ῥάκος
rhákos
G4470 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A piece of cloth, usually referring to a scrap, fragment, or remnant separated from a larger textile; in some contexts, specifically a worn or torn piece, a rag used for mending, cleaning, or as a patch. Broader uses include any fragment of fabric, with implications of insignificance, disrepair, or being cast aside.
Semantic Range
rag, scrap of cloth, piece of fabric, patch, remnant, torn cloth, cast-off garment, dirty or discarded textile
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root ῥήγνυμι (to tear, rend, break), with ῥάκος functioning as a noun describing that which has been torn or rended, i.e., a torn cloth or rag.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, ῥάκος refers generally to a piece or scrap of cloth, especially remnants or tattered garments. In Koine Greek, as seen in the New Testament (e.g., Matt 9:16, Mark 2:21, Luke 5:36), it denotes a patch or piece of new, undressed cloth used for repair, often in the context of clothing metaphors (patches on garments representing incongruous combinations). The connotation in Koine is typically of a piece torn off, thus used for patching or as refuse. In the Septuagint, ῥάκος sometimes renders Hebrew terms for rags or waste cloth (e.g., Isa 64:6), implying uncleanness or something discarded. Later Christian writers sometimes use it metaphorically to express humility or spiritual poverty. English translations as 'rag' or 'cloth' capture the core meaning but may miss the nuance of being torn or worthless in some contexts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ῥήγνυμι; a "rag," i.e. piece of cloth:--cloth.
Root Family
ῥάκος (rhakos) — torn cloth, rag, fragment, scrap, remnant
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4470-01 |
ῥάκους | rakous | N GEN N SG |
of cloth | of a torn cloth | of a torn cloth | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4470-01 |
Matthew 9:16 | ῥάκους | rakous | N GEN N SG |
of cloth | of a torn cloth | of a torn cloth |
G4470-01 |
Mark 2:21 | ῥάκους | rakous | N GEN N SG |
of cloth | of a torn cloth | of a torn cloth |