κατακληροδοτέω
kataklērodotéō
G2624 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To distribute or assign by lot, especially to apportion inheritance or property to individuals; to allot possession, typically by means of casting lots or other method of division perceived as impartial or divinely sanctioned. Contextually, the term refers to the formal allocation of inheritance, land, or office.
Semantic Range
to assign by lot, to apportion land or inheritance, to distribute by casting lots, to grant a share or portion, to distribute possession according to fixed rules
Root / Etymology
From the prepositional prefix κατά (kata, 'down, according to, in turn') and the verb κληροδοτέω (klērodoteō, 'to give a lot/inheritance'), itself from κλῆρος ('lot, inheritance') and δίδωμι ('to give'). The compounded form stresses the distribution of inheritance or allotment according to established rules or divisions.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb κατακληροδοτέω is rare and primarily found in later Koine and ecclesiastical Greek, including some textual instances in the Septuagint and early Christian writings—in particular, in Acts 13:19, where it depicts the divine act of allotting the land of Canaan to Israelite tribes. The emphasis is on the formal, often divinely authorized, division of territory or inheritance, generally by lot—a method seen as ensuring fairness or expressing divine will (contrasting with allocation by prestige, power, or arbitrary choice). English translations often render it as 'to divide by lot' or 'to apportion an inheritance,' but the underlying sense of distribution by casting lots or established legal tradition is not always explicit in translation. In classical Greek, related roots (κληροδοτέω, κλῆρος) already carried the sense of 'lot' as both an object and a portion of land. In the Hellenistic period, allotment by lot was a well-known procedure for dividing conquered territory, priestly roles, or civic offices, and was considered more than mere chance, often invoking divine sanction. This background informs usage in the LXX and NT, where such acts are conceived as a fulfillment of promise or legal right.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from κατά and a derivative of a compound of κλῆρος and δίδωμι; to be a giver of lots to each, i.e. (by implication) to apportion an estate:--divide by lot.
Root Family
κατακληροδοτέω (kataklērodoteō) — to allot, to apportion, to give as inheritance
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2624-01 |
κατεκληρονόμησεν | katekleronomesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
He divided by lot | he apportioned by lot | he apportioned by lot | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2624-01 |
Acts 13:19 | κατεκληρονόμησεν | katekleronomesen | V AOR ACT IND 3P SG |
He divided by lot | he apportioned by lot | he apportioned by lot |