χαλκός
chalkós
G5475 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Copper; a naturally occurring reddish metal used in manufacturing, currency, tools, and ornamental objects. In wider contexts, extends to bronze (alloy of copper and tin or other elements), depending on period and usage. Semantic range covers (1) copper in its pure form, (2) bronze (copper alloy, especially in later Greek usage), (3) items made of copper/bronze such as coins, vessels, or musical instruments, (4) sometimes used by metonymy for 'money' or metallic currency in general.
Semantic Range
copper (elemental metal), bronze (copper alloy), copper/bronze items or implements (vessels, instruments), coins of copper or bronze, money (by metonymy)
Root / Etymology
From Greek root χαλκ-; the derivation is uncertain. No direct connection to χαλάω is linguistically established. The term is of Pre-Greek or possibly Anatolian origin, attested from earliest Greek literature as the standard term for copper and bronze.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In classical Greek, χαλκός primarily referred to copper (pure metal), but with the spread of alloy technology, it commonly denoted bronze, especially in later periods, including Hellenistic and Roman times. In Septuagint and New Testament Greek, the term may refer to either copper or bronze depending on the context, as ancient authors rarely distinguished precisely between these two metals. In the Second Temple and New Testament contexts, χαλκός is often used for objects made of copper or bronze, such as musical instruments (1 Cor. 13:1), coins (Mark 12:41, denoting low-value copper coins), and vessels. English translations as 'brass' are anachronistic, since true brass (copper-zinc alloy) was uncommon in the ancient Mediterranean prior to the Roman Imperial period. The term may sometimes mean 'money' when referring to coinage; however, this is a metonymic sense. Unlike some Greek terms for metals (e.g. χρυσός 'gold'), χαλκός can also denote implements or currency by extension. In sum, usage of χαλκός shifted from a focus on copper to wider reference to copper alloys, especially bronze. The word does not generally imply the same connotations as 'brass' or 'money' in English, except when the context of coinage is explicit.
Translation Consistency
Chalkós most frequently names the metal itself (copper) and, by extension, its alloy (bronze) and objects/coins made from it. “Copper” is literal, natural-sounding, and covers the typical biblical senses (metal, vessels, instruments, coins) while remaining the most straightforward single-word choice for consistent rendering.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
perhaps from χαλάω through the idea of hollowing out as a vessel (this metal being chiefly used for that purpose); copper (the substance, or some implement or coin made of it):--brass, money.
Root Family
χαλκός (chalkos) — copper, bronze (copper alloy)
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5475-01 |
χαλκὸν | chalkon | N ACC M SG |
money | copper/bronze (accusative singular) | copper | 3 |
G5475-03 |
χαλκοῦ | chalkou | N GEN M SG |
of bronze | of copper | of bronze | 1 |
G5475-02 |
χαλκὸς | chalkos | N NOM M SG |
brass | copper/bronze | copper | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G5475-01 |
Matthew 10:9 | χαλκὸν | chalkon | N ACC M SG |
copper | copper/bronze (accusative singular) | copper |
G5475-01 |
Mark 6:8 | χαλκόν | chalkon | N ACC M SG |
money | copper/bronze (accusative singular) | money |
G5475-01 |
Mark 12:41 | χαλκὸν | chalkon | N ACC M SG |
money | copper/bronze (accusative singular) | copper |
G5475-02 |
1 Corinthians 13:1 | χαλκὸς | chalkos | N NOM M SG |
brass | copper/bronze | copper |
G5475-03 |
Revelation 18:12 | χαλκοῦ | chalkou | N GEN M SG |
of bronze | of copper | of bronze |