ἄμμος (ammos)
ammos
sand
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The Greek noun ammos simply means "sand" or "sandy ground." It is a concrete word used to describe the physical material found on beaches and in deserts. In the New Testament, it appears only four times, yet its presence carries significant weight because of the contexts in which it is placed.
Most notably, Jesus uses this word in the parable of the two builders (Matthew 7:26). He describes a foolish man who builds his house on sand, contrasting it with the wise man who builds on rock. This usage highlights the instability and danger of constructing one’s life on an insecure foundation. The physical reality of shifting sand serves as a vivid image for spiritual unsteadiness.
The word also appears in Romans 9:27 and Hebrews 11:12, where it translates the Hebrew concept of "dust" or "sand" to describe innumerable offspring. Here, ammos is not about instability but about vast quantity. It illustrates God’s promise to Abraham that his descendants would be as countless as the grains of sand on the shore. This dual usage shows how a simple word can convey both fragility and immense blessing.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ammos brings us back to the physical world, reminding us that our faith is lived out in real places with real materials. In Matthew 7:26, Jesus uses sand to show how fragile a life can be when it rests on shifting ground. It is a gentle warning that hearing truth without living it leaves us exposed to storms.
Yet this same word also speaks of God’s incredible generosity. When Romans and Hebrews mention sand, they are not talking about instability but about vast numbers. They remind us that God’s promises to Abraham are as numerous as the grains on a shore. This duality helps us see that while our own efforts may be shaky, God’s faithfulness is abundant and secure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sand3×
- sand.1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἄμμος3×
- ἄμμον.1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 7:26
Everyone who hears these words of mine and doesn’t do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
This verse uses the word to illustrate the danger of building a life on unstable foundations rather than obedience.
-
Romans 9:27
Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;
Here the term shifts from instability to quantity, emphasizing that God’s promise to preserve a remnant is as vast as the sea shore.
-
Hebrews 11:12
Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.
The author uses this image to highlight the miraculous nature of Isaac’s offspring, comparing their number to innumerable grains of sand.