Strong G4690G4690Gσπέρμα
seed: offspring
One of the 2 senses of Strong G4690
- Transliteration
- sperma
- Pronunciation
- sper'-mah
- Morphology
- Greek Noun Neuter
Definition
From G4687; somethng sown that is seed (including the male sperm); by implication offspring; specifically a remnant (figuratively as if kept over for planting): - issue seed.
Detailed definition
σπέρμα, -τος, τό
(σπείρω) [in LXX chiefly for זֶרַע;]
seed;
__(a) of plants: Mat.13:24, 27 13:37-38, 2Co.9:10; pl., Mat.13:32, Mrk.4:31, 1Co.15:33; metaphorically, of an escaping remnant (שָׂרִיד, Isa.1:9; cf. Wis.14:6; Plat., Tim., 23c; FlJ, Ant., xi, 5, 3), Rom.9:29;
__(b) of men (as γονή; Lat. semen genitale; so in cl.; cf. in LXX, Lev.15:16, al.): Heb.11:11; metaphorically, of the divine influence, 1Jn.3:9; by meton. (as frequently in poets), seed, offspring, posterity: Mat.22:24-25, Mrk.12:19-22, Luk.1:55 20:28" (LXX) Jhn.7:42 8:33, 37 Act.3:25 7:5-6 13:23, Rom.1:3 4:13, 18 9:7-8 11:1, 2Co.11:22, Gal.3:16, 19, 2Ti.2:8, Heb.2:16 11:18; pl. (FlJ, Ant., viii, 7, 6; Flat., Leg., ix, 853 with; 4Ma.18:1; in Ga, l.with, contrasted with sing., see Lft., in l; Milligan, NTD, 105 f.), Gal.3:16; of spiritual offspring, Rom.4:16, 18 9:8, Gal.3:29, Rev.12:17.†
(AS)
(σπείρω) [in LXX chiefly for זֶרַע;]
seed;
__(a) of plants: Mat.13:24, 27 13:37-38, 2Co.9:10; pl., Mat.13:32, Mrk.4:31, 1Co.15:33; metaphorically, of an escaping remnant (שָׂרִיד, Isa.1:9; cf. Wis.14:6; Plat., Tim., 23c; FlJ, Ant., xi, 5, 3), Rom.9:29;
__(b) of men (as γονή; Lat. semen genitale; so in cl.; cf. in LXX, Lev.15:16, al.): Heb.11:11; metaphorically, of the divine influence, 1Jn.3:9; by meton. (as frequently in poets), seed, offspring, posterity: Mat.22:24-25, Mrk.12:19-22, Luk.1:55 20:28" (LXX) Jhn.7:42 8:33, 37 Act.3:25 7:5-6 13:23, Rom.1:3 4:13, 18 9:7-8 11:1, 2Co.11:22, Gal.3:16, 19, 2Ti.2:8, Heb.2:16 11:18; pl. (FlJ, Ant., viii, 7, 6; Flat., Leg., ix, 853 with; 4Ma.18:1; in Ga, l.with, contrasted with sing., see Lft., in l; Milligan, NTD, 105 f.), Gal.3:16; of spiritual offspring, Rom.4:16, 18 9:8, Gal.3:29, Rev.12:17.†
(AS)
In the Bible
Strong G4690G appears in 30 verses of the KJV.
Translated in the KJV by
- seed29
- issue1
First verses
- Matthew 22:24Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
- Matthew 22:25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
- Mark 4:31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
- Mark 12:19Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
- Mark 12:20Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
- Mark 12:21And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
- Mark 12:22And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
- Luke 20:28Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
- John 7:42Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
- John 8:33They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
- John 8:37I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
- Acts 3:25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
- Acts 7:6And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years.
