οὐρανός, οὐρανοῦ, ὁ (from a root meaning ’to cover,’ ’encompass’; cf. Vanicek, p. 895; Curtius, § 509), heaven; and, in imitation of the Hebrew ùÈÑîÇéÄí (i. e. properly, the heights above, the upper regions), οὐρανοί, οὐρανῶν, οἱ, the heavens (Winers Grammar, § 27, 3; Buttmann, 24 (21)) (on the use and the omission of the article cf. Winer’s Grammar, 121 (115)), i. e.:

1. the vaulted expanse of the Sky with all the things visible in it;

a. generally: as opposed to the earth, Heb 1:10; 2Pe 3:5; 2Pe 3:10; 2Pe 3:12; ὁ οὐρανός καί ἡ γῆ (heaven and earth) equivalent to the universe, the world (according to the primitive Hebrew manner of speaking, inasmuch as they had neither the conception nor the name of the universe, Gen 1:1; Gen 14:19; Tob 7:17 (18); 1Ma 2:37, etc.): Mat 5:18; Mat 11:25; Mat 24:35; Mar 13:31; Luk 10:21; Luk 16:17; Luk 21:33; Act 4:24; Act 14:15; Act 17:24; Rev 10:6; Rev 14:7; Rev 20:11. The ancients conceived of the expanded sky as an arch or vault the outmost edge of which touched the extreme limits of the earth (see B. D. under the word , cf. ); hence, such expressions as ἀπ’ ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὐτῶν, Mat 24:31; ἀπ’ ἄκρου γῆς ἕως ἄκρου οὐρανοῦ, Mar 13:27; ὑπό τόν οὐρανόν (äÇùÈÌÑîÇéÄí úÇÌçÇú, Ecc 1:13; Ecc 2:3, etc.), under heaven, i. e. on earth, Act 2:5; Act 4:12; Col 1:23; ἐκ τῆς (namely, χώρας, cf. Winers Grammar, 591 (550); (Buttmann, 82 (71f))) ὑπ’ (here L T Tr WH ὑπό τόν οὐρανόν) οὐρανόν εἰς τήν ὑπ’ οὐρανόν, out of lite one part under the heaven unto the other part under heaven i. e. from one quarter of the earth to the other, Luk 17:24; as by this form of expression the greatest longitudinal distance is described, so to one looking up from the earth heaven stands as the extreme measure of altitude hence, κολλᾶσθαι ἄχρι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Rev 18:5 (L T Tr WH) (on which see κολλάω); ὑψωθῆναι ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, metaphorically, of a city that has reached the acme, zenith, of glory and prosperity, Mat 11:23; Luk 10:15 (κλέος οὐρανόν ἱκει, Homer, Iliad 8, 192; Odyssey 19, 108; πρός οὐρανόν βιβάζειν τινα, Sophocles O. C. 382 (381); examples of similar expressions from other writings are given in Kypke, Observations, i., p. 62); καινοί οὐρανοί (καί γῆ καινή), better heavens which will take the place of the present after the renovation of all things, 2Pe 3:13; Rev 21:1; οἱ νῦν οὐρανοί, the heavens which now are, and which will one day be burnt up, 2Pe 3:7; also ὁ πρῶτος οὐρανός, Rev 21:1, cf. Heb 12:26. But the heavens are also likened in poetic speech to an expanded curtain or canopy (Psa 103:2 (); Isa 40:22), and to an unrolled scroll; hence, ἑλίσσειν (T Tr marginal reading ἀλλάσσειν) τούς οὐρανούς ὡς περιβόλαιον, Heb 1:12 (from the Sept. of Psalm 101:26 () manuscript Alex.); καί ὁ οὐρανός ἀπεχωρίσθη ὡς βιβλίον ἑλισσόμενον (or εἱλισσόμενον), Rev 6:14.

