Brief Overview of πρασιά (Strong’s G4237: prasia)

Strong’s G4237: A feminine noun derived from πράσον (leek/garden plant), denoting a garden bed or plot. In the New Testament, it specifically refers to orderly groupings of people, metaphorically drawn from the image of organized garden plots, highlighting divine order and provision.

U- Unveiling the Word

πρασιά carries a rich agricultural heritage, originally referring to a garden bed or plot where vegetables were grown in orderly rows. In its New Testament usage, particularly in Mark’s gospel, the word takes on a powerful metaphorical meaning. When Jesus organized the crowds into πρασιαί (groups), he was creating an orderly arrangement reminiscent of a well-tended garden. This organization wasn’t merely practical; it reflected God’s nature of bringing order from chaos and providing abundantly. Early church interpreters saw in this arrangement a picture of the new community Jesus was forming – ordered, cared for, and abundantly fed by divine provision.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: πρασιά, prasia, prah-see-AH
• Detailed Pronunciation: prah (as in ‘father’) + see (as in ‘seed’) + AH (stressed, as in ‘father’)
• Part of Speech: Feminine Noun

Etymology:

• Root: πράσον (prason) – leek, garden herb
• Suffix: -ιά (-ia) – forms abstract or collective nouns
• The combination creates a noun referring to a plot where such plants are grown

D – Defining Meanings

• Garden bed or plot
• Ordered group or company
• Row or rank of people

For compound words:
Not a compound word, but the suffix -ιά transforms the concrete noun πράσον into a word describing the place where such plants grow.

Translation Options:

1. Garden plot – Captures the original agricultural meaning
2. Company (in ranks) – Reflects the New Testament usage
3. Organized group – Communicates the concept of orderly arrangement

E – Exploring Similar Words

• τάγμα (tagma) [tag-mah] – rank or order, more military in connotation
• τάξις (taxis) [tak-sis] – arrangement, emphasizing sequence
• See G4237

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Case: Various forms
• Nominative: πρασιά
• Genitive: πρασιᾶς
• Dative: πρασιᾷ
• Accusative: πρασιάν
• Number: Both singular and plural forms used
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First declension

The word follows regular first declension patterns. In Mark’s gospel, it appears in the plural accusative form πρασιαί πρασιαί, creating a distributive effect meaning “in groups.”

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG defines πρασιά as a plot or bed in a garden, used metaphorically for ordered groups. Thayer’s emphasizes its agricultural origin and its unique distributive use in Mark. LSJ provides evidence of its use in agricultural contexts throughout Greek literature. Vine’s notes the word’s metaphorical extension from garden plots to organized groups of people. Moulton and Milligan cite papyri showing its common use in agricultural contexts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“And they sat down in [πρασιά] groups, by hundreds and by fifties.” Mark 6:40

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence of πρασιά in the New Testament, though the concept of ordered groups appears elsewhere.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

πρασιά beautifully illustrates how Jesus brings divine order to human chaos while providing abundantly for his people. In the feeding of the five thousand, the orderly arrangement into πρασιαί created a sacred space where miracle and methodology met. This word proclaims the good news that King Jesus not only provides for his people but does so with perfect order and purpose, transforming crowds into communities and chaos into cosmos.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word’s agricultural origin influenced early Christian imagery of the church as God’s garden.
2. The distributive repetition (πρασιαί πρασιαί) in Mark is a Hebraism, reflecting Semitic influence.
3. Ancient garden designs often used πρασιαί arrangements to maximize both beauty and productivity.

Strong’s G4237: A feminine noun derived from πράσον (leek/garden plant), denoting a garden bed or plot. In the New Testament, it specifically refers to orderly groupings of people, metaphorically drawn from the image of organized garden plots, highlighting divine order and provision.

Part of speech: Feminine Noun

Tags: garden, order, groups, organization, feeding of five thousand, miracles, provision, divine order, community, Mark’s Gospel, biblical keywords​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​