χαλκίον
chalkíon
G5473 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A small vessel or container made of bronze or copper; in context, typically refers to a basin, bowl, or dish, often used for utilitarian or ritual purposes. Depending on context, may also denote a small pot, jar, or cooking implement made of copper or bronze.
Semantic Range
small basin, bowl, pot, dish, jar, copper vessel, bronze container, ritual basin
Root / Etymology
From χαλκός ('copper, bronze') with the diminutive suffix -ιον, indicating a smaller form or a vessel made of copper/bronze.
Historical & Contextual Notes
χαλκίον emerges in Hellenistic and Koine Greek to designate small vessels made of copper or bronze, often for household or cultic use. In the Septuagint (LXX), it frequently translates Hebrew terms for basins or vessels used in ritual contexts (e.g., in the tabernacle or temple). In the New Testament, it appears in Mark 7:4, referring to vessels involved in washing or ritual purification, indicating items used in everyday life or ritual observance among Judeans. The English translation 'brazen vessel' is literal but may not convey the variety of forms or sizes; the term includes 'bowl,' 'basin,' or 'pot.' The diminutive does not always mean 'small,' but can indicate a particular type of vessel distinguished by shape or function rather than size. Standard English translations often use 'copper vessel,' 'bronze dish,' or similar, but none captures the full range of possible referents in ancient usage.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
diminutive from χαλκός; a copper dish:--brazen vessel.
Root Family
χαλκ- (chálkeos) — copper, bronze, metal
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| G5470 | χάλκεος | bronze things |
| G5471 | χαλκεύς | copper-smith |
| G5472 | χαλκηδών | copper-hued gemstone |
| G5474 | χαλκολίβανον | to burnished bronze |
| G5475 | χαλκός | copper/bronze (accusative singular) |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5473-01 |
χαλκίων | chalkion | N GEN N PL |
copper vessels | of bronze vessels | bronze vessels | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5473-01 |
Mark 7:4 | χαλκίων | chalkion | N GEN N PL |
copper vessels | of bronze vessels | bronze vessels |