Quick Answer: ξηρός (xeros) means “dry” or “withered,” describing both physical dryness and spiritual barrenness that reveals humanity’s need for God’s life-giving power and restoration.
1. What Does ξηρός Mean?
Strong’s G3584: ξηρός (xeros) fundamentally means “dry,” “withered,” or “parched.” This adjective describes the absence of moisture, life, or vitality in both literal and metaphorical contexts. In the New Testament, it often appears in healing narratives where the Messiah Jesus restores what was dried up or withered. The word carries profound theological implications about spiritual barrenness and God’s power to bring life where there was none. It serves as a powerful contrast to the abundant life that flows from divine intervention.
Key Insight: ξηρός reveals humanity’s desperate need for the living water that only the Messiah can provide.
2. Where Does ξηρός Come From?
- Part of Speech: Adjective (masculine, feminine, neuter forms)
- Root: From the primitive root meaning “to scrape” or “to be rough”
- Language Origin: Classical Greek
- Primary Usage: Descriptive language in narrative healing accounts and metaphorical teachings
- Biblical Context: Predominantly in Gospel healing narratives and apocalyptic imagery
ξηρός Morphology:
This section helps you recognize different forms of this word when reading the ancient Greek texts, enabling deeper study of Scripture in its original language.
Morphology:
- ξηρός (masculine nominative singular) – dry/withered (masculine subject)
- ξηρά (feminine nominative singular) – dry/withered (feminine subject)
- ξηρόν (neuter nominative singular) – dry/withered (neuter subject)
- ξηροῦ (masculine/neuter genitive singular) – of the dry/withered one
- ξηρᾷ (feminine dative singular) – to/for the dry/withered one
- ξηροί (masculine nominative plural) – dry/withered ones
- ξηραί (feminine nominative plural) – dry/withered ones
3. What Is the History of ξηρός?
The word ξηρός has ancient roots in classical Greek literature, where it described physical dryness in agricultural, medical, and geographical contexts. Homer used it to describe parched earth and withered vegetation, while Hippocrates employed it in medical terminology to describe bodily conditions lacking proper moisture or vitality. The Septuagint translators chose ξηρός to render Hebrew words describing drought, withered plants, and spiritual barrenness, particularly in prophetic literature where dry bones and parched land symbolized Israel’s spiritual condition.
In early church literature, the Church Fathers like John Chrysostom and Origen developed rich theological interpretations of ξηρός, seeing it as representing the human soul’s condition apart from God’s grace. They understood the healing of the withered hand in the Gospels as both a physical miracle and a spiritual symbol of restoration. Clement of Alexandria used the term metaphorically to describe the state of hearts hardened against divine truth, while Augustine connected it to the spiritual drought that only divine mercy could remedy.
Historical Summary: ξηρός evolved from describing physical dryness in classical Greek to becoming a powerful biblical metaphor for spiritual barrenness and humanity’s need for divine restoration.
4. How Should ξηρός Be Translated?
Primary meanings of ξηρός:
- Physically dry or lacking moisture
- Withered or shriveled (of plants or body parts)
- Barren or unfruitful (of land or spiritual condition)
- Parched or dehydrated
- Spiritually dead or lifeless
Translation Tip: Context determines whether ξηρός refers to literal physical dryness or metaphorical spiritual barrenness – both reveal humanity’s dependence on God.
ξηρός Translation Options:
- Dry – Most literal translation emphasizing absence of moisture
- Withered – Preferred in medical contexts describing shrunken or atrophied conditions
- Parched – Emphasizes the intensity of dryness, often used poetically
- Barren – Highlights unfruitfulness and lack of productivity
- Lifeless – Captures the spiritual dimension when used metaphorically
5. How Is ξηρός Used in the Bible?
The New Testament usage of ξηρός centers primarily on healing narratives where the Messiah Jesus encounters human brokenness. Most notably, it appears in accounts of the man with the withered hand (Matthew 12:10, Mark 3:3, Luke 6:6), where the physical condition serves as a powerful metaphor for spiritual restoration. The word also appears in apocalyptic contexts describing judgment and desolation, particularly in Revelation where it symbolizes the consequences of separation from God’s life-giving presence.
The Septuagint employs ξηρός extensively to translate Hebrew terms describing drought, famine, and spiritual barrenness. In Ezekiel’s vision of dry bones, the Greek translation uses ξηρός to capture the hopelessness of Israel’s exile and the miracle of restoration through God’s Spirit. The Psalms use it to describe the psalmist’s spiritual thirst and longing for God, creating a beautiful contrast between human dryness and divine refreshing.
Usage Summary: ξηρός appears primarily in healing narratives and prophetic literature, symbolizing human brokenness that only divine intervention can restore to wholeness and fruitfulness.
Cross-reference verses using ξηρός:
- “And behold, there was a man with a withered [ξηράν] hand.” Matthew 12:10
- “And He said to the man with the withered [ξηρὰν] hand, ‘Get up and come forward!’” Mark 3:3
- “On another Sabbath He entered the synagogue and was teaching; and there was a man there whose right hand was withered [ξηρά].” Luke 6:6
- “And if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry [ξηρῷ]?” Luke 23:31
- “By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.” Revelation 9:18
6. What Cultural Context Surrounds ξηρός?
Understanding ξηρός requires grasping the Mediterranean world’s relationship with water and agriculture. In the first-century Holy Land, drought meant death – for crops, livestock, and ultimately people. The withered hand mentioned in the Gospels represented not just physical disability but social and economic catastrophe, as manual labor was essential for survival. Such a condition would exclude someone from many forms of work and religious participation, creating both physical and spiritual isolation.
