οἰκητήριον
oikētḗrion
G3613 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A habitation or dwelling place—primarily denotes a place where someone dwells, usually with the nuance of a personal or inhabited place of residence. Depending on context, it can refer to physical dwellings, but also metaphorically to the abode or habitation of spiritual beings or to a form of existence as a dwelling (bodily or otherwise).
Semantic Range
dwelling place, place of habitation, residence (physical or metaphorical), the abode of spiritual beings, the body as a habitation, proper dwelling, habitation
Root / Etymology
From οἰκέω ('to dwell, reside'); built on the stem οἰκητ- with the neuter suffix -ήριον indicating the place associated with an activity (dwelling). Related to οἴκημα ('dwelling-place, room'), but οἰκητήριον emphasizes the concept of 'residence' as a locus of inhabiting, more so than a physical structure. Ultimately from the root οἰκ- ('house, dwelling').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical and Hellenistic Greek, οἰκητήριον occurs rarely and usually signifies a dwelling, residence, abode, or habitation. In the Septuagint and non-biblical Greek its usage is infrequent. The term occurs twice in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 5:2; Jude 6), each with distinctive nuance: in 2 Corinthians 5:2, Paul employs it metaphorically for the future, immortal body as the desired 'dwelling'; in Jude 6, it refers to the 'proper dwelling' or spiritual abode of angels, thus extending the word's sense to supernatural contexts. English translations often use 'habitation' or 'dwelling,' but these may not fully convey the metaphorical or non-physical nuance found in the New Testament. οἰκητήριον does not carry architectural specificity and is not limited to human homes. Compared to related words: οἴκημα often denotes a physical room or structure, while οἶκος means 'household' or 'family' and οἰκία a house or dwelling in a broader sense. The term's relatively rare usage confines its scope mainly to contexts emphasizing the nature of 'inhabiting' or 'being at home,' whether literal or metaphorical.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
neuter of a presumed derivative of οἰκέω (equivalent to οἴκημα); a residence (literally or figuratively):--habitation, house.
Root Family
οἰκητ- (oikētḗrion) — to dwell, to inhabit, to reside
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3613-01 |
οἰκητήριον | oiketerion | N ACC N SG |
dwelling | a dwelling-place | dwelling-place | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3613-01 |
2 Corinthians 5:2 | οἰκητήριον | oiketerion | N ACC N SG |
house | a dwelling-place | dwelling-place |
G3613-01 |
Jude 1:6 | οἰκητήριον | oiketerion | N ACC N SG |
dwelling | a dwelling-place | dwelling-place |