ἠλί
ēlí
G2241
SILEX Entry
Definition
Vocative or interjected form meaning 'my God,' used as a direct address to God. Most commonly attested as an emphatic invocation, expressing intense emotion or appeal to the deity. In Greek texts, specifically represents the transliterated form of the Aramaic or Hebrew phrase אֵלִי (ēlī).
Semantic Range
my God (as a direct address); vocative invocation of God; transliterated Semitic exclamation
Root / Etymology
From Hebrew/Aramaic אֵל (ʾēl, 'God') plus first-person singular pronominal suffix -ִי ('my'), giving 'my God.' The Greek form ἠλί (ēlí) is a transliteration of this phrase, not a native Greek word.
Historical & Contextual Notes
ἠλί appears in the Greek New Testament as a transliteration of the opening of Psalm 22:2 (LXX 21:2; Hebrew v.1), cited by Jesus in Matthew 27:46. In this context, ἠλί directly renders a Semitic phrase into Greek script. In the Septuagint, the equivalent phrase is usually translated θεέ μου ('my God'), but the Gospel preserves the Semitic cry for dramatic effect. This form is not standard Greek vocabulary; it is a loan from Semitic languages, used for its directness and emotional resonance. English translations commonly render the phrase as 'My God,' though 'Eli' is sometimes retained to reflect the underlying Aramaic/Hebrew utterance. The word does not function as a proper name here but as a direct address to God. Distinct from similar Greek terms like θεός, which is the regular word for 'god' or 'God' in Greek literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (אֵל with pronominal suffix); my God:-- Eli.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.