b. the aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds and tempests gather, and where thunder and lightning are produced: ὁ οὐρανός πυρράζει, Mat 16:2 (T brackets WH reject the passage); στυγνάζων, Mat 16:3 (see last reference); ὑετόν ἔδωκε, Jas 5:18; add Luk 9:54; Luk 17:29; Act 9:3; Act 22:6; Rev 13:13; Rev 16:21; Rev 20:9; σημεῖον or ἀπό τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Mat 16:1; Mar 8:11; Luk 11:16; Luk 21:11; τέρατα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ Act 2:19; κλείειν τόν οὐρανόν, to keep the rain in the sky, hinder it from falling on the earth, Luk 4:25; Rev 11:6, (συνέχειν τόν οὐρανοῦ for äÇùÈÌÑîÇéÄí òÈöÇø, Deu 11:17; 2Ch 6:26; 2Ch 7:13; ἀνέχειν τόν οὐρανόν, Sir 48:3); αἱ νεφέλαι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Mat 24:30; Mat 26:64; Mar 14:62; τό πρόσωπον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Mat 16:3 (T brackets WH reject the passage); Luk 12:56; τά πετεινά τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (genitive of place), that fly in the air (Gen 1:26; Psa 8:9; Bar 3:17; Jdt 11:7), Mat 6:26; Mat 8:20; Mat 13:32; Mar 4:32; Luk 8:5; Luk 9:58; Luk 13:19; Act 10:12. These heavens are opened by being cleft asunder, and from the upper heavens, or abode of heavenly beings, come down upon earth — now the Holy Spirit, Mat 3:16; Mar 1:10; Luk 3:21; Joh 1:32; now angels, Joh 1:51 (52); and now in vision appear to human sight some of the things within the highest heaven, Act 7:55; Act 10:11; Act 10:16; through the aerial heavens sound voices, which are uttered in the heavenly abode: Mat 3:17; Mar 1:11; Luk 3:22; Joh 12:28; 2Pe 1:18.

e. the sidereal or starry heavens: τά ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ Heb 11:12 (Deu 1:10; Deu 10:22; Euripides, Phoen. 1); οἱ ἀστέρες ... τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Mar 13:25; Rev 6:13; Rev 12:4 (Isa 13:10; Isa 14:13); αἱ δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν, the heavenly forces (hosts), i. e. the stars (others take δυνάμεις in this phrase in a general sense (see δύναμις, f.) of the powers which uphold and regulate the heavens): Mat 24:29; Luk 21:26; αἱ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, Mar 13:25 (Hebrew äÇùÈÌÑîÇéÄí öÀáÈà, Deu 17:3; Jer 33:22; Zep 1:5); so ἡ στρατιά τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Act 7:42.

