Greek word · G4702

σπόριμος

sporimos

grainfield

An adjective, "sown, fit for sowing," from speirō, "to sow." With the article and no noun (ta sporima) it means "the sown fields," fields planted with grain.

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

What it means

σπόριμος, -ον

(σπείρω) [in LXX: Genesis 1:29, Leviticus 11:37 (זָרַע), Sirach 40:22 א1 * ;]

fit for sowing, sown; as subst., τὰ σ., corn-fields: Matthew 12:1, Mark 2:23, Luke 6:1.†

(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 Matthew 12:1

Range of meaning

An adjective, "sown, fit for sowing," from speirō, "to sow." With the article and no noun (ta sporima) it means "the sown fields," fields planted with grain.

Against the English

BSB, WEB, NIV and ESV say "grainfields." KJV and YLT say "the corn." In 1611 British English, "corn" meant any cereal grain. American readers now hear maize, a New World crop that was unknown in ancient Palestine.

How it drifted

In older British usage "corn" meant the main local grain (wheat in England, oats in Scotland). In America the word narrowed to maize ("Indian corn"). The KJV's "went through the corn" and "ears of corn" now put a picture of tall cornstalks into the reader's head.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same word appears in the parallels (Mark 2:23; Luke 6:1) and in Genesis 1:29 LXX ("seed-bearing"). In the papyri, sporima is a normal term for land under seed.

Where it appears

Matthew · 1

  1. Matthew 12:1 σπορίμων· grainfields;

    At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

    Here: Literally "the sown things," meaning fields planted with seed. In Galilee in spring that meant barley or wheat standing ripe. It does not mean maize.

Mark · 1

  1. Mark 2:23 σπορίμων, grainfields,

    One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along.

Luke · 1

  1. Luke 6:1 σπορίμων, grainfields,

    One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain, rub them in their hands, and eat them.

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