Aramaic Word Study: Little (Ones)

ARAMAIC WORD STUDY – LITTLE (ONES) ZEORA – צערא
Matthew 10:42: “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”
We hear little ones and we automatically think of a child. The Greek or Aramaic makes no mention of a child. The word used in the Greek is micron where we get our word for micro which means to be small or little. Translators make this word an adjective and insert the word little ones, they paraphrase. A few translations say a humble person. Either way it still makes little sense to offer a cup of water to a child or a humble person and you will not lose your reward. What is this reward? In Aramaic it is the word agra which means a payment or returned favor. The word little ones in Aramaic is zeora where we get our word for zero. In the Talmud and Targum zeora is often used to suggest a person who has suffered some sort of set back in health or finances. It is sometimes used for an elderly person whose strength has diminished and can no longer perform the way he used to. A zeora is someone who has no influence or means of returning a favor.
The word for cold water is qar which means cold not water. Water in the Middle East is scarce, especially cold water. For most of the population cold water can only be had the moment it is lifted from a well. It only takes a couple minutes for the crisp chill of that water to disappear. If someone asks for a drink after you pulled water from a well, you usually drink first so you get the chilled refreshing water. But if someone of importance or is rich ask for a drink you will give them the first drink hoping he will reward you in some way. Jesus is saying that if you share His message even to he zeora who cannot pay you, you will still get a reward.