- Acts 13:23Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
- Romans 1:3Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
- Romans 4:16Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
- Romans 4:18Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
- Romans 9:7Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- Romans 9:8That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
- Romans 9:29And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
Occurrences by book
Related words
Word family
Detailed Greek dictionary
σπέρμ-α, ατος, τό,
(σπείρω) seed, only once in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, in _metaphorically_ sense, see below 1.2:)]
I mostly, seed of plants, σ. ἀνιέναι, κρύπτειν, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (“hymnus ad Cererem” 307, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.97: _plural_, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 446)]; σ. τῇ γῇ διδόναι, ἐμβαλεῖν, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Oeconomicus” 17.8, 10: proverbial, εἰς πέλαγος σ. βαλεῖν “epigram Gr.” 1038.8 (from Pamphylia))]; of fruit, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Antiphanes Comicus 58.4)]; τοῖς γαίης σπέρμασι with the products of earth, of corn-stalks, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (“Anthologia Graeca” 9.89 (1st c.AD: Philippus Epigrammaticus).)]
I.2 metaphorically, germ, origin of anything, σ. πυρός [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.490; φλογός 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.48, compare “P.” 3.37)]; σπέρματα, ={στοιχεῖα}, elements, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Anaxagoras Philosophus 4, compare 4th-3rd c.BC: Epicurus Philosophus)]Ep.2p.38 U., [Refs 4th c.BC+ (“fragment” 250; ὁ τὸ σπέρμα παρασχών, οὗτος τῶν φύντων αἴτιος 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.159; συκοφάντου σ. καὶ ῥίζαν οἴεται δεῖν ὑπάρχειν τῇ πόλει [prev. author] 25.48; σ. τῆς στάσεως 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Marius” 10; τοῦ ὅρκου 3rd c.AD: Longinus Rhetor 16.3.)]
I.3 seed-time, sowing, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 781.)]
II of animals, seed, semen, φέροισα σ. θεοῦ pregnant by the god, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 3.15)]; but σ. φέρειν Ἡρακλέους to be pregnant of Heracles, [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “N.” 10.17; μυελὸν.. εἰς σ. καὶ γόνον μερίζεσθαι 5th-4th c.BC: Timaeus Locrus Philosophus 100b, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Timaeus” 86c; σ. παραλαβεῖν 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Orestes” 553; σπέρματος πλῆσαι 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Lycurgus” 15: _plural_, κατ᾽ ἀμφότερα τὰ σ. θεῶν ἀπόγονος 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἐπιστολαί” 2.)]
II.2 race, origin, descent, τοὐμὸν.. σπέρμ᾽ ἰδεῖν βουλήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1077)]; τίνος εἶ σπέρματος πατρόθε; [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “OC” 214 (Lyric poetry); γένεθλον σπέρμα τ᾽ Ἀργεῖον 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Supplices” 290, compare “Ch.” 236; σ. ἄντασ᾽ Ἐρεχθειδᾶν 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 981 (Lyric poetry), compare 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.93, etc.)]
II.3 frequently in Poets, seed, offspring, τὸ βρότειον σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Fragmenta - American Journal of Philology” 399; σ. Πελοπιδῶν [prev. author] “Ch.” 503)]; σ. [τοῦ Ἀβραάμ] [NT (NT.Luke.1.55, etc.)]; sometimes of a single person, [NT+5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 9.61, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 705, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 364, Oracle texts cited in 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 5.16, LXX.Gen.4.25, etc.: _plural_, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 803, 909, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1246, “OC” 600, NT.Gal.3.16; once in 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus, ἀνθρώπων σπέρμασι νουθετοῦμεν “Lg.” 853c.)]
(σπείρω) seed, only once in [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Homerus Epicus, in _metaphorically_ sense, see below 1.2:)]
I mostly, seed of plants, σ. ἀνιέναι, κρύπτειν, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (“hymnus ad Cererem” 307, compare 5th c.BC: Herodotus Historicus 3.97: _plural_, 8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 446)]; σ. τῇ γῇ διδόναι, ἐμβαλεῖν, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th-6th c.BC: Xenophon Historicus “Oeconomicus” 17.8, 10: proverbial, εἰς πέλαγος σ. βαλεῖν “epigram Gr.” 1038.8 (from Pamphylia))]; of fruit, [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th c.BC: Antiphanes Comicus 58.4)]; τοῖς γαίης σπέρμασι with the products of earth, of corn-stalks, [Refs 1st c.AD+ (“Anthologia Graeca” 9.89 (1st c.AD: Philippus Epigrammaticus).)]
