527. hapalos
Lexical Summary
hapalos: Soft, tender

Original Word: ἁπαλός
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: hapalos
Pronunciation: hah-pah-LOS
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-al-os')
KJV: tender
NASB: tender
Word Origin: [of uncertain derivation]

1. soft

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
tender.

Of uncertain derivation; soft -- tender.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of uncertain origin
Definition
tender
NASB Translation
tender (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 527: ἁπαλός

ἁπαλός, ἁπαλή, ἁπαλόν, tender: of the branch of a tree, when full of sap, Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28. (From Homer down.)

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Strong’s Greek 527 appears twice in the New Testament and describes the fresh, soft condition of young plant growth. Both occurrences occur in the Parable of the Fig Tree, where Jesus uses seasonal change to illustrate the certainty and nearness of foretold events.

Occurrences in Scripture

Matthew 24:32 – “Learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.”
Mark 13:28 – “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.”

Agricultural and Cultural Background

In the Mediterranean climate of ancient Israel, the fig tree is among the first to send out pliant, sap-filled shoots once the winter rains subside. Farmers recognized these supple shoots as an infallible signal that the dry, harvest-friendly season was imminent. Jesus draws upon a familiar, everyday observation: the softening of a branch that had been stiff and seemingly lifeless through winter now becomes a living indicator that a new period has arrived. Listeners would have grasped the lesson instantly; nothing mystical, merely the plain, observable faithfulness of God’s natural order.

Theological Significance in Prophecy

1. Reliability of Christ’s Words

Just as the soft branch reliably heralds summer, the appearance of the prophetic signs Christ lists in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 guarantees the approach of His climactic intervention in history. The point is not date-setting but trust. The budding fig tree stands as a divine pledge that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35).

2. Nearness and Imminence

The softened branch signals that change is not distant; summer is “near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). Likewise, the generation witnessing the foretold signs can be certain that fulfillment follows swiftly. The tenderness motif communicates imminence without specifying the hour, preserving both watchfulness and humility.

3. Continuity of Revelation

Israel is often pictured as a fig tree (Jeremiah 24:1–10; Hosea 9:10). While Jesus does not explicitly invoke national symbolism here, the image naturally evokes the prophetic landscape of the Old Testament. The soft branch bridges earlier revelation with Christ’s eschatological discourse, underscoring the unity of Scripture.

Spiritual Applications for the Believer

• Discernment: Believers are called to read the “signs of the times” with the same clarity that farmers read the tender fig shoot. An informed, Scripture-shaped worldview recognizes God’s hand in unfolding events.
• Readiness: The softened branch does more than announce summer; it compels farmers to finish spring tasks before harvest heat arrives. Likewise, prophetic signs summon the church to holiness, evangelism, and perseverance.
• Hope: The soft branch is a gentle sign, not a fearful omen. It promises warmth, fruit, and celebration. For Christians, the signs of Christ’s return awaken joyful expectation, not dread.

Ministry and Pastoral Implications

1. Preaching: The fig tree’s tender branch offers a vivid sermon illustration—simple, memorable, rooted in daily life, and laden with meaning.
2. Teaching Prophecy: When addressing eschatology, pastors can anchor complex timelines to this uncomplicated agrarian picture, showing that the focus is faithful vigilance rather than speculative calculation.
3. Counseling: In seasons when believers feel the “winter” of trial, the tenderness of the fig branch reminds them that apparent dormancy often precedes God’s new work.

Conclusion

Strong’s Greek 527 captures the delicate softness of new growth—a small but powerful emblem of God’s appointed times. Through the tender fig branch, Jesus assures His followers that the unfolding of redemption is as certain as the change of seasons, inviting every generation to steadfast trust, active readiness, and unwavering hope.

Forms and Transliterations
απαλή απαλόν απαλος απαλός ἁπαλὸς απαλότητα απαλότητος απαλούς απαλυνεί απαλωθή απαλώτερα απαναίνου απημαυρώθησαν απηναισχύντησας απηνήνατο ηπαλύνθη ηπαλύνθησαν apalos hapalos hapalòs
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Englishman's Concordance
Matthew 24:32 Adj-NMS
GRK: αὐτῆς γένηται ἁπαλὸς καὶ τὰ
NAS: become tender and puts forth
KJV: is yet tender, and putteth forth
INT: of it is become tender and the

Mark 13:28 Adj-NMS
GRK: κλάδος αὐτῆς ἁπαλὸς γένηται καὶ
NAS: become tender and puts forth
KJV: is yet tender, and putteth forth
INT: branch of it tender is become and

Strong's Greek 527
2 Occurrences


ἁπαλὸς — 2 Occ.

526
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