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Σαμάρεια

Samáreia

G4540 noun

SILEX Entry

Root Σαμ- city name, region name, (by extension) Samaritan territory

Definition

Samaria; the name of both a major city and a region in central ancient Israel, typically denoting the capital city of the northern kingdom (built by Omri in the 9th century BCE), and by extension the surrounding territory, especially in later historical contexts. In the New Testament and other Koine Greek sources, it generally refers to the central region between Judea and Galilee, sometimes with special emphasis on its distinct ethnic and religious population.

Semantic Range

the city of Samaria, the region surrounding Samaria, territory inhabited by Samaritans, central region of ancient Israel between Judea and Galilee, by metonymy—the people or ethnos associated with the region

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from Hebrew שֹׁמְרוֹן (Shomĕrōn), likely derived from the root שמר (shamar, 'to watch, to guard'), originally the name of a hill purchased by Omri, king of Israel, who established his capital there (see 1 Kings 16:24).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical and Hellenistic Greek, Σαμάρεια primarily designates the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel. After the fall of the northern kingdom in 722 BCE and especially in later Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, Σαμάρεια came to designate a broader region as well as its population, the Samaritans, who developed distinct traditions. In the New Testament, the term usually refers geographically to the area between Judea and Galilee (e.g., Luke 17:11; Acts 1:8), and contextually may carry social and ethnic connotations due to longstanding tensions between Samaritans and other Israelites/Judeans. English translations often use 'Samaria,' but this can obscure the distinction between city and region, and may fail to convey nuances of ethnic and religious identity attached to the term in Second Temple and Roman era Judea.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Hebrew origin (שֹׁמְרוֹן); Samaria (i.e. Shomeron), a city and region of Palestine:--Samaria.

Root Family

Σαμάρεια (Samareia) — city name, region name, Samaritan territory

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G4540-03 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia 8
G4540-01 Σαμαρείᾳ samareia N DAT F SG Samaria to Samaria Samareia 2
G4540-02 Σαμάρειαν samareian N ACC F SG Samaria Samaria Samareia 1

Occurrences in Scripture

11 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G4540-03 Luke 17:11 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 John 4:4 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 John 4:5 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 John 4:7 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-01 Acts 1:8 Σαμαρείᾳ samareia N DAT F SG Samaria to Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 Acts 8:1 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 Acts 8:5 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 Acts 8:9 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
G4540-01 Acts 8:14 Σαμάρεια samareia N NOM F SG Samaria to Samaria Samareia
G4540-03 Acts 9:31 Σαμαρείας samareias N GEN F SG Samaria of Samaria Samareia
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