Word Study for G5089 (τίλλω) | Strong's Concordance

tíllō /til'-lo/ Ask about this word

Rootperhaps akin to the alternate of αἱρέομαι, and thus to σύρω

Meaningto pull off

KJV usagepluck.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tíllō — 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 tíllō, represented by G5089, is a verb that means to pluck or pull off. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. Its use is highly specific, found only in the synoptic Gospel accounts of Jesus's disciples in the corn fields on the Sabbath.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In all biblical occurrences, G5089 describes the action of the disciples satisfying their hunger. As Jesus and his disciples walked through corn fields on the Sabbath, they began to pluck the ears of corn to eat (Matthew 12:1, Mark 2:23). The Gospel of Luke adds the detail that after they plucked the grain, they rubbed it in their hands before eating Luke 6:1. This act, while simple, becomes the focal point of a confrontation regarding the observance of the Sabbath.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words provide a fuller picture of the scene described in these passages:

G4719 stáchys (ear of corn): This is the direct object of the action; the disciples pluck the ears of corn Matthew 12:1. This term refers to a head of grain.
G2068 esthíō (to eat): This word clarifies the motivation for the plucking. The disciples plucked the grain specifically in order to eat because they were hungry (Matthew 12:1, Luke 6:1).
G5597 psṓchō (rub): Used exclusively in Luke's account of this event, this verb describes the action immediately following the plucking, where the disciples would rub the grain in their hands to prepare it for eating Luke 6:1.

Theological Significance

The significance of G5089 is derived entirely from the context in which it appears. The simple act of plucking grain becomes a catalyst for a key teaching moment.

Sabbath Observance: The action of plucking G5089 is what initiates a debate about what constitutes "work" on the Sabbath day (Matthew 12:1, Mark 2:23, Luke 6:1).
Human Need over Ritual: The disciples pluck the grain because they were hungry Matthew 12:1. This action serves as a practical example in Jesus's subsequent teaching about the Sabbath being made for man, not the other way around.
A Sequence of Provision: The use of G5089 is part of a clear sequence of events: the disciples plucked the ears of corn, rubbed them in their hands, and then did eat, illustrating a direct and immediate means of addressing hunger.

Summary

In summary, G5089 is a specific action verb whose importance is tied to a single, pivotal narrative repeated in the Gospels. While meaning simply "to pluck," it is this very action that sparks a profound discussion about the law, mercy, and human need. The word marks the starting point of an incident that clarifies the purpose of the Sabbath and the authority of Christ over it.

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 3 occurrences, inflected in 3 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Imperfect Active Indicative 3rd Plural 1×
Present Active Infinitive 1×
Present Active Participle Nominative Plural Masculine 1×

Nominative: The subject of the verb.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Present: Action in progress or repeated — happening now or continually.
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Active: The subject performs the action.
Indicative: A plain statement of fact.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
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 3 verses across 3 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Matthew, Mark, and Luke (1 verse each); never once in the other 24.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

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.