### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **glykýs**, represented by `{{G1099}}`, is defined as sweet, in contrast to being bitter or salt. It appears **4 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible, where it is translated as either "sweet" or "fresh." The term is used to describe both a literal taste and a quality of water.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{G1099}}` is employed in two distinct contexts to illustrate a principle of contrast. In the book of James, it is used metaphorically to question whether a single source can produce opposite outcomes, asking if a fountain can send forth both "**sweet** water and bitter" [[James 3:11]]. This analogy is extended to state that a fountain cannot yield "salt water and **fresh**" [[James 3:12]]. In Revelation, the word describes the taste of a little book given to John by an angel. The book is prophesied to be "**sweet** as honey" in the mouth but bitter in the belly [[Revelation 10:9]], an experience that is confirmed once John eats it [[Revelation 10:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define `{{G1099}}` by providing its direct opposite or a standard of comparison:
* `{{G4089}}` **pikrós** (sharp (pungent), i.e. acrid (literally or figuratively):--bitter): This adjective is the direct antonym used in James's analogy of a fountain that cannot produce both "**sweet** water and bitter" from the same source [[James 3:11]].
* `{{G252}}` **halykós** (briny:--salt): This word for "salt" is used as another contrast to `{{G1099}}` ("fresh"), emphasizing the impossibility of a fountain yielding two incompatible types of water [[James 3:12]].
* `{{G3192}}` **méli** (honey:--honey): This word serves as the benchmark for sweetness in Revelation, where the little book's taste is described as "**sweet** as honey" in the mouth ([[Revelation 10:9]], [[Revelation 10:10]]).
* `{{G4087}}` **pikraínō** (to embitter...:--be (make) bitter): This verb describes the contrasting effect of the little book, which, despite its sweet taste, would "make thy belly bitter" [[Revelation 10:9]].
### Theological Significance
The use of `{{G1099}}` carries significant thematic weight, particularly in its context of contrast.
* **The Principle of Source and Fruit:** James uses the imagery of a fountain producing either **sweet** (fresh) or bitter/salt water to teach about consistency. A single, good source cannot naturally produce contradictory results, a lesson applied to human speech and conduct [[James 3:11-12]].
* **The Dual Nature of Divine Messages:** In Revelation, the experience of the little book being **sweet** in the mouth but bitter in the stomach illustrates a profound truth about prophecy. Receiving God's word can be a pleasant or wonderful experience, but its contents and implications—its "digestion"—can bring sorrow or hardship [[Revelation 10:9-10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G1099}}` moves beyond its simple definition of "sweet" or "fresh" to serve as a powerful teaching tool. Through its strategic use in opposition to words like "bitter" and "salt," it establishes clear and memorable illustrations. Whether depicting the necessary consistency of a good source in James or the complex, dual-sided nature of divine revelation in Revelation, **glykýs** demonstrates how a basic sensory adjective can convey deep spiritual principles.
TRV