I.2 metaphorically, germ, origin of anything, σ. πυρός [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th c.BC: Odyssea Homerus Epicus “Odyssey” 5.490; φλογός 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.48, compare “P.” 3.37)]; σπέρματα, ={στοιχεῖα}, elements, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Anaxagoras Philosophus 4, compare 4th-3rd c.BC: Epicurus Philosophus)]Ep.2p.38 U., [Refs 4th c.BC+ (“fragment” 250; ὁ τὸ σπέρμα παρασχών, οὗτος τῶν φύντων αἴτιος 4th c.BC: Demosthenes Orator 18.159; συκοφάντου σ. καὶ ῥίζαν οἴεται δεῖν ὑπάρχειν τῇ πόλει [prev. author] 25.48; σ. τῆς στάσεως 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Marius” 10; τοῦ ὅρκου 3rd c.AD: Longinus Rhetor 16.3.)]
I.3 seed-time, sowing, [Refs 8th c.BC+ (8th-7th c.BC: Hesiodus Epicus “Opera et Dies” 781.)]
II of animals, seed, semen, φέροισα σ. θεοῦ pregnant by the god, [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “P.” 3.15)]; but σ. φέρειν Ἡρακλέους to be pregnant of Heracles, [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “N.” 10.17; μυελὸν.. εἰς σ. καὶ γόνον μερίζεσθαι 5th-4th c.BC: Timaeus Locrus Philosophus 100b, compare 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus “Timaeus” 86c; σ. παραλαβεῖν 5th c.BC: Euripides Tragicus “Orestes” 553; σπέρματος πλῆσαι 1st-2nd c.AD: Plutarchus Biographus et Philosophus “Lycurgus” 15: _plural_, κατ᾽ ἀμφότερα τὰ σ. θεῶν ἀπόγονος 5th c.BC: Hippocrates Medicus “ἐπιστολαί” 2.)]
II.2 race, origin, descent, τοὐμὸν.. σπέρμ᾽ ἰδεῖν βουλήσομαι [Refs 5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1077)]; τίνος εἶ σπέρματος πατρόθε; [Refs 5th c.BC+ ([prev. author] “OC” 214 (Lyric poetry); γένεθλον σπέρμα τ᾽ Ἀργεῖον 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Supplices” 290, compare “Ch.” 236; σ. ἄντασ᾽ Ἐρεχθειδᾶν 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Antigone” 981 (Lyric poetry), compare 5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 7.93, etc.)]
II.3 frequently in Poets, seed, offspring, τὸ βρότειον σ. [Refs 4th c.BC+ (4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Fragmenta - American Journal of Philology” 399; σ. Πελοπιδῶν [prev. author] “Ch.” 503)]; σ. [τοῦ Ἀβραάμ] [NT (NT.Luke.1.55, etc.)]; sometimes of a single person, [NT+5th c.BC+ (5th c.BC: Pindarus Lyricus “O.” 9.61, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Prometheus Vinctus” 705, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Philoctetes” 364, Oracle texts cited in 5th c.BC: Thucydides Historicus 5.16, LXX.Gen.4.25, etc.: _plural_, 4th-5th c.BC: Aeschylus Tragicus “Eumenides” 803, 909, 5th c.BC: Sophocles Tragicus “Oedipus Tyrannus” 1246, “OC” 600, NT.Gal.3.16; once in 5th-6th c.BC: Plato Philosophus, ἀνθρώπων σπέρμασι νουθετοῦμεν “Lg.” 853c.)]