Brief Overview of θρόμβος (Strong’s G2361: thrombos)

Introduction

Understanding Greek words is essential for biblical studies as it reveals the depth and layers of meaning behind Scripture. The Greek word θρόμβος (thrombos) is particularly significant because it provides a vivid image that can enhance our understanding of New Testament passages. The word typically refers to a “drop” or “clot,” often associated with drops of blood, and is used to convey intense physical or emotional states. Its usage in ancient texts, including the Bible, gives us insight into how certain conditions or moments of distress were vividly described in Greek culture.

Key Information

The Greek Word: θρόμβος (thrombos) [THROM-bos]
Etymology: Likely derived from a root meaning “to coagulate” or “to thicken,” pointing to its association with clots or drops of liquid, such as blood.
Part of Speech: Noun (masculine); this word is used to describe a specific type of small, rounded mass, such as a drop of blood.
Grammatical Details: It is a second declension noun in Greek.
The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon

Primary Meanings

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Drop: Refers to a small, spherical mass of liquid, commonly used to describe a droplet.
Clot: Indicates a coagulated mass, particularly in medical or metaphorical contexts, such as clots of blood.

Similar Words: σταγών (stagon) [sta-GON], which also means “a drop” but is more commonly used to describe drops of water or dew rather than blood. The distinction between θρόμβος and σταγών lies in the context and the substance being described; θρόμβος often carries a connotation related to blood or thickened fluids.

Further Insights: θρόμβος is a second declension masculine noun. The word’s primary usage in the New Testament is in the accusative plural form, θρόμβους (thromboys), meaning “drops” or “clots.” Below is a declension table showing the full declension of θρόμβος:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	θρόμβος	θρόμβοι
Genitive	θρόμβου	θρόμβων
Dative	θρόμβῳ	θρόμβοις
Accusative	θρόμβον	θρόμβους
Vocative	θρόμβε	θρόμβοι

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Lexicon Insights

BDAG: Describes θρόμβος primarily as “a drop” with a specific emphasis on its appearance in Luke 22:44, where it is used to describe drops of sweat falling like blood. The lexicon notes that the term can refer to both literal and metaphorical drops.
Thayer’s Lexicon: Focuses on θρόμβος as “a clot” or “drop,” particularly of blood. It highlights its dramatic usage in the New Testament and provides contextual insights into its appearance in classical Greek literature.
Vine’s Expository Dictionary: Explains θρόμβος as “a clot or drop,” pointing out that it is rarely used in Scripture but when it is, it carries significant visual and emotional weight.
LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): Discusses θρόμβος as “a mass” or “lump,” with an emphasis on its use in medical contexts in ancient literature, often referring to clotted blood.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: G2361. Strong’s defines θρόμβος simply as “a clot” or “drop,” with its singular appearance in the New Testament noted for its powerful imagery.

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Related Scripture References

Luke 22:44: “And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops (θρόμβοι) of blood falling down to the ground.”

Classical Usage

Author	Name of Work	English Text
Hippocrates	On Epidemics	“The patient’s fever was high, and the blood began to form clots (θρόμβους) in the veins.”
Aristotle	History of Animals	“The lion’s heart, they say, contains drops (θρόμβους) of blood that harden upon exposure to air.”
Plutarch	Moralia	“The ground was marked with the blood of the fallen, pooling in thick clots (θρόμβοι) after the battle.”
Septuagint – Ezekiel	Septuagint Translation	“And I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean; from all your impurities and blood clots (θρόμβοι) I will cleanse you.”
Septuagint – Isaiah	Septuagint Translation	“The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea, with no more blood clots (θρόμβοι).”
Septuagint – Psalms	Septuagint Translation	“My heart is like wax; it is melted within me, pooling like clots (θρόμβοι) of blood.”

Summary of θρόμβος (G2361)

The Greek word θρόμβος (thrombos) primarily means “drop” or “clot,” and is most vividly used in the New Testament in Luke 22:44 to describe the “great drops of blood” that fell from Jesus as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. This powerful image conveys both physical and emotional distress and has been interpreted as a symbol of profound suffering and agony. In classical Greek literature, θρόμβος is often used in medical or battle contexts to describe clots or thick drops, enhancing our understanding of its connotations of severity and intensity. The word’s rare usage in the New Testament emphasizes its dramatic impact in conveying the gravity of Christ’s suffering.

Did You Know?

The word θρόμβος is only used once in the New Testament, in Luke 22:44, to describe the sweat of Jesus “like drops of blood” as He prayed in Gethsemane. This moment has inspired countless theological reflections on the intensity of Jesus’ suffering and His human experience of fear and agony. The imagery of θρόμβος is also echoed in medical studies discussing conditions like hematidrosis, a rare phenomenon where extreme stress can cause capillaries to burst and blood to mix with sweat, forming “drops” or “clots” that appear like blood.