WG: Tree / Wood
Overview
The tree/wood concept cluster in the NT centers on ξύλον (xylon), which spans from raw timber to the crucifixion tree to the eschatological tree of life. Related words distinguish living trees (dendron), the structural cross (stauros), the act of hanging (kremannymi), life itself (zoe), and the weapons paired with wooden clubs (machaira).
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| G3586 |
ξύλον |
xylon |
neuter noun |
17v |
The core word — tree, wood, timber, stocks |
G3586-xylon.md |
| G2910 |
κρεμάννυμι |
kremannymi |
verb |
7v |
The action — to hang (on a tree) |
TODO(need G2910 study) |
| G4716 |
σταυρός |
stauros |
masculine noun |
28v |
The instrument — cross/stake (execution post) |
G4716-stauros.md |
| G1186 |
δένδρον |
dendron |
neuter noun |
19v |
The living tree — botanical/parabolic usage |
TODO(need G1186 study) |
| G2222 |
ζωή |
zoe |
feminine noun |
126v |
The quality — life (in "tree of life") |
G2222-zoe.md |
| G3162 |
μάχαιρα |
machaira |
feminine noun |
26v |
The paired weapon — sword (with staves) |
G3162-machaira.md |
Relationships
Shared Louw-Nida Domain
- G3586 (xylon) and G4716 (stauros) share Domain 6.006: Instruments Used in Punishment and Execution
- G3586 (xylon) and G3162 (machaira) share Domain 6.007: Weapons and Armor
- G3586 (xylon) and G1186 (dendron) share Domain 3.002: Trees and Domain 3: Plants
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| xylon (G3586) |
machaira (G3162) |
5v (29% of xylon) |
"swords and staves" — arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane |
| xylon (G3586) |
kremannymi (G2910) |
3v (43% of kremannymi) |
"hanged on a tree" — Acts crucifixion sermons |
| xylon (G3586) |
zoe (G2222) |
3v (18% of xylon) |
"tree of life" — Rev 2:7, 22:2, 22:14 |
| xylon (G3586) |
stauros (G4716) |
0v |
Never co-occur — complementary distribution; stauros = the cross as theological symbol, xylon = the tree as Deuteronomic curse-bearer |
| xylon (G3586) |
dendron (G1186) |
0v |
Never co-occur — distinct semantic registers; dendron = living tree, xylon = tree-as-object |
Shared Hebrew Sources
| Hebrew |
Greek Members Bridged |
Notes |
| עֵץ ets (H6086) |
G3586 xylon (219x), G1186 dendron (14x) |
Both Greek words derive from the same Hebrew word, but the LXX created a living-tree vs. material-tree distinction that Hebrew does not make |
Roles in the Concept
- Core term: xylon (G3586) — the tree/wood itself in all senses
- Crucifixion action: kremannymi (G2910) — the act of hanging on the xylon
- Execution structure: stauros (G4716) — the cross as instrument and theological symbol; never called xylon
- Botanical tree: dendron (G1186) — living, growing tree in parables and natural imagery
- Life quality: zoe (G2222) — the life that flows from the eschatological tree
- Paired weapon: machaira (G3162) — sword paired with xylon-as-club in arrest narratives
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Acts 5:30 — xylon + kremannymi: "whom ye slew and hanged (kremannymi) on a tree (xylon)"
- Acts 10:39 — xylon + kremannymi: "whom they slew and hanged (kremannymi) on a tree (xylon)"
- Mat 26:47 — xylon + machaira: "with swords (machaira) and staves (xylon)"
- Rev 22:2 — xylon + zoe: "the tree (xylon) of life (zoe)"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, gather_word_data.py
Last updated: 2026-05-03