συκάμινος (sukaminos)
sukaminos
mulberry tree
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun sukaminos refers to the sycamine tree, a species closely related to the mulberry or sycamore-fig. In the New Testament, this word appears only once, in Luke 17:6, where Jesus uses it as an object lesson for his disciples regarding the power of faith.
Its presence in the Septuagint often translates the Hebrew shiqmah, which can denote either a mulberry or a sycamore-fig tree. While ancient translators sometimes used this term interchangeably with other fig-like trees, Luke’s specific choice here highlights a plant known for its dense foliage and robust nature. The image suggests something substantial and difficult to uproot, making the command to uproot it by faith all the more striking.
Translators typically render sukaminos as "mulberry" or "sycamore," depending on their preferred botanical identification. This single occurrence underscores a key theological point: even faith as small as a mustard seed can accomplish what seems impossible for large, entrenched obstacles like a mature tree.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word sukaminos refers to the sycamine tree, a plant known for its deep roots and dense foliage. In Luke 17:6, Jesus uses this sturdy tree as an object lesson to teach His disciples about the nature of faith. He does not suggest that faith must be large or powerful in itself, but rather that even a tiny amount of genuine trust can move significant obstacles.
This image invites you to consider that your spiritual effectiveness is not measured by the size of your confidence, but by the object of that trust. When challenges feel as immovable as a mature tree uprooted from the earth, remember that God’s power works through even the smallest seeds of belief. This perspective offers comfort in difficult seasons, reminding us that we rely on divine strength rather than our own capacity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- mulberry tree1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συκαμίνῳ1×
Key Verses
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Luke 17:6
The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
This verse uniquely employs the sycamine tree to illustrate how minimal faith can achieve what seems physically impossible.