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Βηθανία

Bēthanía

G963 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Proper name referring to a settlement near Jerusalem, most commonly rendered as 'Bethany.' In the New Testament, denotes a specific village situated on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, approximately two miles from Jerusalem, known as the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. The term functions as a toponym, not a common noun, and is used to identify a particular locality rather than describe its characteristics.

Semantic Range

name of a village near Jerusalem; proper noun for a specific locality in ancient Judea; location associated with New Testament narratives

Root / Etymology

Borrowed from Aramaic (likely בֵּית עַנְיָא or similar forms), combining בֵּית (house) + an uncertain second element often explained as 'poverty,' 'suffering,' or less probably 'figs/dates.' Precise meaning of the second element is debated and not securely established; etymology uncertain.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Βηθανία appears exclusively as a place name in New Testament sources (e.g., John 11:1, Luke 19:29, Mark 11:1). The Greek form transliterates an Aramaic name for a village near Jerusalem. Bethany was significant in the Second Temple period for its proximity to Jerusalem and as the setting for key events in the Gospels. Early church traditions ascribe miraculous and significant teachings to this location. While traditional glosses render the name as 'house of dates/poverty,' there is insufficient evidence to securely tie the etymology to either meaning. English translations typically use 'Bethany' without translation, acknowledging its established place-name status. The term does not occur in earlier Greek literature outside biblical and related sources, and it is not used for other meanings in Koine Greek. Distinguished from similar-sounding place names (e.g., Bethphage) in the Gospels and from common nouns referring to dates or houses.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Chaldee origin; date-house; Beth-any, a place in Palestine:--Bethany.

Root Family

Βηθανία (Bēthania) — Bethany, village near Jerusalem, proper place name

Root Βηθαν- to denote the place Bethany

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G963-02 Βηθανίαν bethanian N ACC F SG Bethany Bethany Bethania 6
G963-01 Βηθανίᾳ bethania N DAT F SG Bethany to Bethany Bethania 4
G963-03 Βηθανίας bethanias N GEN F SG Bethany of Bethany Bethania 2

Occurrences in Scripture

12 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G963-02 Matthew 21:17 Βηθανίαν bethanian N ACC F SG Bethany Bethany Bethania
G963-01 Matthew 26:6 Βηθανίᾳ bethania N DAT F SG Bethany to Bethany Bethania
G963-02 Mark 11:1 Βηθανίαν bethanian N ACC F SG Bethany Bethany Bethania
G963-02 Mark 11:11 Βηθανίαν bethanian N ACC F SG Bethany Bethany Bethania
G963-03 Mark 11:12 Βηθανίας bethanias N GEN F SG Bethany of Bethany Bethania
G963-01 Mark 14:3 Βηθανίᾳ bethania N DAT F SG Bethany to Bethany Bethania
G963-02 Luke 19:29 Βηθανίαν bethanian N ACC F SG Bethany Bethany Bethania
G963-02 Luke 24:50 Βηθανίαν bethanian N ACC F SG Bethany Bethany Bethania
G963-01 John 1:28 Βηθανίᾳ bethania N DAT F SG Bethany to Bethany Bethania
G963-03 John 11:1 Βηθανίας bethanias N GEN F SG Bethany of Bethany Bethania
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