νοσσίον (nossion)
nossion
chick
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun nossion refers to a young bird or chick, specifically in its earliest stage of life. It is a diminutive form derived from a root meaning "bird," emphasizing smallness and vulnerability. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Matthew 23:37, where Jesus laments over Jerusalem.
The image carries significant emotional weight. By using this term for the city's children, Jesus portrays them as helpless chicks that need protection under a mother bird’s wings. This metaphor highlights both their fragility and the depth of divine care, contrasting sharply with their refusal to seek refuge.
Translators typically render this word as "chicks" or "young birds," preserving the tender, intimate nature of the original Greek. The choice of such a specific, small creature underscores the personal and protective love Jesus expresses toward those who reject it.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nossion describes a tiny, vulnerable chick, helpless without its mother. When Jesus uses this image in Matthew 23:37, He is not speaking of distant power but of intimate, tender care. He longs to gather the people of Jerusalem under His wings, offering safety to those who are fragile and exposed.
This metaphor reminds us that our need for protection is natural, not weak. Just as a chick cannot survive alone, we find our security only in God’s presence. His desire to shelter us is constant, even when we hesitate or turn away. We can rest in the knowledge that He watches over us with deep affection.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- chicks1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νοσσία1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you would not!
This verse uses the word to illustrate Jesus' specific desire to protect vulnerable people, highlighting the contrast between His willingness to shelter them and their refusal.