The noun φεγγος (peggos) means glow, light or shine and occurs in the New Testament in Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:24 and Luke 11:33 only. In the Greek classics our word is used to describe daylight, moonlight or torch light. Figuratively, it may refer to people's joy or glory. And when babies come into the world they see the "light". It's a relatively uncommon word for light (which suggests that "light" isn't a proper translation). Much more common words for light are φως (phos), and λαμπω (lampo).

It's entirely unclear where our word comes from, as it doesn't look like anything in Greek. The double "-gg-" (pronounced as "-ng") is not uncommon: see for instance the familiar word αγγελος (aggelos), meaning angel or mailman. And if it weren't for our word's initial "ph-", our word could have come from εν (en), in, plus any second element that starts with a "g"; for instance, εγγαιος (engaios) means "in the land" or "in the earth".

Here at Abarim Publications we don't know either, of course, but would like to point out the Hebrew verb פגג (pagag), which is of unclear meaning but has to do with being unripe fruit: the noun פגה (pagga) means not-yet-ripe fig (Song of Solomon 2:13 only). The word for ripe fig is תאנה (ta'ana), which is identical to a noun meaning occasion or opportune moment, from verb אנה ('ana) to be opportune. The Greek word for fig is συκον (sukon), whereas the verb συκοφαντεω (sukophanteo) means to fig-shine or to let slip bits of sensitive information (Luke 3:14 and 19:8 only).

The point we're making is that these deep-red fruits symbolized the first faint glow of intellectual ripeness, or rather the decisive absence of any bright beams of enlightenment. These images are part of the red-is-primitive theme of the Bible, which runs from Adam to the Red Sea and the many roses of Rhodes. The familiar word μορον (moron), means mulberry, the proverbially dim glowing fruit beneath which Pyramus and Thisbe died (according to a story by Ovid that appears to be a play on the name Elijah the Tishbite).

See for more Greek words of possible Semitic origin our article on the many Hebrew roots of Greek.