χόος (choos)
choos
dust
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun choos refers to the earth dug out from the ground, encompassing meanings that range from loose soil to fine dust. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, yet in both instances it carries significant symbolic weight regarding human mortality and judgment.
In Mark 6:11, Jesus instructs his disciples to shake the dust off their feet when leaving a hostile town. This act uses choos as a tangible symbol of separation, signaling that the messengers have done all they could and are no longer responsible for those who reject the message. The physical removal of this earthy residue marks a decisive break.
The second occurrence in Revelation 18:19 depicts merchants weeping over Babylon’s fall. They throw dust on their heads, a gesture of profound grief and mourning rooted in ancient Near Eastern custom. Here, choos represents the humble, fragile nature of human life and wealth, contrasting sharply with the city’s former pride.
Etymologically, the word likely derives from the same root as kineō, meaning "to move," suggesting earth that is loose or shaken. This connection highlights the transient quality of the material it describes, reinforcing its use in contexts involving departure, judgment, and the fleeting nature of earthly power.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word choos reminds us that our lives are grounded in something fragile and temporary. It refers to the loose earth or fine dust we walk upon, a substance that shifts with every step and returns to the ground. This imagery anchors our faith in reality: we are created from the earth, and our earthly pursuits, no matter how grand, are fleeting. When Jesus spoke of shaking the dust from our feet in Mark 6:11, He was not speaking of dirt, but of a decisive boundary between those who receive truth and those who reject it.
Yet this same dust also speaks to our shared humanity and sorrow. In Revelation 18:19, merchants throw dust on their heads in grief as worldly systems collapse. This gesture shows that beneath all power and wealth lies the same humble material. For us, this offers comfort. When we feel overwhelmed by the instability of life or the weight of loss, we can remember that our hope does not rest in shifting sands but in the unchanging character of God.
Understanding choos invites us to live with both humility and clarity. We are called to be clear about where we stand in sharing the gospel, while also holding our own ambitions loosely. The dust under our feet is a reminder that we are travelers, not residents of this world. May this awareness free us from anxiety and help us focus on what truly endures.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- dust2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- χοῦν2×
Key Verses
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Mark 6:11
Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
Jesus uses the physical act of shaking off dust to establish a clear spiritual boundary, signaling that the messengers have fulfilled their duty and are no longer responsible for those who reject the message.
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Revelation of John 18:19
They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour.
The casting of dust on heads serves as a public sign of profound mourning, highlighting the sudden collapse of worldly wealth and the fragility of human pride compared to eternal realities.