Greek word · G438

ἄνθος

anthos

flower

Anthos = blossom, flower. Chortos = grass, green fodder, the wild vegetation of open land. Together, 'flower of grass' means the wildflowers mixed into the grass of fields and hillsides.

Appears 4 times in 3 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

ἄνθος, -εος, τό

[in LXX for צִיץ, etc. ;]

a flower: James 1:10-11. 1 Peter 1:24" (LXX) .†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of James 1:10

Range of meaning

Anthos = blossom, flower. Chortos = grass, green fodder, the wild vegetation of open land. Together, 'flower of grass' means the wildflowers mixed into the grass of fields and hillsides.

Against the English

KJV/ESV/YLT 'flower of the grass' is literal. BSB 'flower of the field' and NIV 'wild flower' are good idiomatic renderings. NASB 'flowering grass' is also fine. None mislead badly, but the literal form keeps the audible echo of Isaiah 40.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 40:6–7 LXX: 'All flesh is grass (chortos), and all the glory of man like a flower of grass (hōs anthos chortou); the grass withered and the flower fell (exepesen).' James uses the same phrase here and the same verb 'fell' in v.11. See also Psalm 103:15 (LXX 102:15); Job 14:2; 1 Peter 1:24 (which quotes Isaiah 40 outright).

Where it appears

James · 2

  1. James 1:10 ἄνθος a flower

    But the one who is rich should exult in his low position, because he will pass away like a flower of the field.

    Here: The bloom, the showiest and most short-lived part of the plant. It is a fitting picture of wealth and display: brilliant, admired, gone within days.

  2. James 1:11 ἄνθος flower

    For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its flower falls and its beauty is lost. So too, the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

    Here: The bloom, the showiest part of the plant. It picks up "flower of the grass" from verse 10 and Isaiah 40:6. In the picture it stands for the rich man's display and glory.

1 Peter · 2

  1. 1 Peter 1:24 ἄνθος ἄνθος [the] flower, flower

    For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall,

    Here: The blossom among the pasture grass. It is lovelier than the grass but even more fragile, so it is the right image for human splendor.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.