ὀρύσσω

I dig, dig out

Definition

The verb ὀρύσσω means to dig, dig out, or excavate. In the New Testament, it is used literally for the physical act of digging, such as digging a hole in the ground to hide money (Matthew 25:18) or digging a winepress in a vineyard (Matthew 21:33, Mark 12:1). The action implies deliberate effort to create a cavity or to bury something. There is no significant metaphorical extension of the word in its biblical occurrences; it consistently refers to the concrete, physical labor of digging.

Biblical Usage

ὀρύσσω appears only three times in the New Testament, all within the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Mark). In each instance, it describes a practical, agricultural, or economic activity within a parable. In the Parable of the Talents, a servant 'digs a hole' to hide his master's money (Matthew 25:18). In the Parable of the Tenants, the landowner 'digs a winepress' as part of establishing a vineyard (Matthew 21:33, Mark 12:1). Its usage is straightforward and literal.

Etymology

Derived from the ancient Greek verb ὀρύσσω (oryssō), meaning to dig, burrow, or excavate. It is related to words like ὄρυγμα (orygma, a ditch or trench) and shares an Indo-European root with the Latin 'fodio' (to dig), giving us the English word 'fossil.' Its meaning remained consistent from classical through Koine Greek.

Semantic Range

In the agrarian society of first-century Judea, digging was a fundamental activity for agriculture (planting vines, creating irrigation) and construction (laying foundations, creating storage pits). Hiding valuables by burying them was a common, if imperfect, form of security (as in Matthew 25:18). The digging of a winepress (ληνος) was a significant investment, hewn from rock, indicating a landowner's commitment to a long-term, productive vineyard, which adds weight to the parable in Matthew 21:33.

σκάπτω (skaptō, G4626) — also means 'to dig,' but can have a more general sense of cultivating or working the soil (cf. Luke 13:8, 16:3).

Word Details

Scripture References