Greek word · G5597
ψώχω
psōchō
to rub
To rub, crumble or grind between the hands. A rare word, related to ψάω ("rub").
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
- Range of meaning
To rub, crumble or grind between the hands. A rare word, related to ψάω ("rub").
- Against the English
"Rub" is accurate. NLT spells out the purpose ("rubbed off the husks").
- Used elsewhere in the period
Found only here in the New Testament and rare elsewhere. Matthew and Mark don't mention the rubbing. Later rabbinic discussion treats separating grain from chaff as a form of threshing or winnowing, both on the Mishnah's list of forbidden Sabbath work (m. Shabbat 7:2). The Mishnah was compiled around 200 CE, but it reflects debates that were already going on in Jesus' day.
Where it appears
Luke · 1
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Luke 6:1 ψώχοντες rubbing [them]
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.
Here: A rare verb, found only here in the New Testament: rubbing the heads between the palms to free the kernels from the husk. Only Luke records this detail, and it is the step that strict interpreters could class as threshing.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.