### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **exérama**, represented by `{{G1829}}`, means **vomit** or food disgorged. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its singular use provides a stark and memorable illustration of something that has been repulsively expelled.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{G1829}}` is within a proverb cited in [[2 Peter 2:22]] to describe false teachers who have abandoned righteousness. The passage states, "The dog is turned to his own **vomit** again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" [[2 Peter 2:22]]. In this context, **vomit** symbolizes the sin and moral filth that a person had previously rejected. The act of returning to it represents a willing reversion to a defiled state, highlighting the repulsive nature of apostasy.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context help illuminate its meaning:
* `{{G1994}}` **epistréphō** (to revert, turn again): This verb describes the action of returning. While often used positively for converting or turning to God [[Acts 26:18]], here it depicts a negative reversion to what was left behind, emphasizing the deliberate choice to go back to the **vomit**.
* `{{G2965}}` **kýōn** (a dog): The subject of the proverb. In scripture, dogs are often depicted as unclean or contemptible figures [[Revelation 22:15]], making the animal a fitting illustration for someone returning to a spiritually unclean state.
* `{{G5300}}` **hŷs** (a sow): This word appears in the parallel phrase of the proverb. The image of a sow that was **washed** `{{G3068}}` only to return to the **mire** `{{G1004}}` reinforces the theme of an unchanged nature reverting to its preferred filth.
* `{{G3942}}` **paroimía** (proverb, parable): This word identifies the saying as an adage or illustration. Its use indicates that the behavior described—returning to what was rejected—was a recognized pattern of foolishness.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G1829}}` is concentrated in its powerful imagery:
* **The Repulsiveness of Sin:** By equating a former life of sin with **vomit**, the text portrays apostasy not merely as a mistake but as a return to something utterly disgusting and unnatural to a cleansed spirit.
* **A Warning Against Apostasy:** The graphic nature of the metaphor serves as a severe warning. It illustrates that for those who have experienced the truth, turning back is not a neutral act but a spiritually defiling one.
* **Superficial Change:** The proverb implies that the initial cleansing may have been superficial, like washing a sow that retains its desire for the mud. The return to the **vomit** suggests an unchanged inner nature that was never truly transformed.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G1829}}` is a potent, albeit rare, biblical word. Its single use in the proverb of the dog returning to its **vomit** provides one of scripture's most graphic and unforgettable metaphors. It vividly illustrates the spiritual revulsion of apostasy and serves as a somber warning against abandoning a path of righteousness for the defilement that was once cast off.
TRV