Word Study for G1610 (ἐκριζόω)

ekrizóō /ek-rid-zo'-o/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom ἐκ and ῥιζόω

Meaningto uproot

KJV usagepluck up by the root, root up.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ekrizóō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word ekrizóō, represented by G1610, means to uproot or pluck up by the root. It is formed from the Greek words ἐκ and ῥιζόω. This term appears only 4 times across 4 unique verses, indicating a highly specific and powerful meaning related to complete removal.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, G1610 illustrates concepts of judgment, faith, and agricultural care. Jesus uses the term to declare that any plant not planted by the heavenly Father "shall be rooted up" Matthew 15:13, signifying a divine removal of what is not of God. In the Parable of the Tares, caution is urged against gathering the tares prematurely, lest the wheat also be rooted up Matthew 13:29. The word demonstrates the power of faith in Luke's Gospel, where Jesus explains that faith could command a tree to be plucked up by the root Luke 17:6. Finally, it is used metaphorically in Jude to describe false teachers as fruitless trees that are "twice dead, plucked up by the roots" Jude 1:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide context for the actions of uprooting and planting:

G5452 phyteúō (plant): Defined as to set out in the earth or implant. This word acts as a direct counterpart to G1610, establishing what can later be uprooted. For example, whatever the Father has not planted will be rooted up Matthew 15:13.
G4816 syllégō (gather): Meaning to collect or gather. This word is used in close connection with uprooting, as in the Parable of the Tares where servants ask if they should go and gather the tares, but are warned not to root up the wheat in the process Matthew 13:29.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G1610 is centered on the idea of definitive separation and power.

Divine Judgment: The act of being "rooted up" is a powerful image for the final judgment and removal of all that is not of God, whether it be false teachings or ungodly people (Matthew 15:13, Jude 1:12).
Sovereign Power: The ability to uproot a deeply rooted tree is used as a metaphor for the immense power available through faith, capable of overturning what seems permanent Luke 17:6.
Preservation of the Righteous: The command not to root up the wheat highlights God's patience and desire to preserve His people, ensuring they are not harmed before the final harvest Matthew 13:29.

Summary

In summary, G1610 is a potent term that conveys more than simple removal. It signifies a complete and final separation from a foundational source, whether that is the earth for a plant or God for a believer. Its rare usage in scripture underscores the gravity of its meaning, representing the absolute power of faith, the finality of divine judgment, and the careful preservation of the righteous.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Aorist Active Subjunctive 2nd Plural 1×
Aorist Passive Imperative 2nd Singular 1×
Aorist Passive Participle Nominative Plural Neuter 1×
Future Passive Indicative 3rd Singular 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Neuter: Neuter grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Future: Action yet to take place.
Aorist: Action viewed as a single whole — usually a simple past event.
Active: The subject performs the action.
Passive: The subject is acted upon.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Subjunctive: Possibility or purpose — "might", "should".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew (2 verses); never once in the other 24.

Matthew

Luke

Jude

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.