Strong's Lexicon rhipizó: To fan, to winnow, to toss to and fro Original Word: ῥιπίζω Word Origin: From the root word ῥιπή (rhipē), meaning "a gust" or "a fan." Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "rhipizó," the concept of being tossed or driven by the wind can be related to Hebrew words like רוּחַ (ruach), meaning "wind" or "spirit," which is often used metaphorically to describe instability or lack of direction. Usage: The verb "rhipizó" is used metaphorically in the New Testament to describe the action of being tossed or driven by the wind. It conveys the idea of instability or being unsettled, often used in the context of faith or belief. The imagery suggests a lack of firm grounding, akin to how chaff is separated from grain by the wind during winnowing. Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient agricultural practices, winnowing was a common method used to separate grain from chaff. This process involved tossing the harvested grain into the air so that the wind could blow away the lighter chaff, leaving the heavier grain to fall back to the ground. This imagery would have been familiar to the original audience of the New Testament, providing a vivid picture of instability and lack of substance. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rhipis (a fan) Definition to fan, generally to make a breeze NASB Translation tossed by the wind (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4494: ῤιπίζωῤιπίζω: present passive participle ῥιπιζόμενος; (from ῤιπίς a bellows or fan); hence, 1. properly, to raise a breeze, put air in motion, whether for the sake of kindling a fire or of cooling oneself; hence, a. to blow up a fire: φλόγα, πῦρ, Anthol. 5, 122, 6; Plutarch, Flam. 21. b. to fan, i. e, cool with a fan (Tertullianflabello): Plutarch, Anton. 26. 2. to toss to and fro, to agitate: of the wind, πρός ἀνέμων ῥιπίζεται τό ὕδωρ, Philo de incorrupt. mundi § 24; ῥιπιζομενη ἄχνη, Dio Cassius, 70, 4; δῆμος ἀστατον, κακόν καί θαλάσσῃ πανθ' ὅμοιον, ὑπ' ἀνέμου ῥιπίζεται, Dio Chr. 32, p. 368 b.; hence, joined with ἀνεμίζεσθαι it is used of a person whose mind wavers in uncertainty between hope and fear, between doing and not doing a thing, James 1:6. From a derivative of rhipto (meaning a fan or bellows); to breeze up, i.e. (by analogy) to agitate (into waves) -- toss. see GREEK rhipto |
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