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Unveiling the Word

Understanding the Greek word κοπρία (kopria) is crucial for biblical studies, as it provides insights into agricultural practices, metaphorical teachings, and everyday life in ancient Greek and Jewish culture. This word appears in Luke 13:8, where it is used in a parable about a fig tree, representing divine patience and the opportunity for repentance. By examining kopria, we gain a deeper understanding of the agricultural metaphors used by Jesus in His teachings, which were relatable to His audience and carried profound spiritual significance.

Necessary Information

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Greek Word: κοπρία, transliterated as kopria [koh-PREE-ah].

Etymology: The term kopria comes from the Greek root word κόπρος (kopros), meaning “dung” or “manure.” This root emphasizes the word’s connection to fertilizer or manure, a critical component in ancient farming for nourishing soil and promoting plant growth.

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Part of Speech: Noun. Kopria is a feminine noun and follows the first declension pattern in Greek grammar. It is used in the singular and plural forms to refer to dung heaps or manure piles, reflecting both its literal meaning and metaphorical uses in biblical literature.

The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.

Defining Meanings

Dung or Manure: The primary meaning of kopria is dung or manure, typically referring to animal waste used as fertilizer to enrich soil and promote plant growth.
Manure Pile or Heap: The term can also denote a heap or pile of manure, signifying a specific place where dung is collected or stored for agricultural purposes.
Figurative Use in Parables: In certain contexts, such as parables, kopria takes on a figurative sense, representing elements like patience, cultivation, and nurturing in the spiritual journey of growth and repentance.

Exploring Similar Words

σκύβαλον (skubalon) [SKOO-bah-lon]: Often translated as “refuse” or “dung,” this word carries a more derogatory connotation than kopria, emphasizing worthlessness or something discarded.
ἀχύρωμα (achyroma) [ah-KHEE-roh-mah]: Refers to “chaff” or the husks separated from grain during threshing. Unlike kopria, which is beneficial for agriculture, achyroma is often a metaphor for uselessness.
κόπρος (kopros) [KOH-pros]: The root word of kopria, it directly means “dung” or “manure” and is often used more generically without the nuance of a manure pile or heap.

Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Case, Number, Gender: Kopria is a feminine noun and is found in various cases:

Nominative Singular: κοπρία (manure)
Genitive Singular: κοπρίας (of manure)
Dative Singular: κοπρίᾳ (to/for manure)
Accusative Singular: κοπρίαν (manure as a direct object)
Nominative Plural: κοπρίαι (manures)
Genitive Plural: κοπριῶν (of manures)
Dative Plural: κοπρίαις (to/for manures)
Accusative Plural: κοπρίας (manures as a direct object)

Declension: Kopria follows the standard pattern of the first declension for feminine nouns in Greek.

Case / Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative	κοπρία	κοπρίαι
Genitive	κοπρίας	κοπριῶν
Dative	κοπρίᾳ	κοπρίαις
Accusative	κοπρίαν	κοπρίας

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Studying Lexicon Insights

kopria is richly analyzed across various lexicons, revealing its usage in agricultural contexts and its metaphorical application in biblical literature. In the New Testament, kopria is used to convey the idea of spiritual cultivation and the patience required for growth, particularly in the parable of the fig tree in Luke 13:8. In classical Greek literature, kopria refers to the literal manure heap essential for farming, illustrating its importance in ancient agrarian societies. This overview synthesizes insights from BDAG, Thayer’s, LSJ, Vine’s, Strong’s, LEH, and Moulton and Milligan.

Tracing Related Scriptures

Luke 13:8: “And he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure [κοπρία].'”

Analyzing Classical Usage

Author	Name of Work	Text Excerpt
Xenophon	Oeconomicus	“The land was barren and needed manure (κοπρία) to produce crops.”
Plato	Laws	“They gathered dung (κοπρία) from the cattle pens to enrich the fields.”
Septuagint	Isaiah 5:2	“He dug it up and cleared out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine; he built a tower in its midst, and also made a winepress in it; so He expected it to bring forth good grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.” (interpreted with manure implication for cultivation)

Noteworthy Summary

The Greek word kopria provides a rich perspective on the agricultural practices of ancient times, as well as their spiritual metaphors in biblical texts. It represents both a literal material crucial for farming and a symbol of spiritual nourishment and growth in biblical parables. Understanding kopria offers valuable insights into the cultural and spiritual messages conveyed through agricultural metaphors in the New Testament.

Did You Know?

Ancient farmers relied heavily on manure to enrich their soil, making kopria an essential part of daily life and work in agrarian societies.
The metaphor of using manure in parables was not unique to Jesus; it was a common practice among rabbis to employ everyday agricultural elements to convey spiritual truths.