Ἀρχέλαος
Archélaos
G745 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Archelaus. Refers to a historical individual, most prominently Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, who was ethnarch over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea following Herod's death. The name means 'rule of the people' or 'one who rules (or leads) the people.' It is not a common noun but a personal name, and does not bear lexical meaning beyond its usage as a name.
Semantic Range
proper name; Archelaus (historical figure); by extension, rarely any person named 'Archelaus' in Greek literature, but in biblical context exclusively the son of Herod the Great
Root / Etymology
From ἄρχω ('to rule, lead') + λαός ('people'), forming Ἀρχέλαος, meaning 'people-ruler' or 'leader of the people.' Derived by combining the verbal stem ἀρχ- and the noun λαός, both of which are common in Greek anthroponymy.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἀρχέλαος is an established Greek male given name, attested in classical Greek sources (e.g., a Macedonian general, poets, and philosophers). In the context of the New Testament (notably Matthew 2:22), it refers specifically to Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, who reigned as ethnarch (a Roman administrative title) over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea from 4 BCE to 6 CE under Roman oversight. The term does not denote Israelite, Judahite, or Judean identity in itself; the historical Archelaus was an Idumean by paternal descent, ruling over territories with mixed populations, including Judeans. English Bible translations usually render the name simply as 'Archelaus,' following established practice for personal names. The name's etymological meaning ('people-ruler') is not intended in context aside from personal identification.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἄρχω and Λαοδικεύς; people-ruling; Archelaus, a Jewish king:--Archelaus.
Root Family
Ἀρχέλαος (Archelaos) — to rule, to lead, people
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G745-01 |
Ἀρχέλαος | archelaos | N NOM M SG |
Archelaus | Archelaus | Archelaos | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G745-01 |
Matthew 2:22 | Ἀρχέλαος | archelaos | N NOM M SG |
Archelaus | Archelaus | Archelaos |