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ἁλίζω

halízō

G233 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To salt, to sprinkle or season with salt; primarily refers to the act of making something salty by adding or treating with salt. In various contexts, may also denote preservation, purifying or metaphorically to make fit or appropriate (as with speech or character) by metaphorical 'salting'.

Semantic Range

to sprinkle with salt, to season with salt, to treat with salt, to preserve by salting; metaphorically: to make fit, to purify

Root / Etymology

From ἅλς (hals, 'salt'), with the causative verbal ending -ίζω, indicating the action of making or causing to be salt. The verb directly expresses the act of salting or treating something with salt.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἁλίζω is a rare verb, occurring mainly in late or technical prose to denote the literal act of salting meat, fish, or other foods for preservation or flavoring. In the Hellenistic period, including the Septuagint and New Testament, its use is limited and primarily literal; for example, it refers to the ritual or practical application of salt (see Mark 9:49). In literary and rhetorical contexts of later Greek, related forms may appear metaphorically, e.g., applied to speech or wisdom ('seasoned with salt' as in Colossians 4:6, which uses the cognate ἅλατι). English translations typically restrict the verb to 'salt,' but in Greek, especially by analogy to related terms, the semantic field can include purifying, preserving, or rendering effective. Distinct from ἁλιστεύω, which is used in classical Greek for 'to catch fish with a net' (literally, 'to fish'), and not directly related despite surface similarity.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἅλς; to salt:--salt.

Root Family

ἁλίζω (halizō) — to salt, to season, to preserve

Root ἁλ- to salt, to season, to preserve

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G233-01 ἁλισθήσεται alisthesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will be salted will be salted will be salted 2

Occurrences in Scripture

2 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G233-01 Matthew 5:13 ἁλισθήσεται alisthesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will_it_be_salted will be salted will it be salted
G233-01 Mark 9:49 ἁλισθήσεται alisthesetai V FUT PASS IND 3P SG will be salted will be salted will be salted
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