καλάμη
kalámē
G2562 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A (grain) stalk; refers specifically to the dry, rigid stem left after grain is harvested, i.e., straw or stubble. Extended sense includes chaff or the dry remnants of cereal crops, emphasizing its lack of value or fragility in agricultural or metaphorical contexts.
Semantic Range
stalk of grain, straw, stubble, chaff, dry plant remains, metaphor for what is insubstantial or destined for destruction
Root / Etymology
From the Greek noun κάλαμος (calamos, 'reed', 'stalk', 'shaft'), with καλάμη formed as a feminine noun specifying the stalk or stem, especially of grain or cereals. Related to the Indo-European root *kal- ('reed', 'straw').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, καλάμη designates the stalk of wheat, barley, or other cereals, particularly the part remaining after the harvest—the straw or stubble. It appears in writers such as Herodotus and Theophrastus with this literal meaning. In the Septuagint, καλάμη frequently renders Hebrew קַשׁ (qash, 'straw', 'stubble'), denoting the leftover plant material after threshing. In the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 3:12, Luke 3:17), καλάμη is used metaphorically for what is insubstantial or destined to be burned, paralleling its Old Testament use as a symbol for worthlessness or judgment. Standard English translations tend to render καλάμη as 'stubble' or 'straw,' but may not convey the broader range of agricultural metaphor and valuation associated with the term in ancient texts. No distinctly religious or technical connotation attaches to καλάμη; it is rooted in everyday agricultural vocabulary.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of κάλαμος; a stalk of grain, i.e. (collectively) stubble:--stubble.
Root Family
καλάμη (kalamē) — stalk, stem, straw, stubble
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2562-01 |
καλάμην | kalamen | N ACC F SG |
stubble | grain stalk | stubble | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2562-01 |
1 Corinthians 3:12 | καλάμην | kalamen | N ACC F SG |
stubble | grain stalk | stubble |