 Occurrences

πρασιαὶ — 2 Occ.