Greek word · G902

βαΐον

baion

palm branch

baion is a loanword (compare Coptic bai, 'palm frond') for the frond of the date palm, attested in Egyptian Greek papyri. phoinix is the date palm itself. Putting the two together ('palm fronds of the palm trees') is emphatic.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

βαΐον, ου, τό

(also βὰϊον, another form of βὰϊς, from the Egyptian), [in LXX: 1Ma.13:51 * ;] (frequently in Egyptian π., see MM, Exp., x)

a palm-branch: John 12:13 (DB, i, 314).†

(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 12:13

Range of meaning

baion is a loanword (compare Coptic bai, 'palm frond') for the frond of the date palm, attested in Egyptian Greek papyri. phoinix is the date palm itself. Putting the two together ('palm fronds of the palm trees') is emphatic.

Against the English

'Palm branches' is accurate. KJV's 'branches of palm trees' follows the Greek order. What English cannot show is how strongly the palm stood for Jewish victory and national hope.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Maccabees 13:51: Simon the Maccabee enters the Jerusalem citadel 'with praise and palm fronds (baiōn), with harps and cymbals', after a great enemy was crushed. 2 Maccabees 10:7: palms carried at the rededication of the temple (Hanukkah), modelled on Tabernacles. Leviticus 23:40: palm fronds commanded for Tabernacles. Jewish coins of the revolts against Rome (AD 66–70 and 132–135) show palm trees and palm-branch bundles. Rome's 'Judaea Capta' coins show a captive Judea mourning beneath a palm. Revelation 7:9: the redeemed hold palms (phoinikes) before the throne.

Where it appears

John · 1

  1. John 12:13 βαΐα branches

    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: A loanword, probably from Egyptian, for the long leaf of the date palm. This is its only appearance in the New Testament. It is the word that gives 'Palm Sunday' its name.

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