Mustard

[Saboi]

The Mustard seed parable is interesting in the Book of Mark, but σίναπι exclusively appears in the New Testament and the definition of "Mustard" is not a certainty, since the traditional Greek word for Mustard seed is νᾶπυ. So the word must mean something to the Hebrew-Aramaic audience of the 1st century.

ענבים > σίναπι

This word relates to Sinop (Turkey) named for its dark-red pigments, for ענבים is οἴνοπος "wine-colored" thus the root is יין that also roots יונה/οἴνας (Ugarit = ינת) "a wild pigeon of the colour ענב/οἰνώψ", a compound, אף + יין "wine-dark or ruddy complextion".

The word Mustard itself came from mustum (Lt) 'fresh grape-juice, unfermented wine', perhaps שד, the poetic word for grape. cf μαστός.

Hosea 3:1 - love flagons of wine (אהבי אשישי ענבים)
אשישי = ἀσταφίς "dried raisins"
אשישי ענבים = ἀσταφίδος οἶνος "raisin-wine"

The parable and language of Mark 4:31 is based on Ezekiel 31:5.

Mark 4:32
But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

Ezekiel 31:5-6
Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth, All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.

לארז > ἀρκεύθω "Phoenician cedar, Juniperus phoenicea"
ברושים > κυπάρισσοι "cypress"
סרעפתי > πτόρθοι "young branch, shoot, sucker, sapling" (Ezekiel 31:5)
בסעפתי > πτόρθοισι "young branch, shoot, sucker, sapling" (Ezekiel 31:6)
פארתי > φᾶρος "a shroud"
ביפי > εὐφυΐαι "well grown, natural goodness of shape"

[Isaac Fried]

Lee Mcgee says

ענבים > σίναπι

ענבים = ענפים
ברושים = פרושים

Isaac Fried, Boston University

[Saboi]

They are two spelling for the tree, ברושים (I Kings 5:8) and ברותים (Songs 1:17).
- κυπάρισσος (Homeric) = ברוש
- κυπάριττος (Attic) = ברות

The guttural and ending drop out.

ענפים is κνέφας "darkness, cloud over, shadow, obscure, canopy"
- Isaiah 30:20 יכנף = κνεφάσῃ "obscure from vision, cloud over, hidden from view"
- כנף "Wing" (perceived as a shadow from a large bird)

Semantics, I can define words with much more precision.

[Isaac Fried]

Lee Mcgee says

ענפים is κνέφας "darkness, cloud over, shadow, obscure, canopy"

I have never heard about ענפים being "darkness".

Isaac Fried, Boston University

[Saboi]

That is because you strafe too far from basic semantics, a large tree or branch casts a shadow on the ground.

Job 40:22 "shady trees cover him with their shadow"
Ezekiel 31:3 "fair branches with a shadowing shroud"

צל > ξυλών (צאלים) > ἰσόξυλον/עץ.
> צל > σκιά "Shadow, canopy" σκιάδειον "sun-shade, parasol"
> צל > σκιάς > סכת/σηκός "enclosure, pen, fold, esp. for rearing lambs"
*Genesis 33:17 - booths for his cattle למקנהו עשה סכת/κτήμασι αὐτοῦ ἔτευξε σάκους