μεσότοιχον
mesótoichon
G3320 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A dividing wall, a physical or metaphorical barrier dividing two spaces. In the primary sense, refers specifically to a wall set in the middle of a structure to separate areas. In figurative usage, denotes any separation or partition between groups or peoples, especially in the context of social, religious, or legal divisions.
Semantic Range
middle wall, dividing wall, interior partition, barrier (literal or metaphorical), separation, division
Root / Etymology
Compound of μέσος ('middle') and τοῖχος ('wall'), meaning 'middle wall' or 'partition wall.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
μεσότοιχον occurs rarely in extant Greek literature. In Ephesians 2:14, it is used to describe the dividing wall that separated Gentiles from Judeans in the Temple precincts, known as the 'soreg,' but the term is used metaphorically by the author to refer to the separation or enmity between groups. Elsewhere in Greek, similar compounds denote literal interior walls (e.g.,, within houses or city structures). The term does not occur in the Septuagint. Later Christian interpretive tradition often renders μεσότοιχον as 'middle wall of partition,' emphasizing the sense of separation, but historical usage in the New Testament context focuses more on the metaphorical barrier than on a physical structure. The term combines the general idea of a physical division with broader social or religious implications in its New Testament setting.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from μέσος and τοῖχος; a partition (figuratively):--middle wall.
Root Family
μεσ-, τοιχ- (mesótoichon) — middle, wall, to divide, to partition
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3320-01 |
μεσότοιχον | mesotoichon | N ACC N SG |
dividing wall | a dividing middle wall | dividing wall | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3320-01 |
Ephesians 2:14 | μεσότοιχον | mesotoichon | N ACC N SG |
dividing wall | a dividing middle wall | dividing wall |