### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **odoús**, represented by `{{G3599}}`, is the term for a **"tooth"**. It appears **12 times** across **11 unique verses** in the Bible. While it can refer to a literal tooth, it is most often used to convey intense suffering or rage, frequently as part of a phrase describing divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the Bible, `{{G3599}}` is used in several distinct contexts. It is cited literally in the teaching on retaliation, "An eye for an eye, and a **tooth** for a **tooth**" [[Matthew 5:38]]. In Revelation, it is used in a simile to describe the fearsome nature of locust-like creatures, whose **teeth** were like those of lions [[Revelation 9:8]]. However, its most common use is in the recurring phrase "weeping and gnashing of **teeth**," which describes the fate of those cast into "outer darkness" or a "furnace of fire" ([[Matthew 8:12]], [[Matthew 13:42]], [[Luke 13:28]]). It also illustrates raw human fury, as when a crowd "gnashed on him with their **teeth**" [[Acts 7:54]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words are used in conjunction with `{{G3599}}` to describe the action of grinding the teeth:
* `{{G1030}}` **brygmós** (a grating (of the teeth)): This noun is consistently paired with **odoús** to form the phrase "gnashing of teeth," a powerful expression of anguish and judgment found in passages like [[Matthew 22:13]] and [[Matthew 24:51]].
* `{{G1031}}` **brýchō** (to grate the teeth (in pain or rage)): This verb denotes an action driven by rage, as seen when Stephen's accusers "gnashed on him with their **teeth**" [[Acts 7:54]].
* `{{G5149}}` **trízō** (to creak (squeak), i.e. (by analogy) to grate the teeth (in frenzy)): This term describes a physical reaction, such as when an afflicted individual "gnasheth with his **teeth**" during a seizure [[Mark 9:18]].
### Theological Significance
The theological and symbolic weight of `{{G3599}}` is significant, primarily conveyed through its contextual usage.
* **Principle of Justice:** The word is used in the context of the law of retaliation, establishing a standard for reciprocal justice [[Matthew 5:38]].
* **Consequence of Judgment:** Its most frequent appearance is in the phrase "gnashing of **teeth**," which serves as a stark depiction of the suffering and torment experienced by those who are cast out from the kingdom of God ([[Matthew 13:50]], [[Matthew 25:30]]).
* **Expression of Torment and Rage:** The grinding of **teeth** signifies extreme states of being, whether it is the physical torment of a person who "pineth away" [[Mark 9:18]] or the intense rage of a hostile crowd [[Acts 7:54]].
* **Symbol of Ferocity:** The word is used metaphorically in apocalyptic imagery to convey a threatening and destructive nature, as with the "teeth of lions" [[Revelation 9:8]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G3599}}` moves beyond its literal anatomical meaning. It functions as a powerful biblical symbol for justice, rage, and torment. Its repeated association with "gnashing" makes it a key term for understanding the scriptural depiction of the profound anguish associated with divine judgment and separation from God.
TRV