The Hebrew concept behind ξηρός connects to the idea of חָרֵב (charev), meaning “to be waste” or “desolate.” This Hebrew term appears in prophetic literature describing Israel’s spiritual condition during exile – a people cut off from their Source of life. The rabbis taught that physical afflictions often mirrored spiritual realities, making the healing of the withered hand a powerful declaration that the Messiah had come to restore both body and soul. Ancient Jewish prayer books contain numerous references to God as the One who “causes the dry to bloom” and “brings forth water from the rock.”
Cultural Context: In ancient Mediterranean culture, dryness represented death and exclusion, making divine restoration a powerful sign of God’s kingdom breaking into human brokenness.
7. What Does ξηρός Teach Us About God?
The biblical use of ξηρός reveals profound truths about God’s character and His relationship with humanity. When the Messiah Jesus encounters the withered hand, He doesn’t see a medical case – He sees an opportunity to display the Father’s heart for restoration. The dryness represents humanity’s condition apart from God: lifeless, unfruitful, and lacking the vitality that only divine connection can provide. God’s response to our ξηρός condition demonstrates His compassion, power, and desire to make us whole.
Furthermore, ξηρός showcases God’s sovereignty over both judgment and mercy. The dry conditions in Revelation represent divine judgment on sin and rebellion, yet throughout Scripture, God promises to “make streams in the desert” and cause the wilderness to bloom. This reveals that even in judgment, God’s ultimate purpose is restoration. The contrast between dryness and divine refreshing illustrates the gospel itself – we were spiritually dead and barren until the living water of God’s Spirit brought us to life. Every healing of something ξηρός points to the greater spiritual reality of regeneration and new creation.
Theological Core: ξηρός demonstrates God’s power to bring abundant life and fruitfulness where there was only barrenness and death, revealing His heart for complete restoration.
8. How Can I Apply ξηρός to My Life?
Recognizing the ξηρός areas in our own lives is the first step toward experiencing God’s restoring power. Just as the man with the withered hand had to acknowledge his condition and reach out to Jesus, we must honestly assess where we’ve become spiritually dry or unfruitful. Perhaps it’s a relationship that’s grown cold, a ministry that’s lost its passion, or a heart that’s become hardened through disappointment. The beautiful truth is that our ξηρός condition doesn’t disqualify us from God’s touch – it actually positions us to experience His miraculous restoration.
Living with this understanding transforms how we view both our struggles and our calling. When we encounter seasons of spiritual dryness, we can remember that God specializes in bringing streams to deserts and causing dry bones to live again. This gives us hope in difficult seasons and compassion for others who are experiencing their own spiritual drought. We become people who point others to the Source of living water, knowing that what God has done in restoring our withered areas, He longs to do for everyone who reaches out to Him in faith.
Self-Examination Questions: What areas of my life feel spiritually dry or unfruitful? How can I position myself to receive God’s restoring touch? Where might God be calling me to be His instrument of restoration in someone else’s ξηρός condition?
9. What Words Are Similar to ξηρός?
- μαραίνω (maraino) – mah-RAH-ee-no – To wither, fade, or waste away; emphasizes the process of becoming dry rather than the state itself – See G3133
- αὐχμηρός (auchmerós) – owkh-may-ROSS – Dry, parched, squalid; focuses on the unpleasant aspects of dryness and neglect – See G850
- ἄκαρπος (akarpos) – AH-kar-pos – Unfruitful, barren; emphasizes lack of productivity rather than physical dryness – See G175
- νεκρός (nekros) – nek-ROSS – Dead, lifeless; the ultimate state of which ξηρός is often a precursor or symbol – See G3498
- ἔρημος (eremos) – EH-ray-mos – Desert, wilderness, desolate; describes the environment often associated with ξηρός conditions – See G2048
10. Did You Know?
- What does ξηρός mean in modern Greek? In contemporary Greek, ξηρός still means “dry” and is commonly used for dry weather, dry wine, and even dry humor, maintaining its biblical connection to absence of moisture or life.
- How did Hippocrates use ξηρός? The ancient physician Hippocrates used ξηρός in his medical writings to describe bodily conditions lacking proper moisture, particularly in his theory of the four humors where dryness indicated disease.
- What’s the difference between ξηρός and μαραίνω? While ξηρός describes the state of being dry or withered, μαραίνω emphasizes the active process of withering or fading away, making it more dynamic in nature.
- Why does the Bible use ξηρός primarily in healing narratives? The Gospel writers chose ξηρός to highlight the contrast between human brokenness and divine restoration, making each healing a powerful visual parable of spiritual regeneration.
- How does ξηρός relate to the concept of spiritual warfare? Spiritual dryness often indicates areas where the enemy has gained ground, but God’s power to restore what is ξηρός demonstrates His ultimate victory over all forces of death and barrenness.
- What causes spiritual ξηρός today? Modern spiritual dryness often results from disconnection from God’s Word, prayerlessness, unconfessed sin, or allowing the cares of this world to choke out spiritual vitality – all conditions the Messiah longs to heal.
11. Remember This
ξηρός reminds us that what appears hopelessly withered in God’s hands becomes a testimony to His resurrection power – every dry season positions us for a miracle of divine restoration.
