νομοθετέω
nomothetéō
G3549 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To enact as law, to legislate; specifically, to give or establish legal statutes or ordinances. In passive usage, to be subject to or to receive laws, especially in the context of receiving legal commands or statutes (often referring to Mosaic or scriptural law in the Septuagint and New Testament). The word indicates either the act of setting forth laws or, passively, the act of being given laws to follow.
Semantic Range
to enact law, to institute statutes, to establish legal precepts, to give legal commands, to legislate; to receive or be given laws, to have laws imposed
Root / Etymology
Formed from the noun νομοθέτης ('lawgiver', from νόμος 'law' + τίθημι 'to place, set'), with the verb ending -έω indicating the action of making or enacting.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, νομοθετέω and its cognates are used to describe the act of legislating—that is, establishing law and order within a city or polis by enacting statutes. During the Hellenistic period and in the Septuagint, the verb is often applied to the giving or receiving of divine law, particularly in relation to Moses (as the one who enacted or conveyed the law to Israel). In the New Testament, the term occurs rarely, and typically refers to the reception or establishment of divine law, maintaining the strong association with Mosaic or scriptural law from the LXX context. English translations sometimes render the passive as "having received the law" or "were given law," but these options may not fully convey the active legislative sense of the verb or the legal status being imparted. Compared to related terms (e.g., νομοθεσία 'legislation', νομοθέτης 'lawgiver'), νομοθετέω emphasizes the process of instituting or being subject to enacted laws, not simply observing or interpreting law.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from νομοθέτης; to legislate, i.e. (passively) to have (the Mosaic) enactments injoined, be sanctioned (by them):--establish, receive the law.
Root Family
νομοθετέω (nomothetéō) — to enact law, to legislate, to be given law
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3549-01 |
νενομοθέτηται | nenomothetetai | V PRF PASS IND 3P SG |
had been given the law | has been given law | has been given law | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3549-01 |
Hebrews 7:11 | νενομοθέτηται | nenomothetetai | V PRF PASS IND 3P SG |
had been given the law | has been given law | has been given law |
G3549-01 |
Hebrews 8:6 | νενομοθέτηται | nenomothetetai | V PRF PASS IND 3P SG |
has been enacted | has been given law | has been legislated |