Γεθσημανῆ
Gethsēmanē
G1068 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun denoting 'Gethsemane,' the name of a specific grove or garden on the Mount of Olives, located near Jerusalem; literally, 'oil press,' referring to a site associated with olive cultivation and oil extraction. In New Testament use, designates the place where Jesus is described as praying before his arrest.
Semantic Range
name of a garden or grove near Jerusalem, literally: oil press; specific site associated with olive oil production; proper noun referring to a significant event in New Testament narrative
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Aramaic גַּת שְׁמָנֵי (gaṯ šəmānē', 'oil-press'), itself derived from Hebrew גַּת (gat, 'press') and שֶׁמֶן (shemen, 'oil'). Entered Greek via transliteration from Semitic languages, reflecting the place’s function or characteristic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Γεθσημανῆ is found in the New Testament exclusively in reference to the location of Jesus' prayer and arrest (e.g., Mark 14:32, Matthew 26:36). No independent or broader usage in Koine or other Greek literature. The Semitic origin is transparent in the Greek form, and the association with olive presses highlights the agricultural landscape around the Mount of Olives. The term is consistently rendered as a proper noun without translation in most English versions ('Gethsemane'). Ancient sources agree on its location at the Mount of Olives, though the precise site is debated. Its name reflects the agricultural and economic life of Judean villages surrounding Jerusalem in the late Second Temple period. There is no evidence that the term held broader metaphorical or religious senses in Greek outside its function as a toponym.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin (compare גַּת and שֶׁמֶן); oil-press; Gethsemane, a garden near Jerusalem:--Gethsemane.
Root Family
Γεθσημαν- (Gethsēmanē) — oil press, olive press
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1068-01 |
Γεθσημανεὶ | gethsemanei | N ACC N SG |
Gethsemane | Oil-Press | Gethsemane | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G1068-01 |
Matthew 26:36 | Γεθσημανεὶ | gethsemanei | N ACC N SG |
Gethsemane | Oil-Press | Gethsemane |
G1068-01 |
Mark 14:32 | Γεθσημανεί | gethsemanei | N NOM N SG |
Gethsemane | Oil-Press | Gethsemane |