συκομωραία (sukomōraia)
sukomōraia
sycamore tree
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun sukōmōraia refers specifically to the sycamore tree, a type of fig-mulberry known in the ancient Near East for its distinctive growth habit. Its name combines the words for "fig" and "mulberry," reflecting its botanical characteristics as a hardy tree that produces small, edible fruit.
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 19:4. The text describes Zacchaeus climbing this particular tree to see Jesus passing through Jericho. The sycamore’s thick trunk and low-branching structure made it a practical choice for someone of short stature seeking an elevated vantage point in a crowded street.
While the common fig tree (sykē) appears frequently in Scripture, the sycamore is rarer. Its presence here highlights a moment of humble determination, as Zacchaeus uses the natural features of this specific tree to overcome his physical limitations and encounter the teacher below.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The sycamore tree in Luke 19:4 stands as a quiet witness to determined seeking. Zacchaeus, aware of his short stature and the crowded path Jesus was taking, did not accept his physical limits as barriers to encounter. Instead, he climbed this sturdy, low-branching tree, using its natural structure to gain a new perspective on the scene below.
This image invites us to consider how we pursue Christ when obstacles seem insurmountable. Whether through humility, effort, or unconventional means, the desire to see Jesus remains central. The tree itself offered no spiritual insight; it was merely the vessel for Zacchaeus’s active faith. His climb reminds us that God meets those who earnestly seek Him, regardless of their standing or size.
May we find courage in Zacchaeus’s example, trusting that our efforts to draw near to Christ are never in vain. Even when the path is crowded or our view is blocked, there is always a way forward if we look up with hope.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a sycamore-fig tree1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- συκομορέαν1×
Key Verses
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Luke 19:4
He ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way.
This verse uniquely identifies the sycamore tree as the specific location where Zacchaeus overcame his physical limitations to see Jesus.