Greek word · G5201

ὑδρία

hydria

jar

A water jar or pitcher, a vessel for drawing, carrying or storing water. Size varies from a jar carried on the shoulder to a large standing storage jar.

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

What it means

ὑδρία, -ας, ἠ

(ὕδωρ), [in LXX for בַּד ;]

1. prop., a water-pot or jar: John 2:6, 7 John 4:28.

2. More frequently in Attic = ἄγγυς, a pot, urn or jar of any kind, as for holding wine, coins, etc. (see Rutherford, NPhr., 23; MM, xxv).

† (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 John 2:7

Range of meaning

A water jar or pitcher, a vessel for drawing, carrying or storing water. Size varies from a jar carried on the shoulder to a large standing storage jar.

Against the English

KJV/WEB "waterpots," YLT "water-jugs," and modern versions "jars." All are acceptable. "Jugs" or "pots" can suggest something small, but verse 6 makes clear these were large standing vessels of about 20–30 gallons each.

Used elsewhere in the period

LXX: Rebekah's water jar (Gen 24:14–20), Gideon's jars (Judg 7:16), the widow's jar of flour that does not run out (1 Kgdms/1 Kgs 17:12–16), and Elijah's order "Fill four jars with water" before fire falls on Carmel (1 Kgs 18:34). In John the word appears again only at 4:28, where the Samaritan woman leaves her water jar.

From the study of John 2:6

Range of meaning

A water jar or pitcher. In ordinary Greek it is often a pottery jar carried on the head or shoulder to fetch water.

Against the English

'Waterpots' (KJV, WEB) and 'water-jugs' (YLT) suggest something small and portable. 'Water jars' (BSB, most modern versions) is better, but readers still need the capacity figure to picture vessels standing waist-high or taller and far too heavy to carry when full.

How it drifted

Modern English 'pot' and 'jug' describe household vessels you can lift with one hand, which shrinks the picture.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament it is Rebekah's jar at the well (Gen 24:14–20) and the jars of Gideon's men (Judg 7:16). The Samaritan woman leaves her ὑδρία at the well in John 4:28.

From the study of John 4:28

Range of meaning

A jar for water, normally made of pottery and carried on the shoulder or head. By extension it could mean a large storage jar. In the New Testament it appears only in John: the six stone jars at Cana (2:6–7) and this jar.

Against the English

KJV 'waterpot' and YLT 'water-jug' suggest something smaller and more domestic than the shoulder jar she would actually have carried. 'Water jar' (BSB, WEB, most modern versions) is closest.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint, or LXX) it is Rebekah's jar at the well when Abraham's servant meets her (Gen 24:14–20). It is also used for Gideon's jars (Judg 7:16) and for the 'pitcher broken at the fountain' (Eccl 12:6). The everyday water jar of women drawing water is a fixed feature of well scenes.

Where it appears

John · 3

  1. John 2:6 ὑδρίαι water jars

    Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons.

    Here: Vessels for holding water. Usually the word means a jar a person could carry (John 4:28), but these are stone and very large, so they stood in one place.

  2. John 2:7 ὑδρίας jars

    Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim.

    Here: Large water vessels. Verse 6 says these were stone, each holding about 20–30 gallons. The word is built on the word for water (hydōr), which makes "fill the water-jars with water" a little play on sound.

  3. John 4:28 ὑδρίαν water pot

    Then the woman left her water jar, went back into the town, and said to the people,

    Here: An ordinary pottery jar for carrying water, usually on the shoulder or head. It was the reason she came to the well at all, and now she leaves it there.

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