νότος (notos)
notos
south
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun notos refers to the south wind or the southern direction itself. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts where weather conditions or geographic orientation matter. Luke 12:55 records Jesus asking his listeners how they can read the sky when a southerly wind blows, while Acts 27:13 describes sailors catching this favorable breeze to sail along the coast.
It also denotes the region of the south, particularly in relation to Israel’s neighbors. Matthew 12:42 and Luke 11:31 mention the Queen of the South traveling from distant lands to hear Solomon’s wisdom, highlighting notos as a place rather than just a wind. Revelation 21:13 lists it among the cardinal points surrounding the New Jerusalem.
The word likely derives from an ancient root associated with warmth and dry air, reflecting the hot winds that sweep down from the Arabian desert. Translators typically render it simply as "south" or "south wind," depending on whether the context emphasizes direction or weather. This term grounds biblical geography in tangible natural phenomena familiar to first-century audiences.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word notos points us toward the tangible realities of weather and geography that shaped first-century life. It describes the hot, dry winds sweeping from the Arabian desert or the distant southern regions beyond Israel’s borders. When Jesus asked his listeners to read the sky as a south wind blew, He was inviting them to observe the natural world with attention and wisdom.
This term reminds us that God speaks through creation. The same wind that signaled scorching heat also carried Paul’s ship safely along the coast of Crete. Whether used to describe direction or weather, notos grounds our faith in a real, physical world where God is present.
We can trust that the Creator who set the winds in motion also guides our paths. In moments of uncertainty, looking at the sky and noting the wind’s direction offers a quiet reminder of His steady care over every detail of our lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a south wind3×
- south1×
- of [the] south1×
- of [the] South1×
- [the] south1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- νότου6×
- νότον1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 12:55
When a south wind blows, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens.
Jesus uses the south wind as a familiar weather sign to teach his listeners about spiritual discernment and reading the times.
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Acts 27:13
When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close to shore.
The favorable south wind provided a brief moment of hope for Paul and the sailors as they navigated the dangerous waters near Crete.