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Has anyone ever told you: יהוה (Yahweh) God loves you and has a great plan for your life?
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Strong’s G5434: Refers to dry sticks or brushwood gathered for fuel. This common term for kindling appears in Acts 28:3, describing Paul gathering firewood on Malta. Demonstrates how God uses ordinary elements in extraordinary ways to display His power and protection of His servants.
φρύγανον describes dry twigs, sticks, or brushwood specifically gathered for use as fuel. In its New Testament context, this ordinary word takes on extraordinary significance in the narrative of Paul’s shipwreck on Malta. The term appears when Paul gathers firewood, leading to the incident with the viper that demonstrates God’s supernatural protection. Early church writers often used this simple word to illustrate how God works through ordinary circumstances to reveal His power. Today, it remains a powerful reminder of how God uses common elements of daily life to demonstrate His presence and protection, turning seemingly mundane moments into opportunities for witnessing His glory.
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Etymology:
For compound words: Not a compound word, but the suffix -ανον indicates the result of drying, creating a noun that describes the product of the drying process.
Translation Options:
Nominal Features:
The word would appear in English as:
Cross-references:
The lexicons provide comprehensive insight into φρύγανον’s practical significance. BDAG emphasizes its specific reference to dry kindling material, while Thayer’s notes its connection to the verb φρύγω, highlighting the importance of the drying process. LSJ provides extensive examples from agricultural and domestic contexts, showing its common usage in daily life. Vine’s focuses on its single New Testament occurrence and its role in the narrative. Moulton and Milligan’s papyri findings demonstrate its frequent use in domestic receipts and records, confirming its everyday nature. The word consistently appears in contexts related to fuel gathering and basic survival needs, underlining its practical significance in ancient daily life.
First appearance:
And when Paul had gathered a bundle of [sticks (φρύγανον)] and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. (Acts 28:3)
Additional References:
No additional references in the New Testament.
Author: Work | Text |
---|---|
Theophrastus: Historia Plantarum | The gatherers collected [dry twigs (φρύγανον)] for the winter’s fuel |
Aristotle: History of Animals | Small birds build nests using [dry sticks (φρύγανον)] |
Xenophon: Anabasis | The soldiers gathered [brushwood (φρύγανον)] to make fires for cooking |
φρύγανον, though seemingly mundane, plays a crucial role in demonstrating God’s providential care and protection of His servants. In Acts 28, this simple word becomes the setting for a powerful display of divine protection when Paul is bitten by a viper while gathering firewood. The incident shows how God’s miraculous intervention often occurs in the context of ordinary daily tasks. This reminds us that the gospel message reaches into every aspect of life, showing God’s presence and power in both extraordinary and ordinary circumstances.
Strong’s G5434: Refers to dry sticks or brushwood gathered for fuel. This common term for kindling appears in Acts 28:3, describing Paul gathering firewood on Malta. Demonstrates how God uses ordinary elements in extraordinary ways to display His power and protection of His servants.
Part of speech: Noun
Tags: firewood, kindling, brushwood, fuel, daily life, provision, Malta, Paul, divine protection, ordinary
Note: While this entry strives for accuracy, readers engaged in critical research should verify citations and keyword occurrences in their Bible translation of choice. For Biblical citations, the F.O.G Bible project recommends Logos Bible software.
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