Βηθφαγή
Bēthphagḗ
G967 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper noun designating a specific place known as 'Bethphage,' located near Jerusalem, on or by the Mount of Olives. The meaning of the name derives from combination of Aramaic terms referring to 'the place (or house) of (unripe) figs.' Thus, the essential meaning is 'place of (unripe) figs,' but as a toponym, it functions as the name of a site significant in pilgrimage narratives.
Semantic Range
Bethphage (proper noun); place of (unripe) figs; a specific village near Jerusalem used as a toponym in narrative contexts
Root / Etymology
From Aramaic בֵּית פַּגֵּי (bêt paggē) or Hebrew בֵּית־פַּג (bet pag), meaning 'house of unripe figs,' with בֵּית ('house, place') and פַּג ('unripe fig'). Transliterated into Greek spelling as Βηθφαγή.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Βηθφαγή is not a Greek-origin word but a transliteration of an Aramaic/Hebrew place-name. It occurs specifically in the New Testament Gospels (e.g., Matthew 21:1; Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29) as the name of a locale on the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem, often mentioned together with Bethany. In the context of Second Temple and early Roman Judea, the toponym would have been familiar to Judean audiences as a real location significant in the final approach to Jerusalem, especially on pilgrimages. The traditional English translation 'Bethphage' preserves the name but does not translate its meaning ('house/place of unripe figs'). The Greek transliteration indicates the internationalization of Jerusalem toponyms in Hellenistic and Roman contexts. No evidence suggests the location's population was non-Judean, but the meaning of the name is not always noted in translations. It is attested only as a place-name and not as a common noun in Greek literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Chaldee origin (compare בַּיִת and פַּג); fig-house; Beth-phage, a place in Palestine:--Bethphage.
Root Family
Βηθφαγή (Bēthphagē) — place-name, location-name
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G967-01 |
Βηθφαγὴ | bethphage | N ACC F SG |
Bethphage | Bethphage | Bethphage | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G967-01 |
Matthew 21:1 | Βηθφαγὴ | bethphage | N ACC F SG |
Bethphage | Bethphage | Bethphage |
G967-01 |
Mark 11:1 | Βηθφαγὴ | bethphage | N ACC F SG |
Bethphage | Bethphage | Bethphage |
G967-01 |
Luke 19:29 | Βηθφαγὴ | bethphage | N ACC F SG |
Bethphage | Bethphage | Bethphage |