οἶκος
oîkos
G3624 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A physical structure used as a dwelling (house, residence); by extension, the people belonging to or associated with a household (family, lineage, household group); more broadly, a community defined by shared space or heritage (such as a royal house or clan). In certain contexts, the term also describes an entire nation, a religious sanctuary or temple as the dwelling of the divine, or a figurative community (household of faith).
Semantic Range
dwelling, house, residence, household, family, lineage, dynasty, temple (as divine dwelling), community, nation
Root / Etymology
From the root οἰκ-, related to the verb οἰκέω ('to inhabit, dwell') and noun οἰκέτης ('household member, servant'). Cognate with Latin 'vicus'. The precise Indo-European root is *weik-, 'clan, settlement'. Not etymologically related to the Hebrew בַּיִת (bayit), though there may be overlap in semantic development in translation contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, οἶκος most commonly denotes a physical house and its residents—ranging from an individual's home to an entire household or family line, sometimes including servants and dependents. It also referred to dynastic or ruling families (e.g., the 'house of Atreus'). In Hellenistic and Roman periods, its scope expanded to collective bodies, such as the 'household of Caesar,' and in the Septuagint, frequently renders Hebrew בַּיִת (bayit), signifying house, temple, or dynasty. In the New Testament, οἶκος retains these senses, designating private dwellings, family units, extended households (including slaves and dependents), houses of worship (notably the Jerusalem temple as 'the house of God'), and metaphorically the collective group of believers. Standard English translations as 'house,' 'home,' or 'household' often conceal this spectrum of meaning, especially where οἶκος refers to lineage/dynasty or the temple. The term is distinct from δομός (domos, poetical/literary for house) and less specialized than ναός (naos), which designates the inner sanctuary of a temple.
Translation Consistency
'House' is the most natural and common English equivalent for οἶκος, covering both the physical dwelling and the extended senses (household, family, dynasty, temple as a house). It is the dominant rendering in the data and easily supports the figurative uses (e.g. House of Israel, household of faith) while remaining simple and natural.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of uncertain affinity; a dwelling (more or less extensive, literal or figurative); by implication, a family (more or less related, literally or figuratively):--home, house(-hold), temple.
Root Family
οἰκ- (enkatoikéō) — to dwell, to inhabit, to reside
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G1460 | ἐγκατοικέω | one dwelling within |
| G1774 | ἐνοικέω | let it dwell within |
| G2733 | κατοικία | of a dwelling |
| G3351 | μετοικίζω | I will resettle |
| G3609 | οἰκεῖος | household members |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3624-03 |
οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house | 59 |
G3624-01 |
οἴκῳ | oiko | N DAT M SG |
house | to the dwelling | house | 20 |
G3624-04 |
οἶκός | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house | 18 |
G3624-05 |
οἴκου | oikou | N GEN M SG |
house | of a dwelling | of a house | 12 |
G3624-06 |
οἴκους | oikous | N ACC M PL |
houses | households | households | 4 |
G3624-02 |
οἴκοις | oikois | N DAT M PL |
houses | to dwelling houses | houses | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
114 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3624-03 |
Matthew 9:6 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Matthew 9:7 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-05 |
Matthew 10:6 | οἴκου | oikou | N GEN M SG |
house | of a dwelling | of the household |
G3624-02 |
Matthew 11:8 | οἴκοις | oikois | N DAT M PL |
houses | to dwelling houses | houses |
G3624-03 |
Matthew 12:4 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Matthew 12:44 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-05 |
Matthew 15:24 | οἴκου | oikou | N GEN M SG |
of house | of a dwelling | of a house |
G3624-04 |
Matthew 21:13 | οἶκός | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-04 |
Matthew 21:13 | οἶκος | oikos-2 | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-04 |
Matthew 23:38 | οἶκος | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-01 |
Mark 2:1 | οἴκῳ | oiko | N DAT M SG |
house | to the dwelling | the house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 2:11 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 2:26 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 3:20 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
a house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 5:19 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
home | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 5:38 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 7:17 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
the house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 7:30 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
home | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 8:3 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
home/house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 8:26 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
home | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Mark 9:28 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
the house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-04 |
Mark 11:17 | οἶκός | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-04 |
Mark 11:17 | οἶκος | oikos-2 | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 1:23 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-05 |
Luke 1:27 | οἴκου | oikou | N GEN M SG |
house | of a dwelling | of a house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 1:33 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 1:40 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 1:56 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
home | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-01 |
Luke 1:69 | οἴκῳ | oiko | N DAT M SG |
the house | to the dwelling | to the house |
G3624-05 |
Luke 2:4 | οἴκου | oikou | N GEN M SG |
house | of a dwelling | of a house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 5:24 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 5:25 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 6:4 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 7:10 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 7:36 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 8:39 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 8:41 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 9:61 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-01 |
Luke 10:5 | οἴκῳ | oiko | N DAT M SG |
house | to the dwelling | to the house |
G3624-04 |
Luke 11:17 | οἶκος | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 11:17 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
a house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 11:24 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-05 |
Luke 11:51 | οἴκου | oikou | N GEN M SG |
house | of a dwelling | of a house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 12:39 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-01 |
Luke 12:52 | οἴκῳ | oiko | N DAT M SG |
house | to the dwelling | house |
G3624-04 |
Luke 13:35 | οἶκος | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 14:1 | οἶκόν | oikon | N ACC M SG |
the house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-04 |
Luke 14:23 | οἶκος | oikos | N NOM M SG |
house | dwelling house | house |
G3624-03 |
Luke 15:6 | οἶκον | oikon | N ACC M SG |
house | dwelling-place | house |
G3624-06 |
Luke 16:4 | οἴκους | oikous | N ACC M PL |
houses | households | households |