εὐχή
euchḗ
G2171 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An expressed wish or desire, often directed as a formal petition to a deity; in religious contexts, a prayer, request, or vow made to a divine figure, frequently with the implication of a promise or obligation to perform some act if the request is granted. While the primary meaning pertains to the articulation of a wish or desire, the term can also encompass a formal promise (vow) or an act of supplication, especially in ritual settings.
Semantic Range
wish, vow (especially made to a deity), prayer, petition (to a divine being), formal plea, votive obligation
Root / Etymology
From the verb εὔχομαι (eúchomai, 'to wish, pray, vow'); directly formed from the root εὐχ-. The noun εὐχή originally denotes a wish or spoken desire and later specializes to vows and prayers. Cognate with Latin vōtum ('vow').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In early (Homeric and classical) Greek, εὐχή denoted both a wish and a formal prayer or vow, often addressed to the gods, sometimes as a boast or self-exaltation. In Hellenistic and Koine contexts (including the Septuagint and New Testament), the term primarily means a vow or a petitionary prayer, often carrying the nuance of binding oneself to an action should the request be fulfilled (i.e., a votive offering). In the Septuagint, εὐχή translates several Hebrew terms for vow or prayer (notably נֶדֶר and תְּפִלָּה). In the New Testament, it appears in the sense of both 'prayer' and 'vow,' though typically with a focus on the idea of solemn petition and obligation. English translations often render εὐχή simply as 'prayer,' but this underrepresents the concept's link to vows and ritual obligation. Contrast with προσευχή (G4335), which specializes in petitionary prayer without the overt sense of vow or obligation. The wider semantic range of εὐχή is generally lost in most modern translations.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from εὔχομαι; properly, a wish, expressed as a petition to God, or in votive obligation:--prayer, vow.
Root Family
εὐχ- (euchḗ) — to wish, to pray, to vow
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2171-02 |
εὐχήν | euchen | N ACC F SG |
vow | a votive prayer | a vow | 2 |
G2171-01 |
εὐχὴ | euche | N NOM F SG |
prayer | votive petition | prayer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2171-02 |
Acts 18:18 | εὐχήν | euchen | N ACC F SG |
vow | a votive prayer | a vow |
G2171-02 |
Acts 21:23 | εὐχὴν | euchen | N ACC F SG |
vow | a votive prayer | a vow |
G2171-01 |
James 5:15 | εὐχὴ | euche | N NOM F SG |
prayer | votive petition | prayer |