Lexical Summary chortasma: Food, Fodder Original Word: χόρτασμα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sustenance. From chortazo; forage, i.e. Food -- sustenance. see GREEK chortazo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chortazó Definition fodder NASB Translation food (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5527: χόρτασμαχόρτασμα, χορτασματος, τό (χορτάζω), feed, fodder, for animals (the Sept.; Polybius, Diodorus, Plutarch, others); food (vegetable) sustenance, whether for men or flocks: plural Acts 7:11. Topical Lexicon Scope of Meaning The noun χορτάσματα (chortasmata) denotes “provisions, fodder, or sustenance for nourishment.” It embraces both human food and animal forage, emphasizing what keeps life going during ordinary times and, pointedly, during crisis. Occurrence in the New Testament Acts 7:11 contains the sole New-Testament use. Stephen recounts the patriarchal history: “Then famine and great suffering swept across all Egypt and Canaan, and our fathers could not find food” (Acts 7:11). The term captures the life-and-death urgency that drove Jacob’s sons to Egypt, setting the stage for the Exodus story. Old-Testament and Second-Temple Background In the Septuagint, the cognate appears where God designates vegetation as “food” for beasts and birds (for example, Genesis 1:30). It surfaces again in narratives of drought (1 Kings 18) and prophetic promises of restored pasture (Ezekiel 34:14). Jewish literature of the Second Temple era similarly employs the word for life-preserving rations, reinforcing its association with divine provision or judgment. Historical Setting of Acts 7:11 Stephen’s audience in Jerusalem knew the Joseph saga well. By selecting χορτάσματα, Luke (recording Stephen’s speech) spotlights the severity of the ancient famine and, by implication, God’s sovereign use of scarcity to move His covenant family into Egypt. This dovetails with Luke’s broader concern for God’s plan in salvation history (compare Acts 2:23; Acts 13:17). Theological Themes 1. Divine Providence. The lack of χορτάσματα displays God’s governance over natural resources. He withholds or supplies sustenance to accomplish redemptive purposes (Psalm 104:27–28; Matthew 6:26). Implications for Pastoral Ministry • Preaching: Acts 7:11 offers a template for tracing God’s faithfulness through hardship. Sermons can connect physical χορτάσματα to the gospel, showing how temporal needs highlight eternal need. Devotional Application Meditation on Acts 7:11 urges gratitude for daily bread and vigilance against complacency. Prayerfully recalling past seasons without χορτάσματα fosters humility and worship (Psalm 63:5). Summary Strong’s Greek 5527 encapsulates the concrete reality of nourishment and the theological truth that life itself is a gift sustained by God. From Genesis pastureland to Stephen’s recounting of famine, χορτάσματα underscores humanity’s continual dependence on the Lord who alone satisfies both body and soul. Forms and Transliterations χορτασματα χορτάσματα χορτομανήσει chortasmata chortásmataLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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