2. "the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of an order of things eternal and consummately perfect, where God dwells and the other heavenly beings": this heaven Paul, in 2Co 12:2, seems to designate by the name of ὁ τρίτος οὐρανός, but certainly not the third of the seven distinct heavens described by the author of the Test xii. Patr., Levi § 3, and by the rabbis ((cf. Wetstein at the passage; Hahn, Theol. d. N. T. 1:247f; Drummond, Jewish Messiah, chapter xv.)); cf. DeWette at the passage Several distinct heavens are spoken of also in Eph 4:10 (ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶν); cf. Heb 7:26, if it be not preferable here to understand the numerous regions or parts of the one and the same heaven where God dwells as referred to. The highest heaven is the dwelling-place of God: Mat 5:34; Mat 23:22; Act 7:49; Rev 4:1 ff (Psa 10:4 (); (f)); hence, Θεός τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, Rev 11:13; Rev 16:11 (Gen 24:3); ὁ ἐν (τοῖς) οὐρανός, Mat 5:16; Mat 5:45; Mat 6:1; Mat 6:9; Mat 7:21; Mat 10:33; Matthew 7:50; Mat 16:17; Mat 18:10 (here L WH marginal reading ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ in brackets), ; Mar 11:25 f, etc. From this heaven the πνεῦμα ἅγιον is sent down, 1Pe 1:12 and the passages already cited (cf. 1 b. under the end); and Christ is said to have come, Joh 3:18; Joh 3:31; Joh 6:38; Joh 6:41; 1Co 15:47; it is the abode of the angels, Mat 24:36; Mat 22:30; Mat 18:10; Mat 28:2; Mar 12:25; Mar 13:32; Luk 2:15; Luk 22:43 (L brackets WH reject the passage); Gal 1:8; 1Co 8:5; Eph 3:15; Heb 12:22; Rev 10:1; Rev 12:7; Rev 18:1; Rev 19:14 (Gen 21:17; Gen 22:11); τά ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καί τά ἐπί τῆς γῆς, the things and beings in the heavens (i. e. angels) and on the earth, Eph 1:10; Col 1:16; Col 1:20; γίνεται τό θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν οὐρανῷ, i. e. by the inhabitants of heaven, Mat 6:10; χαρά ἔσται ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, God and the angels will rejoice, Luk 15:7. this heaven is the abode to which Christ ascended after his resurrection, Mar 16:19; Luk 24:51 (T omits; WH reject the clause); Act 1:10; Act 2:34; Act 3:21; Rom 10:6; (Eph 1:20 Lachmann text); 1Pe 3:22; Heb 1:4 (ἐν ὑψηλοῖς); ; Rev 4:2, and from which he will hereafter return, 1Th 1:10; 1Th 4:16; 2Th 1:7; into heaven have already been received the souls (πνεύματα) both of the O. T. saints and of departed Christians, Heb 12:23 (see ἀπογράφω, b. at the end), and heaven is appointed as the future abode of those who, raised from the dead and clothed with superior bodies, shall become partakers of the heavenly kingdom, 2Co 5:1, and enjoy the reward of proved virtue, Mat 5:12; Luk 6:23; hence, eternal blessings are called θησαυρός ἐν οὐρανῷ, Mat 6:20; Luk 12:33, and those on whom God has conferred eternal salvation are said ἔχειν θησαυρόν ἐν οὐρανῷ (οὐρανοῖς), Mat 19:21; Mar 10:21; Luk 18:22, cf. Heb 10:34 (R G); or the salvation awaiting them is said to be laid up for them in heaven, Col 1:5; 1Pe 1:4; or their names are said to have been written in heaven, Luk 10:20; moreover, Christ, appointed by God the leader and lord of the citizens of the divine kingdom, is said to have all power in heaven and on earth, Mat 28:18; finally, the seer of the Apocalypse expects a new Jerusalem to come down out of heaven as the metropolis of the perfectly established Messianic kingdom, Rev 3:12; Rev 21:2; Rev 21:10. By metonymy, ὁ οὐρανός is put for the inhabitants of heaven: εὐφραίνου οὐρανέ, Rev 18:20, cf. Rev 12:12 (Psa 95:11 (); Isa 44:23; Job 15:15); in particular for God (Dan 4:23, and often by the rabbis, influenced by an over-scrupulous reverence for the names of God himself; cf. Schürer in the Jahrbb. f. protest. Theol., 1876, p. 178f; (Keil, as below)): ἁμαρτάνειν εἰς τόν οὐρανόν, Luk 15:18; Luk 15:21; ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, equivalent to by God, Joh 3:27; ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, of divine authority, Mat 21:25; Mar 11:30; Luk 20:4; ἐναντίον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, 1Ma 3:18 (where the τοῦ Θεοῦ before τοῦ οὐρανοῦ seems questionable); ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἡ ἰσχύς, 1Ma 3:19; ἡ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ βοήθεια, , cf. ; cf. Keil, Comm. üb.

d. Büch. d. Macc., p. 20. On the phrase ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν and its meaning, see βασιλεία, 3; (Cremer, under the word βασιλεία; Edersheim 1:265).