Strong's Greek: 2215. ζιζάνιον (zizanion) -- Tares, Weeds

Strong's Lexicon

zizanion: Tares, Weeds

Original Word: ζιζάνιον
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: zizanion
Pronunciation: dziz-an'-ee-on
Phonetic Spelling: (dziz-an'-ee-on)
Definition: Tares, Weeds
Meaning: spurious wheat, darnel; a plant that grows in Palestine which resembles wheat in many ways but is worthless.

Word Origin: Of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a Semitic root.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There is no direct Hebrew equivalent for "zizanion," as it is a specific term used in the Greek New Testament. However, the concept of separating the righteous from the wicked is present in various Old Testament passages, such as in the imagery of separating sheep from goats (Ezekiel 34:17).

Usage: The term "zizanion" refers to a type of weed, specifically darnel, which closely resembles wheat in its early stages of growth. In the New Testament, it is used metaphorically to describe false believers or evil influences within the Christian community. The primary usage of "zizanion" is found in the Parable of the Weeds, where Jesus illustrates the coexistence of good and evil in the world until the final judgment.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient agriculture, darnel (Lolium temulentum) was a common weed that grew among wheat. It was difficult to distinguish from wheat until the plants matured, at which point the darnel would reveal itself by its smaller, darker seeds. This made it a fitting metaphor for Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of heaven, where true believers and false ones coexist until the end times. The practice of separating wheat from tares was well-known to Jesus' audience, making the parable relatable and impactful.

HELPS Word-studies

2215 zizánion (plural, tares/zizania) – a tare (darnel); (figuratively) a pseudo-believer (false Christian); a fruitless person living without faith from God and therefore is "all show and no go!"

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
probably of Sumer. origin
Definition
zizanium (a kind of darnel resembling wheat)
NASB Translation
tares (8).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2215: ζιζάνιον

ζιζάνιον, ζιζανιου, τό (doubtless a word of Semitic origin; Arabic

, Syriac )NzYz [] (see Schaaf, Lex. under the word, p. 148), Talmud זֲוָנִין or זוּנִין; Suidas ζιζάνιον. ἡ ἐν τῷ σίτῳ αἰρα), zizanium (A. V. tares), a kind of darnel, bastard wheat (but see references below), resembling wheat except that the grains are black: Matthew 13:25-27, 29f, 38, 38, 40. (Geoponica (for references see B. D. American edition, p. 3177 note)). Cf. Winers RWB under the word Lolch; Furrer in Schenkel B. L. 4:57; (B. D., and Tristram, Nat. Hist. of the Bible, under the word ).

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

tares.

Of uncertain origin; darnel or false grain -- tares.

Forms and Transliterations

ζιζανια ζιζάνια ζιζάνιά ζιζανιων ζιζανίων ζίου zizania zizánia zizániá zizanion zizaniōn zizaníon zizaníōn

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