ὑγρός (hugros)
hugros
moist/green
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective hugros describes something that is damp, wet, or full of moisture. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Luke 23:31, where Jesus speaks to the women mourning Him on the way to the cross. He uses the word to describe "green" wood, contrasting it with dry timber.
This usage carries a specific agricultural weight. Green wood is dense, heavy, and difficult to burn because of its high water content. By comparing His own suffering to green wood, Jesus suggests that if such difficult trials are falling on Him while He is still "fresh" or innocent, the fate awaiting the "dry" (aged or hardened) city of Jerusalem will be even more severe. The term highlights a contrast between current resilience and future vulnerability.
Lexical sources note that this word often appears in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew terms for wetness or sapfulness, such as in Judges 16:7. Its singular New Testament occurrence serves as a stark metaphor for impending judgment, relying on the physical reality of how green wood behaves under fire.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word hugros, meaning moist or green, appears only once in the New Testament within Jesus’ haunting words on the road to Calvary. He contrasts the "green tree" with dry wood to illustrate a sobering truth about judgment and suffering. Green wood is dense and resistant to fire, holding its shape even under intense heat, whereas dry timber burns quickly and completely.
This metaphor reminds us that if Jesus, in His innocence and vitality, endures such profound anguish, the consequences for those who reject Him will be far more severe. It invites reflection on how we respond to divine grace. Rather than hardening our hearts like dry wood, we are called to remain receptive to God’s love, allowing it to nourish us rather than burn us away.
Ultimately, this passage points to the seriousness of sin and the depth of Christ’s sacrifice. It challenges us to consider whether we are living in a way that honors His suffering or one that adds to its weight. May we find hope in knowing that even in our darkest moments, God’s mercy remains available to those who turn to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- green1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὑγρῷ1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 23:31
For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?”
Jesus uses the contrast between green and dry wood to warn of impending judgment on Jerusalem if He suffers while innocent.