Bible Word Study
ὀφρῦς
ophrys · the brow, a ridge
ὀφρῦς
the brow, a ridge
Definition
The Greek word ὀφρῦς refers literally to the eyebrow or brow of a person, but it can also be used metaphorically to describe a ridge or projecting part of a landscape, like a mountain brow or cliff. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Luke 4:29, it is used in this topographical sense to describe the edge of the hill on which Nazareth was built, from which the townspeople intended to throw Jesus. The word captures the image of a steep, prominent edge.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 4:29. It describes the physical location—the brow of the hill—where the people of Nazareth led Jesus with the intent to hurl him down after he preached in the synagogue. The usage is purely descriptive of a geographical feature within the narrative of Jesus's rejection in his hometown.
Etymology
Derived from the ancient Greek word ὀφρῦς, meaning 'eyebrow' or 'brow.' The term naturally extended in meaning to describe any prominent ridge or edge, much like the brow of a hill, drawing a direct visual analogy between human anatomy and landscape features.
Semantic Range
In the ancient world, executing someone by throwing them from a height was a known method of mob violence or punishment. The 'brow of the hill' in Luke 4:29 signifies a specific, dangerously steep location familiar to the Nazareth community, highlighting the sudden and severe turn from listening to Jesus to attempting murder. This contrasts with a modern, more generalized understanding of a 'hill.' ὄρος (oros, G3735) — a more general term for mountain or hill. κρημνός (krēmnos, G2911) — a steep bank, precipice, or cliff, often with a stronger connotation of a sheer drop.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]