δρέπανον
a sickle
Definition
A δρέπανον is a curved, sharp agricultural tool used for harvesting grain by hand, specifically a sickle or reaping hook. In the New Testament, it is used both literally and symbolically. In Mark 4:29, it describes the literal tool used at harvest time in the Parable of the Growing Seed. In Revelation 14:14-19, it becomes a powerful symbol of divine judgment, wielded by the 'one like a son of man' and angels to reap the earth at the final harvest.
Biblical Usage
The word is used 7 times, all clustered in two contexts. Its single literal use is in Mark 4:29, illustrating the culmination of the growth process in Jesus's parable. Its six symbolic uses are in the dense, apocalyptic imagery of Revelation 14:14-19, where it is the instrument of God's end-time judgment, repeatedly mentioned in the commands to 'thrust in your sickle and reap'.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek verb δρέπω (drepō), meaning 'to pluck' or 'to gather by plucking'. This root connects the tool directly to its primary function of harvesting or cutting grain. The word is a standard, ancient Greek term for a sickle, with no special semantic development in biblical Greek.
Semantic Range
The word is theologically significant primarily in its symbolic use in Revelation. It transforms a common agricultural implement into a vivid metaphor for God's eschatological judgment. The imagery of the harvest (Revelation 14:15-19) uses the 'sickle' to depict the decisive, inescapable, and final separation of the righteous and the wicked at the end of the age, enriching the reading of these passages with a concrete picture of divine action.
In the ancient agrarian world, the sickle was a ubiquitous and essential tool for survival, representing the critical, labor-intensive harvest season. Its curved iron blade set into a wooden handle was the primary means of gathering staple crops. This universal familiarity made it an instantly understandable symbol for a decisive, sweeping action, which the biblical authors leveraged for its metaphorical power.
μάχαιρα (machaira, G3162) — a short sword or knife for cutting or killing, not specifically for harvesting grain.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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