Strong's Lexicon
G3162 — μάχαιρα
Greek entry for Bible study and original-language reference.
Definition / Gloss
| Strong's Number: | G3162 |
|---|---|
| Word: | μάχαιρα |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Etymology: | probably feminine of a presumed derivative of G3163 |
| Language: | Greek |
| Occurrences: | 29 |
| Transliteration: | machaira |
| Phonetic Spelling/Pronunciation: | makh'-ai-rah |
| Meaning: | 1. a knife, i.e. dirk 2. (figuratively) war, judicial punishment |
| KJV Renderings: | sword |
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Strong's is an index and starting point, not the final meaning of a word. Do not build doctrine from a gloss, root, or number. Test meaning by sentence, grammar, authorial usage, context, and the passage argument.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
μάχαιρα, genitive μαχαίρας (so (with R G) Lachmann in Luk 21:24) and μαχαίρης, dative μάχαιρα. (so (with R G) Lachmann in Luk 22:49; Act 12:2) and μαχαίρῃ (between which forms the manuscripts vary, cf. (Scrivener, Collation, etc., p. lvi.; Tdf. Proleg., p. 117; WHs Appendix, p. 156a); Winers Grammar, 62 (61); Buttmann, 11; Delitzsch on Heb 11:34, p. 584 note), ἡ, (akin to μάχη and Latinmactare);
1. a large knife, used for killing animals and cutting up flesh: Homer, Pindar, Herodotus, at.; hence, Gen 22:6; Gen 22:10; Jdg 19:29 Alex., for îÇàÂëÆìÆú.
2. a small sword, distinguished from the large sword, the ῤομφαία (Josephus, Antiquities 6, 9, 5 ἀποτεμνει τήν κεφαλήν τῇ ῤομφαία τῇ ἐκείνου (Goliath’s), μάχαιραν, οὐκ ἔχων αὐτός), and curred, for a cutting stroke; distinct also from ξίφος, a straight sword, for thrusting, Xenophon, r. eq. 12, 11, cf. Hell. 3, 3, 7; but the words are frequently used interchangeably. In the N. T. universally, a sword (the Sept. often for çÆøÆá): as a weapon for making or repelling an attack, Mat 26:47; Mat 26:51-52,(55); Mar 14:43; Mar 14:47; Luk 22:36; Luk 22:38; Luk 22:49; Luk 22:52; Joh 18:10; Act 16:27; Heb 11:37; Rev 6:4; Rev 13:10,(14); by a Hebraism, στόμα μαχαίρας, the edge of the sword (çÆøÆá ôÄÌé, Gen 34:26; Jos 8:24; 1Sa 13:22; Jdg 3:16, etc. (but in the Sept. the rendering στόμα ξίφους or στόμα ῤομφαίας is more common)): Luk 21:24; Heb 11:34; μάχαιρα δίστομος (see δίστομος), Heb 4:12. of the sword as the instrument of a magistrate or judge: death by the sword, Rom 8:35; ἀναιρεῖν τινα μάχαιρα, Act 12:2; τήν μαχαίρας φόρειν, to bear the sword, is used of him to whom the sword has been committed, viz. to use when a malefactor is to he punished; hence, equivalent to to have the power of life and death, Rom 13:4 (so ξίφος, ξιφη ἔχειν, Philostr. vit. Apoll. 7, 16; vit. sophist. 1, 25, 2 (3), cf. Dion Cass. 42, 27; and in the Talmud the king who bears the sword, of the Hebrew king). Metaphorically, μάχαιρα, a weapon of war, is used for war, or for quarrels and dissensions that destroy peace; so in the phrase βαλεῖν μάχαιραν ἐπί τήν τήν, to send war on earth, Mat 10:34 (for which Luk 12:51 says διαμερισμόν); ἡ μάχαιρα τοῦ πνεύματος, the sword with which the Spirit subdues the impulses to sin and proves its own power and efficacy (which sword is said to be ῤῆμα Θεοῦ (cf. Buttmann, 128 (112))), Eph 6:17 (on the genitive in this passage cf. Ellicott or Meyer).
Other Resources
Englishman's Greek Concordance
μάχαιρα (sword)
Matthew 10:34
- KJV: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword
- GK: μη νομίσητε ότι ήλθον βαλείν ειρήνην επί την γην ουκ ήλθον βαλείν ειρήνην αλλά μάχαιραν
Matthew 26:47
- KJV: And while he yet spake lo Judas one of the twelve came and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people
- GK: και έτι αυτού λαλούντος ιδού Ιούδας εις των δώδεκα ήλθε και μετ΄ αυτού όχλος πολύς μετά μαχαιρών και ξύλων από των αρχιερέων και πρεσβυτέρων του λαού
Matthew 26:51
- KJV: And behold one of them which were with Jesus stretched out hand and drew his sword and struck a servant of the high priest’s and smote off his ear
- GK: και ιδού εις των μετά Ιησού εκτείνας την χείρα απέσπασεν την μάχαιραν αυτού και πατάξας τον δούλον του αρχιερέως αφείλεν αυτού το ωτίον
Matthew 26:52
- KJV: Then said Jesus unto him Put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword
- GK: τότε λέγει αυτώ ο Ιησούς απόστρεψόν σου την μάχαιραν εις τον τόπον αυτής πάντες γαρ οι λαβόντες μάχαιραν εν μαχαίρα αποθανούνται
Matthew 26:55
- KJV: In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and ye laid no hold on me
- GK: εν εκείνη τη ώρα είπεν ο Ιησούς τοις όχλοις ως επί ληστήν εξήλθετε μετά μαχαιρών και ξύλων συλλαβείν με καθ΄ ημέραν προς υμάς εκαθέζομην διδάσκων εν τω ιερώ και ουκ εκρατήσατέ με
Mark 14:43
- KJV: And immediately while he yet spake cometh Judas one of the twelve and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders
- GK: και ευθέως έτι αυτού λαλούντος παραγίνεται Ιούδας εις ων των δώδεκα και μετ΄ αυτού όχλος πολύς μετά μαχαιρών και ξύλων παρά των αρχιερέων και των γραμματέων και των πρεσβυτέρων
Mark 14:47
- KJV: And one of them that stood by drew a sword and smote a servant of the high priest and cut off his ear
- GK: εις δε τις των παρεστηκότων σπασάμενος την μάχαιραν έπαισεν τον δούλον του αρχιερέως και αφείλεν αυτού το ωτίον
Mark 14:48
- KJV: And Jesus answered and said unto them Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves to take me
- GK: και αποκριθείς ο Ιησούς είπεν αυτοίς ως επί ληστήν εξήλθετε μετά μαχαιρών και ξύλων συλλαβείν με
Luke 21:24
- KJV: And they shall fall by the edge of the sword and shall be led away captive into all nations and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled
- GK: και πεσούνται στόματι μαχαίρας και αιχμαλωτισθήσονται εις πάντα τα έθνη και Ιερουσαλήμ έσται πατουμένη υπό εθνών άχρι πληρωθώσι καιροί εθνών