Greek word · G5404

φοῖνιξ

phoinix

palm

Phoinix: the date palm, or a palm frond or branch. (The same word also means 'Phoenician', purple-red, and the mythical phoenix bird, but those senses don't apply here.)

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

Φοῖνιξ (on the accent, see Bl., § 4, 2; WM, § 6, lc), -ικος, ὁ,

[in LXX for תָּמָר תִּמֹּר ;]

the date palm, palm: τὰ βαΐα τῶν φ., John 12:13; of palm branches, φοίνικες (as Arist., 2Ma.10:7, al.), Revelation 7:9.†

(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 Revelation 7:9

Range of meaning

Phoinix: the date palm, or a palm frond or branch. (The same word also means 'Phoenician', purple-red, and the mythical phoenix bird, but those senses don't apply here.)

Against the English

KJV and YLT say just 'palms', which today can sound like the palms of the hands. 'Palm branches' (BSB, WEB) is clearer.

How it drifted

In older English 'palms' readily meant palm branches. Today it is ambiguous.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lev 23:40 commands palm fronds for the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths, Sukkot). 1 Macc 13:51 has Simon entering the Jerusalem citadel 'with praise and palm branches' after a victory. 2 Macc 10:6–7 has the temple's rededication celebrated with palm fronds 'in the manner of the feast of Tabernacles'. John 12:13 has the crowd greeting Jesus with palm branches. Palms appear on Jewish coins of the revolts against Rome. In the Greek and Roman world, the palm was the standard prize of athletic victory and a symbol of triumph.

From the study of Sirach 50:12

Range of meaning

στέλεχος: trunk, stem, stock of a tree. φοῖνιξ: the date palm (also 'Phoenician' and 'purple-red' in other senses).

Against the English

English versions agree on 'palm trees'. The Hebrew witness, however, is usually read as 'willows (or poplars) of the brook' (ʿarbê naḥal), so the palm may be the Greek translator's own image.

Used elsewhere in the period

The palm stood for uprightness and flourishing (Ps 92:12; Song 7:7) and was carved throughout Solomon's temple (1 Kgs 6:29–35; Ezek 40–41). Palm fronds and 'willows of the brook' are both named for the Feast of Booths (Lev 23:40). Later, palms are waved before Jesus (John 12:13) and held by the white-robed crowd in Revelation 7:9.

Similar words

Where it appears

John · 1

  1. John 12:13 φοινίκων palm trees

    They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

    Here: The date palm. 'Palm fronds of the palm trees' repeats itself on purpose. John stresses that these were palms in particular, a plant loaded with meaning for Jews as a sign of victory and of the nation.

Revelation · 1

  1. Revelation 7:9 φοίνικες palm branches

    After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

    Here: Palm fronds. They were carried at the Feast of Tabernacles and in victory processions, so they signal festival joy and triumph. The word is back in the nominative case, which is another loose spot in the grammar.

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